This study aims to establish the CO2-free hydrogen production using the potential underground oil/coal resources. More than 50% of oil/coal is left underground because of economic and technical reasons in conventional mining methods. We will establish a technology to recover these unused resources by converting them to hydrogen in-situ gasification. In addition, CO2 produced at the same time with gasification is left in underground, or separated and stored at the site of post coal mining/oil field, or effectively utilized to realize CO2-free hydrogen production. It is also essential to ensure its safe operation and to obtain the agreement by local residents. In order to implement this system in society, we will establish underground and surface CO2 monitoring systems and risk management systems. In this way, we aim to achieve social implementation of the system as a package that realizes underground in-situ CO2-free hydrogen production by fossil fuels with social acceptance by local residents.
Research concept: CO2-free hydrogen generation by in-situ gasification
Large amount of oil/coal is left in underground due to the economic/technical reasons with the conventional mining methods. Underground gasification technology has advantages to utilize these potential energy resources as a clean energy by converting hydrogen in-situ. Additionally, CO2-free hydrogen can be produced by stabilizing CO2 as carbonate minerals in the underground, CO2 storage in underground with monitoring system, and the effective utilization of CO2 in various field. This research aims to establish environmentally low-impact utilization system of oil/coal left in underground.
Professor
Department of Earth Resources Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
Hydrogen production by oil/coal underground gasification
Professor
Department of Earth Resources Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
Monitoring system of CO2 leakage, Design of a regional circulation system for local resources
Professor
Tropical Crops & Environment Section, Institute of Tropical Agriculture
CO2 utilization in the facility cultivation and plant factories
Associate Professor
Department of Earth Resources Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
Development of industrial material for CO2 stabilization
Associate Professor
Department of Earth Resources Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
Underground CO2 monitoring system of oil field/coal seam
Assistant Professor
Department of Earth Resources Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
Separation of CO2 from production gas, CO2 stabilization in underground
Assistant Professor
Department of Earth Resources Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
CO2 stabilization in underground
Assistant Professor
International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research
Development of catalyst for enhancement of hydrogen production
Assistant Professor
Department of Earth Resources Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
Hydrogen production by oil/coal underground gasification, CO2 utilization in the facility cultivation and plant factories
The research results are expected to create local communities with local production for local consumption by adopting the old coal-mining towns in Japan. The construction of a hydrogen energy network will not only contribute to decarbonization, but also to the establishment of an energy security system that minimizes the impact of emergencies such as energy security supply, disasters, and changes in the international situation. In addition, the social implementation will be accelerated by establishing an adoption package that includes hydrogen recovery through the hydrogen production from the potential oil/coal resources, CO2 storage and effective utilization, environmental monitoring of CO2 stored in underground coal seams and CO2 leakage at the surface. The system is also expected to be deployed overseas in cooperation with researchers in oil/coal-producing countries such as China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, and Australia.
(coming soon)
Hamanaka, A.; Su, F.Q.; Itakura, K.; Takahashi, K.; Kodama, J.; Deguchi, G.
Fuel, 305, 121556, 2021
DOI: 10.1016/j.fuel.2021.121556
Figure: Concept of Underground gasification system
Machida, H.; Esaki, T.; Yamaguchi, T.; Norinaga, K.
ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng., 8, 8732-8740, 2020
DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.0c02459
