Exploration & Production

São Paulo academics claim close to pre-salt breakthrough

Progress in removing CO2 from gas, made by a Shell-funded organisation in São Paulo, could be massive news for Brazil’s pre-salt fields Progress in removing CO2 from gas, made by a Shell-funded organisation in São Paulo, could be massive news for Brazil’s pre-salt fields.
By Chris Noon 26 October 2017 0 28127
An FPSO in Brazil’s pre-salt basin. (Petrobras)

Brazil’s pre-salt gas has one big issue: it contains high levels of carbon dioxide. The country’s academics have been working on technologies for gas purification and CO2 sequestration, but they have been limited by scale. 

However, Julio Meneghini, academic director of the São Paulo-based Research Centre for Gas Innovation (RCGI) – supported by Shell and the São Paulo Research Foundation – thinks his organisation is on the brink of a breakthrough. 

Interfax Natural Gas Daily: How will research at RCGI benefit Brazil’s gas industry?  

Julio Meneghini:...