We had a coffee chat with the director of our department, and they mentioned that most of the LCS projects are likely to be either discontinued or significantly scaled down. At the same time, there’s another initiative emerging informally around DAC using Amines. The person leading this has no knowledge of fundamentals. Another waste of resources.
15 replies (most recent on top)
Research is so outdated in EMTECH. The LCS is just bunch of power points to help some loud people to sell some stupid dreams.
@e4 You can wake someone who is truly asleep, but you can’t wake someone who is pretending to sleep. Unfortunately research is politics rather than real science in XOM.
Algae! Yoshi! What other failures can you think of?
They call this new joke liquid DAC! Some people should go up the ladder some how so let's make up these nonsense!
DAC is like pi----g in the ocean. 400 ppm CO2 max in the atmosphere. You need to su-k a lot of air to make any difference. Exxon has always chased these stupid ideas.
Not surprised. I worked in LCS for an international project and they shut it down purely because of fiscals. Though, it really shouldn't have taken them that long to come to that conclusion. He-l, I could've made that decision myself.
@e4 I am from Research. I endorse this message.
The way ideas move forward here is fundamentally broken. The IPTL role seems to reward volume over substance — whoever is the loudest gets traction. They bring in their own “expert” friends to technical reviews, secure a green light from a friendly audience, celebrate every minor milestone as if it’s a breakthrough, and spend enormous amounts on pilots and demos. Yet somehow, when it comes to actual scale‑up at a reasonable cost, everything collapses.
What’s even more concerning is the avoidance of proper lab‑scale validation. Look at RFR, DAC, algae — nearly every LCS project shows the same pattern: minimal foundational work, premature celebration, and then a predictable failure to scale. It’s a cycle of hype without rigor, and the organization keeps repeating it.
We’re all about to be Exxond. Merger will show “redundancies” . Folks about to find out if their politics is worth anything.
Direct air capture (DAC) technology is progressing towards commercial viability, but significant challenges remain in terms of cost, scalability, and technological development.
Current Status of DAC Technology
Direct air capture is an emerging technology designed to remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) directly from the atmosphere. Companies like Shell are actively investing in DAC projects to explore pathways for scalability and commercial viability. While the technology is still in its early stages, there is a growing recognition of its potential role in achieving global net-zero targets.
Market Growth and Economic Viability
The DAC market is projected to grow significantly, with estimates suggesting it could reach $2.58 billion by 2030, driven by tax incentives and corporate net-zero commitments. This growth indicates a rising interest in DAC as a viable solution for carbon removal. However, the current costs associated with DAC are high, making it accessible primarily to large companies with ambitious sustainability goals. To enhance its commercial viability, costs must decrease through technological advancements and increased efficiency.
Challenges to Commercialization
High Costs: The initial capital costs for DAC systems are substantial, and operational expenses can be high, particularly if reliant on renewable energy sources. Reducing these costs is crucial for broader adoption.
Technological Development: While pilot projects are underway, most DAC systems are not expected to reach commercial scale until 2027 or later. Current projects are primarily focused on generating operational data to refine the technology.
Regulatory and Policy Support: Clear policies, financial incentives, and streamlined regulations are essential to support the development and scaling of DAC technologies.
Future Prospects
Despite the challenges, DAC is transitioning from a concept to a more realistic solution for carbon removal. The establishment of pilot projects and collaborations among industry leaders is paving the way for future advancements. As the market matures, the integration of third-party data and improved monitoring standards will be critical for ensuring the effectiveness and credibility of DAC projects.
In conclusion, while direct air capture is not yet fully commercially viable, ongoing developments and increasing market interest suggest a promising future for this technology as part of a broader strategy to combat climate change.
It would be more cost effective to just license Shell's CANSOLV technology. Why do we need to reinvent the wheel?
Shell’s CANSOLV CO₂ capture system is a commercial, amine-based technology designed to efficiently remove CO₂ from industrial flue gases with high capture rates and low energy consumption.
Overview
The CANSOLV CO₂ Capture System is a proprietary technology developed by Shell Catalysts & Technologies for post-combustion CO₂ capture from low-pressure flue gases. It uses regenerable amine-based solvents (such as DC-103 or DC-201) that chemically absorb CO₂, allowing the gas to be separated from industrial emissions and delivered for sequestration or sale, including enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and commodity markets. The system is designed to capture up to 99% of CO₂ from post-combustion streams while maintaining low parasitic energy consumption and fast reaction kinetics.
Process Description
The CANSOLV system operates through a continuous, regenerative chemical absorption cycle with two main phases: absorption and regeneration:
Absorption Phase: Flue gas flows counter-currently against the lean amine solvent in a vertical absorber column. CO₂ reacts with the amine to form a temporary chemical bond, while the treated gas exits to the atmosphere.
Regeneration Phase: The CO₂-rich amine is heated in a regeneration column using low-pressure steam, releasing CO₂ as a pure, water-saturated stream. The regenerated lean amine is recycled back to the absorber for continuous operation.
The system is highly flexible, capable of handling gas flow rates from 11,000 to 685,000 Nm³/h and CO₂ concentrations from 3.5% to 25%, making it suitable for a wide range of industrial applications.
https://catalysts.shell.com/hubfs/Shell%20Cansolv%20CO2%20Capture%20System%20Fact%20sheet.pdf
Most of the announcements lately validate that LCS is going away. I suspect anyone left that isn't moved will be in a really rough spot
Algae all over again
@a2 But this time it uses Amines…
I thought DAC wasn't commercially viable.