DMX Demonstration in Dunkirk

Project Information

3D

Grant agreement ID: 838031

DOI

10.3030/838031

Project closed

EC signature date 3 May 2019

Start date 1 May 2019

End date 31 October 2024

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost

€ 19 064 368,51

EU contribution

€ 14 739 369,91

Coordinated by

IFP Energies nouvelles
France

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - 3D (DMX Demonstration in Dunkirk)

Reporting period: 2021-11-01 to 2024-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Climate change and global warming, driven by CO2, pose major environmental challenges. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies are developed to mitigate emissions. The "3D" project in Dunkirk promotes CCS technology for global industrial use, starting in Europe.
The 3D project had three main objectives, achieved today:
-To demonstrate the effectiveness of DMX™ (IFPEN), a CO2 capture process at an industrial pilot plant designed to capture 0.5 tCO2/hour from a steel mill by 2022-2023. This pilot plant was constructed at the ArcelorMittal facility in Dunkirk and used to fully demonstrate the DMX technology. This phase represents the final step before AXENS commercialized this process.
-To prepare for the implementation of the first industrial CCS unit in Dunkirk, which would be operational post-2025. It was projected that over 1 MtCO2 per year could be captured from ArcelorMittal's blast furnace gas and stored in a geological formation in the North Sea.
-To explore the potential of the future Dunkirk-North Sea CCS Cluster, expected to be operational by 2035, capturing and storing more than 10 MtCO2 per year in the North Sea.
The project's success was underpinned by an experienced consortium comprising 11 partners from seven European countries, two academic institutions (ETH, DTU), four technology providers (Air Products, GASSCO, IFPEN, UETIKON-Seqens group), three engineering companies (AXENS, John Cockerill, Brevik Engineering), and two end-users (ArcelorMittal, TotalEnergies).

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Contracting of the 3D was finalised before the May 1st 2019 (start of the project). The kick-off meeting was held in Dunkirk on May 22nd - 23rd 2019 (see attached to the summary the picture taken during this event). The work carried out within the first and second periods is given hereafter for each objective of the project.

a) Demonstration of the DMX process
Initial evaluation of the KPIs and TRL for the DMX process has been done using the ProQual methodology developed by TotalEnergies. By the end of the 3D project, this technology should evolve from TRL 4 (technology validated in lab) to TRL7 (system prototype demonstration in operational environment).
UETIKON has manufactured in 2021, the DMX-B solvent that will be used for the pilot plant and after analysis by IFPEN, it was confirmed that the product was at the required specification.
The FEED and the engineering studies were carried out by AXENS and ArcelorMittal have supported the cost estimate of the pilot plant and the Go decision to build the pilot has been taken on March 20th 2020. Permitting actions for the operation of the 3D pilot plant at the Dunkirk steel mill have been finalised by ArcelorMittal in conjunction with the French authorities. The pilot is almost finalised now (see picture), and it will be delivered in November 2021 on the Dunkirk site. After, connection to the steel mill and commissioning/start-up activities the pilot will be able to start the tests allowing the DMX demonstration.
b) First CCS industrial unit (1 MtCO2/year)
The pre-FEED (Front End Engineering Design) of the industrial CO2 capture plant has been finalised by AXENS, IFPEN and ArcelorMittal. It will be considered the decarbonisation of a split stream (1MtCO2/y) gas from Dunkirk’s blast furnace N°4. CAPEX and OPEX costs have been estimated.
Waste heat recovery studies on the steel mill to produce the steam necessary for the regeneration of the DMX solvent has been finalised. TotalEnergies, John Cockerill has performed the heat recovery solutions basic design. CAPEX, OPEX and the steam cost have been estimated.
Bases of study for CO2 clean-up and conditioning have been reviewed by Air Products in the 2nd Period. Preliminary process studies have been carried out by DTU and Air Products in order to optimise the pressure of CO2 liquefaction, purification of the raw CO2, as well as the handling of CO2 vent and boiloff streams.
TotalEnergies has studied the geological storage possibilities in the North Sea area. Three promising storage locations have been identified (see the map attached to the summary).
In parallel, GASSCO and Brevik Engineering have defined for each concept the bases of study for CO2 transport and started to analyse the different options.
Techno-economic studies on the whole CCS chain have started at TotalEnergies & IFPEN. The main scenario with capture and storage of 1 MtCO2 per year has been defined.
Life cycle assessment (LCA) studies have just started. ETH Zürich, IFPEN and TotalEnergies teams have participated in the definition of the main scenario to be considered for these LCA studies, which will be the same as for techno economic studies. First data from the different WP started to be integrated in the models.
Social Sciences Humanities studies have been started. The phase on stakeholder mapping around ArcelorMittal steel mill in Dunkirk based on interviews and recommendations were finished. A civil committee is being constituted.
c) CCS Cluster Dunkirk – North Sea (10 MtCO2/year)
The activity of WP8 has started. A CO2 pipeline backbone seems to be needed from Le Havre-Dunkirk to Rotterdam to collect the CO2 from the industrial hubs. In this context, a pipeline from France to the Netherlands could be on-shore and off-shore as well given the difficulty to deploy a pipeline on land. Local stakeholders will be contacted to progress together in making a better long-term scenario.
d) Dissemination and communication activities
A press release has announced the launch of the 3D project. This communication action encountered a lot of success: more than 90 articles published in newspapers, scientific and even economic reviews. The public website (https://3d-ccus.com/) is in operation since February 2020. News from the project are shared very often on LinkedIn.
The 3D project has been presented during the main international conferences on CCS: GPA, PCC-5, GHGT…

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The DMX™ process is a breakthrough CO2 post combustion capture process based on absorption by a proprietary demixing solvent. The tests performed in the past showed that the DMX™ allows a 30 % reduction on the energy penalty and on the total CO2 capture cost, compared to the first-generation absorption processes.The demonstration of the DMX process in the ArcelorMittal steel mill will allow us to confirm these results and fully demonstrate this process. Also, the demonstration of the DMX process is a major step in CCUS : the industrials will have access to a less expensive technology to decrease the CO2 emissions. In case of successful experimentation, the DMX process could be proposed to capture CO2 for CCUS applications in the steel industry but also other industries such as cement plants or refineries. Beyond the environmental impact of the DMX, reducing the industrial CO2 emissions in France, the social-impact will be important : the social-impact studies performed during the project prepare the arrival of the CCUS in France increasing the acceptability of the project and the deployment of CCUS in Dunkerque.The identification of the regional stakeholders and the creation of a global mapping and engagement will be crucial to the success of the CCUS in Dunkerque and in France.
The 3D project will contribute also to the dynamization of the Dunkerque area. The deployment of the CCUS will be major for the job creation and the positive economic impact for the region Hauts de France.

CO2 Storages near Dunkirk

View of the 3D pilot plant

Picture of the Pilot before transport to Dunkirk

Picture taken during the 3D kick-off meeting