http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/exxonmobil/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&ndmConfigId=1001106&newsId=20080505006145&newsLang=en

As talk of Climate Change intensifies and ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels are sought, attention has turned to using more natural gas as the cleaner energy alternative. But this doesn't mean that natural gas is free of carbon dioxide emissions. Combustion of natural gas results in roughly half the carbon dioxide release of coal when compared on an "equivalent" energy basis. Now comes Exxon Mobil with plans to invest $100 million in development of a new technology that could reduce the cost of removing and capturing carbon dioxide from natural gas, possibly allowing for lower quality natural gas to be used thus adding to the available supply.

The company plans to build a commercial demonstration plant near LaBarge, Wyoming, where it will use ExxonMobil’s Controlled Freeze Zone technology, known as CFZ. CFZ is a single-step cryogenic separation process that freezes out and then melts the carbon dioxide and removes other components including hydrogen sulfide, which is found in so-called sour gas. If successful, the process will reduce the cost of carbon dioxide removal from produced natural gas.

Using the CFZ™ process, the carbon dioxide and other components are discharged as a high-pressure liquid stream for injection into underground storage or for use in reservoir management to enhance oil recovery. Besides reducing the cost of separation, transportation and reinjection, the CFZ™ process can eliminate the use of solvents, sulfur plants and carbon dioxide venting in processing of the natural gas.

Exxon Mobil; May 5, 2008

Submitted by R. Campbell