Shale Gas Biomass Co-Gasification for Syngas Production

摘要

According to the U.S Energy Information Administration, the production of Appalachian shale gas grew manifold from 7.8 Bcf/d in 2012 to 23.8 Bcf/d in 2017. Thus Appalachian shale gas which is abundant in West Virginia has been the key component of U.S's ever increasing natural gas production. With the cost of U.S natural gas hovering just over $2.5/MMBtu, utility of natural gas as a primary feedstock for fuels and value added chemicals has tremendous potential. At the same time lingo-cellulosic biomass generated from the agriculture, dairy, poultry, and related activities has potential to transform the transportation, energy, and value-added chemicals industry in a major way. The complexity and variation in biomass feedstock and its lower heating value compared to coal and natural gas limits extensive use of biomass as a sustainable feedstock. Ligno-cellulosic biomass being a complex array of aromatic rings and unsaturated carbons, it needs upgradation before it can be used as fuel or feedstock for chemical synthesis.