Process Simulation and Evaluation of Carbon Separation Technology from High-CO₂ Gas Wells in Indonesia Using a Solvent and Adsorbent

With the global shift towards cleaner energy, natural gas demand is rising due to its lower environmental impact compared to oil. The gas reserves of Indonesia, notably in fields, such as Masela, Jambaran Tiung Biru (JTB), and Natuna, often have high CO₂ content. Effective CO₂ separation is vital to meet commercial gas standards while minimizing energy consumption.

This study evaluates the energy efficiency of two established CO₂ separation technologies: absorption using MEA solution and adsorption with a carbon molecular sieve. Both methods were simulated in Aspen software to assess energy requirements across different gas fields.

Adsorption showed superior energy efficiency in all fields. For Masela (93% recovery), adsorption required 3.63E+03 GJ, significantly lower than absorption’s 2.46E+04 GJ. In JTB (95% recovery), adsorption consumed 1.43E+03 GJ, outperforming absorption’s 2.75E+04 GJ. For Natuna (93% recovery), adsorption used 1.37E+04 GJ versus absorption’s 3.49E+05 GJ. CO₂ concentration emerged as a key factor in separation efficiency; adsorption was most effective at moderate CO₂ levels, such as JTB’s 35%. However, low CO₂ levels (10%) in Masela reduced adsorption efficiency due to incomplete saturation, while high levels (71%) in Natuna led to rapid adsorbent saturation.

Adsorption demonstrated greater energy efficiency across varying CO₂ concentrations, though it performed best at medium levels. Absorption efficiency declined at higher CO₂ concentrations, limiting its suitability for gas fields with high CO₂ content. These findings highlight the potential of adsorption for more energy-efficient CO₂ separation in the gas fields of Indonesia.