Nanotechnology and the Natural Gas Industry
In a wake-up call for the natural gas industry, Saeid Mokhatab and Brian Towler of the University of Wyoming warn that ignoring the potential of nanotechnology to revolutionize the business could be an enormous missed opportunity.
First, let we discuss about nanotechnology itself.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Nanotechnology is the science of the very small, of the properties of structures and materials at the molecular level. Nanotechnology refers broadly to a field of applied science and technology whose unifying theme is the control of matter on the atomic and molecular scale, normally 1 to 100 nanometers, and the fabrication of devices within that size range. It is a highly multidisciplinary field, drawing from fields such as applied physics, materials science, interface and colloid science, device physics, supramolecular chemistry, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering.
How could nanotechnology revolutionize the natural gas industry?
Nanotechnology could revolutionize the natural gas industry across the whole lifecycle from extraction to pollution reduction or be an enormous missed opportunity, claim two industry experts writing in nanotechnology could revolutionize the natural gas industry. They suggest that nanotechnology could help us extract more fuel and feedstock hydrocarbons from dwindling resources. However, they recognize that the oil and gas exploration and production industry is not very innovative. If the sector doesn’t accept the idea that nanotechnologies can help them to face their increasing technical challenges, this could represent a missed opportunity to improve the industry, both for exploration and production.
They said that the industry had been slow to understand the potential benefits offered by the wide range of nanostructured materials developed over the past decade. In their study, the researchers complain the industry’s lack of innovation in exploration and production coupled with a perception of high costs, new risks and a general lack of awareness of the benefits of nanotechnology.
So what would be the benefits of using nanotechnologies during the exploration process?
They point out that nanomaterials, such as nanotubes or engineered porous minerals, might be used in gas fields or other sources to improve the efficiency of extraction of a wide variety of hydrocarbon fuel compounds and chemical feedstocks. Nanomaterials could be used to develop new absorbents and membranes to assist in the separation and capture of carbon dioxide and other contaminants such as hydrogen sulphide and nitrogen from natural gas. Sensors based on certain nanomaterials could be used to detect leaks in natural gas plant, while adding another kind of nanomaterials to mud would help to maintain the stability of well bores during drilling for gas.
What about the production of natural gas?
Similarly, related nanomaterials might be used to improve purification and storage of hydrocarbons, while yet other nanomaterials might be used in environmental remediation, allowing contaminated sites to be cleaned up of harmful pollutants. Nanomaterials might even be developed as corrosion inhibitors for equipment and at the same time, more sophisticated nanotechnology could be developed as solid-state gas sensors for air pollution monitoring.
How about the future use of nanotechnology by the natural gas industry?
Yeah,, the researchers are quite enthusiastic about that. Why? Because, the past decade has seen explosive growth worldwide in the synthesis and study of a wide range of nanostructured materials, the building blocks of nanotechnology. Investigations of mechanical, chemical, electrical, magnetic, and optical behavior of nanostructured materials have demonstrated the possibilities to engineer the properties of these new materials for a wide range of applications.
Well,, it’s a challenge for us as a chemical engineer.. Hope that nanotechnology really could revolutionize the natural gas industry..
Anyway, since we are talking about nanotechnology, let’s get into the main idea of nanotechnology. Do you believe that nanomachinery will be exist in the future? Imagine tools and equipments within nanometer sizes.. and even the whole chemical plant will be in nanometer.. a nanoplant?
Reference(s): Wikipedia, Nanorex Inc., crnano.org
(7 votes, 3.86/5)
Dinda,
Great, eye-opening article…
Terima kasih.
Apakah ini cuma berlaku buat natural gas aja??
ato buat Oil&Gas??
agak gak ngeh soalnya ama artikelnya…
teknologi nanonya dipake buat di bagian processing natural gas ato di exploration and drilling??
@ webworm : thx juga..=)
@ ertanto vetra : Sejauh ini baru dikembangkan nanoteknologi di natural gas.Untuk oil and gas nya masi dlm tahap pencarian cara bgmn untuk mengembangkannya.Itu di luar negeri loh yaa.Klo di Indonesia sendiri keberadaan nanoteknologi blm cukup populer. Hanya kalangan tertentu saja khususnya akademisi yang kerap bergulat dengan rekayasa material. Sementara, masyarakat awam hanya mampu merasakan hasilnya. Masih terbatasnya pengembangan nanoteknologi di Indonesia dikarenakan minimnya fasilitas serta dukungan dana. Yah, beginilah Indonesia..
Teknologi nano-nya tu banyaknya dipake di exploration process nya,,tapi ga menutup kemungkinan klo nanoteknologi ini dipake di bagian lain prosesnya..Oya,,ada ktnya scientist dr jepang gt (klo ga slh) lagi mengembangkan cara untuk meng “crack” hidrogen, pake saringan dari serat karbon tipis yang dicampur sama molekul senyawa nikel.
Saringan/filter itu akan dpt membuat gas alam menjadi karbon dan hidrogen yang cukup murni untuk bisa digunakan sebagai bahan bakar..Bgitu si setau gw..
ok2…
thx bgt buat infonya…
(n_n)
hmmm dari yang gua baca, salah satu efek positif nanoengineering ialah peningkatan konversi reaksi secara signifikan.. jadi karena peninjauan reaksi sudah dapat dilakukan pada skala nano, faktor-faktor peningkatan konversi dapat diarahkan untuk mengalami peningkatan.. cmiiw, tapi gua nangkepnya tuh faktor pori-pori katalis, simulasi tumbukan, fasa aktif, dll, dsb bisa dievaluasi dengan akurasi yang lebih tinggi saat proses sintesis katalis.. jadi hasil akhirnya ialah konversi yang jauh lebih tinggi.. hehehe.. bener ga sih gua? hehehe..
tapi kalo nanoengineering ini sukses, dampaknya bakal besar banget ya di dunia.. masalahnya cakupan aplikasinya bener-bener lebar banget.. kedokteran, farmasi, mesin, elektronika, pertambangan, proses, dll, dsb.. bener-bener semua disiplin ilmu punya pengembangannya masing-masing karena keberadaaan nanotechnology.. hehe.. apapun itu, semoga itu untuk perdamaian dunia.. hehehe.. (*najis ya kata-kata terakhirnya)
iyaa,, jubel betul..emg bner klo nanoteknologi ini dapat meningkatkan konversi reaksi..
soal katalis,, riset di bidang nanoteknologi udah dikembangkan pada katalis reaksi dgn menggunakan zeolit, bentonit dan logam campuran (multi metal oksida) dan pengolahan limbah dan air pada teknologi membran. Diharapkannya si penelitian ke depannya lebih pesat lagi, soalnya dgn nanoteknologi di bidang katalis misalnya, akan membuat permukaan lebih besar sehingga proses reaksi bisa berlangsung lebih cepat dan sempurna. Klo pada bidang membran untuk pengelolaan limbah dan air, dapat memisahkan ion-ion dan komponen yang sangat kecil yang memang tidak dibutuhkan..
yahh,,emg nanoteknologi baru booming bbrp taun belakangan. Pengembangan nanoteknologi ini terasa banget, berbagai latar belakang multi disiplin ilmu dan teknologi sangat diperlukan: matematika utk pemodelan, fisika utk pemahaman fenomena-fenomena gaya dan energi, kimia (anorganik ato organik) utk pemahaman sifat material, sama biologi utk pembelajaran sistem-sistem rekayasa pada makhluk hidup. Kreativitas dan daya kreasi yang tinggi juga sangat diperlukan utk menemukan terobosan teknik dan metoda baru, serta aplikasi yang cocok. DAmpaknya emg besar bgt bwt dunia, ya utk perdamaian dunia jg sesuai kata2 lo bel..hehehe
Hmm mau ikut komentar nih..
Artikel pemanfaatan nanotech ini keren banget.. satu pertanyaan saya setelah membaca artikel ini, “Apakah yakin di Indonesia dapat diimplementasikan?”
Saat ini saya juga sedang belajar nanotech di Taiwan. Sejauh ini pemanfaatan nanotech di Taiwan berkisar di drug delivery, semicondutor, dan emulsion system. Belum mencapai ke arah natural gas industry.
Btw apakah penulis juga mendalami penelitian di bidang nanotech?
Salam hangat,
Rico Tedyono
Master Student of Nanotechnology
Chemical Engineering Dept
National Cheng Kung University
Tainan, Taiwan
Nice website!!
Leave your comment!
More articles from this category:
More articles from this author:
Quotes of the Day »
"A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works with as few original ideas as possible. There are no prima donnas in engineering."
Artikel Terbaru »
Teknologi Gas-To-Liquid (GTL)
Research Project of the University of Maastricht
CHE Softwares: Free, Demo, and Sharewares
CHE Around Us: Refrigerators
Event: Engineer’s Week (Pekan Insinyur)
Biogasification of Lignite Coal
Gasifikasi Batubara dengan Unggun Terfluidakan
Pembakaran Batubara dengan O2/CO2
IGCC: Major IGCC Sections (2)
IGCC: Technology Overview (1)
Komentar Terbaru »
Co-production of Bioethanol (84)
Teknologi Pengolahan Sampah (28)
Penggunaan Jamur Lapuk Putih dalam Penghilangan Warna Limbah Tekstil (11)
Chemiformers: lab cars go green! (20)
Integrated Coal Gasification Combined Cycle (26)
EPC? Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (47)
Majari at Flickr »
Topik Populer »
biodiesel biomass biotechnology business catalyst chemistry coal consultant energy equipments Event food fuel cell geothermal global warming green Indonesia life materials membrane nanotechnology oil and gas press release process control process design products reaction safety separation software students universities waste treatmentWeb Links
University Links
Arsip »
Majari Networks
Browse categories
Most Popular
Most Discussed
Most Emailed