DDR Membrane - CO2 Separation for Natural Gas Treatment

DDR membrane process is a high-efficiency CO2 separation technology using a DDR-type zeolite membrane. It is suitable for CO2 separation from associated gas deriving from CO2-EOR and natural gas with high CO2 content. DDR membrane can enhance product yields because of a very high selectivity for CO2/CH4. This technology is jointly developed by JGC and NGK Insulators, Ltd.

Advantages of DDR Membrane

  • Applicable to high pressure and high CO2 gas fields (high CO2 partial pressure durability)
  • CH4 loss in DDR membrane process is much smaller than in conventional polymeric membrane process
    (Approximately 1/10 or less than conventional polymeric membranes)
  • DDR membrane enables an economic, one-stage system
  • DDR membrane can be adapted to changing, increasing levels of CO2 over time, by retrofitting
  • The largest zeolite membrane element in the world, it can only be manufactured by NGK Insulators, Ltd.
DDR Membrane Process Application
DDR Membrane Process Application
One-stage and Two-stage membrane system
Comparison between DDR Membrane and Conventional Polymeric Membrane

DDR Membrane Element

Element size Diameter: 180 mm, Length: 1,000 mm
Membrane surface area 12 m2
Membrane module type Monolithic
Pressure resistance Max. 8 MPaG
DDR Membrane Element
DDR Membrane Element (source: NGK Insulators, Ltd.)
System Development
System Development

Road Map to Commercialization

Current stage is field test stage. After completion of field test, DDR Membrane will be commercialized.

Road map to commercialization