BASF Japan Ltd., a subsidiary of BASF SE, has announced that the high-pressure regenerative CO₂ capture technology HiPACT co-developed by BASF and its engineering partner JGC Corporation will be used by INPEX Corporation, one of Japan’s largest exploration and production companies in its Kashiwazaki clean H₂/ammonia project. This is Japan’s first demonstration project to produce blue H₂/ammonia from domestically produced natural gas, the consistent implementation of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) in domestic depleted gas fields and the use of H₂ for power generation and ammonia production. The project is funded by the Japanese governmental organization New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

The HiPACT technology will be applied to efficiently capture and recover CO₂ in the process gas from a H₂ production facility using domestic natural gas as feedstock. Located in the Hirai area of Kashiwazaki City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan, the production facility is constructed by JGC Japan Corporation and is expected to start up in 2025. The recovered CO₂ will be injected into the reservoirs of the depleted gas fields leveraging CCUS technologies for enhanced gas recovery.

By releasing the CO₂ off gas above atmospheric pressure, HiPACT is expected to reduce CO₂ capture and compression costs by up to 35% compared with conventional technologies. This is due to its excellent high-temperature durability and CO₂ absorption performance. As CO₂ can be stored underground in an energy-saving manner, maximum benefits are expected for carbon capture and storage (CCS).

Mami Kawakatsu, Head of Sales, Intermediates Division of BASF Japan, said, “Following the successful use of BASF’s OASE gas treating technology in another NEDO-funded CCS project in Tomakomai, Japan, we are pleased to provide HiPACT for Japan's first demonstration project to produce blue H₂ and ammonia from domestic natural gas. The role of our excellent gas-treating technologies is recognized in these milestone projects in Japan’s net zero roadmap. We will continue to contribute to Japan’s 2050 carbon neutrality goal.”

“The implementation of HiPACT is the result of our excellent partnership with JGC Group by combining our capabilities in process technology and plant engineering. We look forward to the use of HiPACT in expanding global CCUS landscape,” said Lawrence Loe, Director, OASE Gas Treating Excellence, Intermediates Asia Pacific, BASF.