Simulation-based techno-economic evaluation for optimal design of CO₂ transport pipeline network

For large volumes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) onshore and offshore transportation, pipeline is considered the preferred method. This paper presents a study of the pipeline network planned in the Humber region of the UK. Steady state process simulation models of the CO₂ transport pipeline network were developed using Aspen HYSYS®. The simulation models were integrated with Aspen Process Economic Analyser® (APEA). In this study, techno-economic evaluations for different options were conducted for the CO₂ compression train and the trunk pipelines respectively. The evaluation results were compared with other published cost models. Optimal options of compression train and trunk pipelines were applied to form an optimal case. The overall cost of CO₂ transport pipeline network was analyzed and compared between the base case and the optimal case. The results show the optimal case has an annual saving of 22.7 M€. For the optimal case, levelized energy and utilities cost is 7.62 €/t-CO₂, levelized capital cost of trunk pipeline is about 8.11 €/t-CO₂ and levelized capital cost of collecting system is 2.62 €/t- CO₂. The overall levelized cost of the optimal case was also compared to the result of another project to gain more insights for CO₂ pipeline network design.