Circular Synergy between Biomass and Petroleum Industry in Process and Supply Chain Integration

Lip Siang Yeo, Wendy Pei Qin Ng, Chun Hsion Lim, Wei Dong Leong, Hon Loong Lam, Yat Choy Wong, Jaka Sunarso, Sin Yong Teng*, Bing Shen How*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

The desire to decarbonize modern energy is challenged by the indispensable use of fossil fuels. Circular economy (CE) represents a promising shift in the modern industry from linear toward a self-sustaining circular system where the synergy among various industries formulates a closed loop. Addressing the end-of-life waste hierarchy, this work evaluates the integration of biomass conversion technology as a potential strategy to empower circularity in the oil and gas (O&G) industry. Decision problems associated with technology selection and facility location are resolved using a systematic analytical approach (e.g., principal component analysis, multi-objective decision-making, mixed-integer linear programming, geospatial information, etc.), which are modeled into two parts: (i) optimal biomass conversion pathway synthesis and (ii) optimal supply chain synthesis. The performance of the determined optimal solutions in terms of economic and environmental aspects is evaluated in the model, which is then benchmarked with that of the conventional O&G design. A case study in Malaysia is adopted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model in determining the optimal technology pathway and supply chain. The model favors hydrogen production through gasification with promising environmental (1.32 kg CO2/kg H2) and economic performance ($1.09 /kg H2). Ultimately, the proposed strategy represents a preliminary stage design which serves as a direction for policymakers, investors, and researchers to strive toward CE goals.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)12916-12933
Number of pages18
JournalACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering
Volume11
Issue number35
Early online date24 Aug 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 4 Sept 2023

Keywords

  • biomass retrofitting
  • circular economy
  • multi-objective optimization
  • principal component analysis
  • sustainable value chain
  • technology selection

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