Exxon to test new technology to remove CO2 from gas

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The company said it is building a commercial demonstration plant near LaBarge, Wyoming, to test its "Controlled Freeze Zone" (CFZ) technology -- a process to freeze out and remove components in gas.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp said on Monday it plans to spend more than $100 million to test a technology that could allow it to affordably remove carbon dioxide and other substances from natural gas.

The company said it is building a commercial demonstration plant near LaBarge, Wyoming, to test its "Controlled Freeze Zone" (CFZ) technology -- a process to freeze out and remove components in gas.

The process can remove not only carbon dioxide, but also hydrogen sulfide, which is found in "sour" gas, it said.

After it is removed, the carbon dioxide could be used for enhanced oilfield recovery or injected into underground storage.

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If successful, the technology could reduce the cost of producing gas from sour gas fields, Exxon said.

Exxon will begin building the plant this summer, and it expects operations to start in late 2009.

It plans to test the plant, which will process about 14 million cubic feet of gas per day, for one to two years.

(Reporting by Michael Erman; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)