With World oil demand increasing in the face of limited supplies, increasing attention is turning towards non-conventional oil sources as a means to relieve the pressure exerted on conventional stocks. However, non-conventional oils are hard to extract, process and transport. Several technologies are already at work with differing levels of success, recovery ranging from as low as 5% through to more than 70%. This paper reviews the range of Enhanced Oil Recovery techniques, broadly classified into either thermal or non-thermal methods, and their applicability to the extraction of heavy oils and bitumens. Advantages and disadvantages are presented in terms of their recovery factors, requirements, limitations and economics. The potential benefits of additional downhole catalytic upgrading of heavy oils are also explored.

Continual reduction of landfill space along with rising CO₂levels and environmental pollution, are global issues that will only grow with time if not correctly addressed. The lack of proper waste management infrastructure means gloablly commodity plastics are disposed of incorrectly, leading to both an economical loss and environmental destruction. The bioaccumulation of plastics and microplastics can already be seen in marine ecosystems causing a negative impact on all organisms that live there, ultimately microplastics will bioaccumulate in humans. The opportunity exists to replace the majority of petroleum derived plastics with bioplastics (bio-based, biodegradable or both). This, in conjunction with mechanical and chemical recycling is a renewable and sustainable solution that would help mitigate climate change. This review covers the most promising biopolymers PLA, PGA, PHA and bio-versions of conventional petro-plastics bio-PET, bio-PE. The most optimal recycling routes after reuse and mechanical recycling are: alcoholysis, biodegradation, biological recycling, glycolysis and pyrolysis respectively.

In an effort to reduce the energy penalty and cost associated with state-of-the-art carbon capture technologies, a range of 2nd and 3rd generation CO₂ capture technologies are being developed. One of these technologies, based on solid sorbents for the gas separation in carbon capture, has the potential to significantly reduce the energy penalty and avoid some of the problems associated with the current technologies. However to realise this potential, two main developments are required: new porous materials and new plant integration processes. This application note describes the performance requirements and challenges associated with the development of functional materials for this application. We describe the key challenges for materials development and the requirements in terms of operating conditions, gas composition, stability, and lifetime to make solid sorbents a viable large scale CO₂ capture process. Examples of potential future research and breakthrough materials currently being developed are also discussed.

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) was degraded to methyl lactate (Me-La) by an imino monophenolate Zn(1)2 catalyst in the presence of THF, as the solvent, and methanol, as the protic source. As well as solution based polymerization and degradation, catalyst stability was also assessed and discussed. The chemical degradation of four different commercial samples of PLA, varying in molecular weight, was studied. The effect of PLA concentration (0.05 to 0.2 g mL-1), reaction temperature (40 to 130 °C), and catalyst concentration (4 to 16 wt%) on conversion, yield and selectivity were studied and statistically analyzed. Mass transfer limitations were examined by utilizing two different PLA particle sizes and altering the stirring speed. Results revealed that the main variables affecting PLA degradation by Zn(1)2 are temperature and catalyst concentration. It was possible to observe Me-La formation even at 40 °C although the reaction times were significantly longer compared with the highest temperatures. Conversions of 100%, as determined by 1H NMR spectroscopy and GPC, were possible in short times (<15 min) depending on the reaction temperature and catalyst concentration. A reaction mechanism for the production of Me-La from PLA degradation, which considers oligomers as an intermediate product, is presented and values of the kinetic constants provided from this modelling. The activation energy for the initial PLA degradation step was found to be 42 – 66 kJ mol-1, generally decreasing with catalyst loading. This work presents a discrete metal complex catalyst that can be used for the chemical recycling of PLA to Me-La.

A nickel-silica core@shell catalyst was applied for a methane tri-reforming process in a fixed-bed reactor. To determine the optimal condition of the tri-reforming process for production of syngas appropriate for methanol synthesis the effect of reaction temperature (550–750 °C), CH4:H2O molar ratio (1:0–3.0) and CH4:O2 molar ratio (1:0–0.5) in the feedstock was investigated. CH4 conversion rate and H2/CO ratio in the produced syngas were influenced by the feedstock composition. Increasing the amount of steam above the proportion of CH4:H2O 1:0.5 reduced the H2:CO molar ratio in produced syngas to ∼1.5. Increasing oxygen partial pressure improved methane conversion to 90% at 750 °C. At low ∼550 °C reaction temperature the tri-reforming process was not effective with low hydrogen production (H2 yield ∼20%) and very low <5% CO2 conversion. Increasing reaction temperature increased hydrogen yield to ∼85% at 750 °C. From all the tested reaction conditions the optimal for tri-reforming over the 11%Ni@SiO2 catalyst was: feed composition with molar ratio CH4:CO2:H2O:O2:He 1:0.5:0.5:0.1:0.4 at T = 750 °C. The results were explained in the context of characterisation of the catalysts used. The obtained results showed that the tri-reforming process can be applied for production of syngas with composition suitable for methanol synthesis

Steam gasification of biochars has emerged as a promising method for generating syngas that is rich in hydrogen. In this study four biochars formed via intermediate pyrolysis (wood pellet, sewage sludge, rapeseed and miscanthus) were gasified in a quartz tubular reactor using steam. The dynamic behaviour of the process and effects of temperature, steam flow and particle size were studied. The results show that increases in both steam flow and temperature significantly increase the dry gas yield and carbon conversion, but hydrogen volume fraction decreases at higher temperatures whilst particle size has little effect on gaseous composition. The highest volume fraction of hydrogen, 58.7%, was obtained at 750 °C from the rapeseed biochar