Carbon capture from ArcelorMittal hot briquetted Iron plant using air liquide cryocap™ FG technology – FEED study

Steel production is energy and carbon-intensive, currently accounting for around 8% of global final energy demand and contributing approximately 7–10% of global CO₂ emissions from energy use. The main objective of this research project was to execute and complete a Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) study for a commercial-scale, carbon capture unit to separate 95% of the main process carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions at the ArcelorMittal’s Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI) plant in Portland, Texas. This plant produces 2.0 million metric tonnes of high-quality HBI and emits approximately 1 million tonnes CO 2 /yr. The HBI is an ore-based metallic that is used as high-grade feedstock for high-quality steel via an Electric Arc Furnace route. The capture system investigated is a Pressure Swing Adsorption system assisted Cryocap™ FG technology that was developed by Air Liquide. The captured CO 2 will be pipeline grade and will be geologically stored. The scope of this study included the FEED study of the CO 2 capture system including balance-of-plant; business case analysis; life cycle analysis; environmental justice analysis; economic revitalization and job creation outcomes analysis; and workforce readiness plan. As a result of the study, the team developed an understanding of the technical and resource requirements for scaling up this proven capture technology for commercial applications at industrial facilities, as well as assessing economic and jobs impacts of the project retrofit, and providing a framework for redirecting workforce focused on the fossil energy to clean technologies. The final report of the FEED study will be published in https://www.osti.gov/ in 2026 under project number DE-FE0032221.