Natural gas purification to direct air capture: A technological continuum for CO₂ management in Malaysia’s energy transition

In Malaysia, the carbon management continuum is aligned with national decarbonisation priorities outlined in the Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) roadmap. This review introduces a technological continuum that connects three major CO₂ management pathways of natural gas purification, biogas upgrading, and direct air capture (DAC). These processes represent a progressive approach to handling CO₂ from concentrated, fossil-based sources (natural gas) to dilute atmospheric streams (direct air capture) with strong relevance to Malaysia’s current and emerging CCUS landscape. In Malaysia’s natural gas sector led by developments from PETRONAS raw gas produced offshore in often contains high CO₂ that is routinely removed during gas sweetening. The captured CO₂ presents immediate opportunities for utilisation in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) or for sequestration in depleted offshore reservoirs. Malaysia’s biogas ecosystem particularly from palm oil mill effluent (POME) and direct air capture (DAC) can be hydrogenated to synthetic methane, offering a pathway toward carbon circularity. This work reframes the carbon capture of high CO 2 content in raw natural gas to moderate levels in biogas and ultra dilute concentration of direct air capture. • Malaysia's carbon management strategy CCUS Roadmap. • Handling CO₂ from concentrated, fossil-based sources to highly dilute atmospheric streams. • Technological continuum that connects three major CO₂ management pathways of natural gas purification, biogas upgrading, and direct air capture (DAC)