LNG researcher wins PM’s science prize

A leading researcher who is helping make the nation’s vast reserves of liquefied natural gas (LNG) an even cleaner fuel is among five winners of the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science announced yesterday in Canberra.

Winthrop Professor Eric May, Chevron Chair in Gas Process Engineering (GPE) at The University of Western Australia (UWA), was presented with the $50,000 Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year by Prime Minister Julia Gillard at an award ceremony in the Great Hall of Parliament House. The prize was jointly presented by the Minister for Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education, Senator Chris Evans.

Professor May was cited for his research on geosequestration, in which carbon dioxide is extracted from raw natural gas and re-injected back into the ground to prevent its release into the atmosphere as greenhouse gas pollution. These and other greenhouse gas capture technologies Professor May is working on could greatly reduce the environmental impact of Australia’s multibillion-dollar LNG export industry.

Professor May is also working to ensure the smooth flow of raw gas from well to production facility, new ways to strip unwanted nitrogen from LNG and more efficient separation technologies to reduce the amount of energy required to produce LNG so that Australia can supply its vital export markets.

UWA Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Johnson congratulated Professor May on his outstanding work and said it demonstrated the value of world-class scientific research to Australia’s national economy. 

“Australia faces a challenge to help meet global energy demands by mid-century, when the world’s population is predicted to grow by 40% to 9.1 billion people,” Professor Johnson said. “Leading scientists of Professor May’s calibre are playing a vital role in seeking to ensure the future health and security of the planet.”

Chevron Australia Managing Director Roy Krzywosinski said he was delighted that Professor May’s innovative research into gas process engineering had been recognised.

“Professor May is a key partner is our global technology company’s research and development activities in Australia. He has developed breakthrough techniques for measuring gas properties under critical conditions, enabling computer models to design and optimise gas processing pants,” Krzywosinski said.

“He has the rare combination of deep technical ability, teaching and organisational skills and we are very fortunate to have him working with us on a number of projects.”

In 2009, Professor May became the first Chevron Chair in GPE. He heads natural gas research at the Centre for Energy, which covers LNG production, CO₂ sequestration and gas processing. His PhD research on gas condensate phase behaviour resulted in an international patent and the UWA prize for making the most significant contribution to his field.