John N. Sarlis (B.Eng, M.Sc.Eng), Principal Engineer – Gas Processing Technology, Cansolv SME

Abstract

Cansolv Technologies Inc was established as a company in 1997 with the mission to develop and commercialize amine based SO2 and CO2 Capture technologies. Since 2008, Cansolv is wholly owned by Shell and the now commercial SO2 and CO2 Capture technologies are fully integrated in Shell’s Integrated Gas technologies portfolio and offered worldwide.  In this keynote speech, John Sarlis, Cansolv’s co-founder and a Shell Principal Engineer in Gas Processing, will review the company’s CO2 Capture technology maturation & commercialization journey from benchtop experimentation to world-class commercial scale. Lessons learned during the multi-year development & commercialization process as well as examples of the commercialization experience will be presented.

Biography

ohn Sarlis has 30 years of experience in gas treating, flue gas desulphurization and carbon dioxide capture. He started his professional career at Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) in Montreal, Canada in 1988 in the specialty products & services division of UCC where among other duties he co-developed the Cansolv SO2 scrubbing process.

In 1997, John cofounded Cansolv Technologies (now a wholly owned subsidiary of Shell Global Solutions since 2008) where he served in the positions of Vice President Technology, CEO and Chief Technology Officer until 2016. John was responsible for all aspects of sulfur and carbon dioxide technology development and commercial application in Cansolv. In 2016 John joined Shell’s Gas Processing Technology group and took over the responsibility to further develop and deploy Shell’s Turbo Tray technology which is now commercially available for deep CO2 removal from contaminated natural gas streams.

John holds a MSc.Eng (Environmental) from Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois and a B.Eng (Chemical) from McGill University where he also served as an adjunct professor from 1997 to 2001. His professional interests include new process and product development and accelerated technology transfer to commercial application.
John is married and the proud father of a 19-year-old daughter.