Dan Shantz, a chemical engineering professor at Tulane, is investigating ways to convert waste plastics and flared natural gas into usable fuels and chemicals. His lab focuses on using non-recyclable plastics as a feedstock for transportation fuels and on converting methane directly to methanol at the wellhead. The work aims to recover value from carbon that would otherwise be landfilled or burned off, reducing waste and avoiding new extraction. The research faces economic hurdles, as it must compete with decades-old petroleum refining and commodity markets. Shantz argues that meaningful emissions cuts will come from many small reductions rather than a single magic bullet. His work highlights practical pathways for reusing carbon within the energy system while acknowledging that renewables and other low-carbon tech remain essential.
