Houston-based oil field services giant Schlumberger and Panasonic Energy of North America will collaborate on a new battery-grade lithium production process to be used by Schlumberger New Energy at its Neolith Energy pilot plant in Nevada.
This joint effort paves the way for improved lithium production solutions that will help meet the expected surge in demand for lithium as the electric vehicle (EV) market takes off worldwide, Schlumberger said in a statement.
NeoLith Energy’s sustainable approach uses a unique direct lithium extraction process to produce high-purity, battery-grade lithium material while reducing the production time from over a year to weeks. Schlumberger said the process is in sharp contrast to conventional evaporative methods of extracting lithium, with a significantly reduced groundwater and physical footprint.
Situated in Clayton Valley, Nevada, the pilot plant is 200 miles from Panasonic’s large-scale battery manufacturing operation, Panasonic Energy of North America, in Sparks, Nevada. Panasonic plans to provide guidance to validate and optimize the lithium material for battery-grade consumption.
“Panasonic is a pioneer in electric vehicle battery technology, and we are excited to collaborate with them in developing our differentiated direct lithium extraction and production process,” said Ashok Belani, executive vice president Schlumberger New Energy. Belani reiterated the company's commitment to expanding the global supply chain for advanced lithium compounds.
“We look forward to working with Schlumberger New Energy to help achieve our vision of advancing the lithium-ion battery space and accelerating to a clean energy society,” said Allan Swan, president of Panasonic Energy of North America.
Together, Panasonic and Schlumberger New Energy aim to accelerate the development and implementation of an innovative lithium production process, with a commitment to economical, environmental and responsible extraction to empower the world’s transition to new energy sources.
