Carbon capture, use, and storage (CCUS) is probably an unsung hero on our road to achieving net-zero. Trapping CO2 from refineries and factory exhausts to reduce pollution might seem elementary, but a lot of research and innovations have gone into it over the past few decades. The captured CO2 gets stored underground in empty reservoirs that facilitate sequestration and this process also increases oil production. All of which is helping the CCUS universe expand. There is a 32% jump and around 396 CCUS facilities worldwide. The United States has the most, with 62 new ones planned too.
Alberta Carbon Trunk- Canada
On completion, the Alberta Carbon Trunkline (ACTL) will become the world’s largest carbon capture and storage project. With a capacity to store 14.6 million tonnes of CO2 per year, the project will initially collect and transport up to 5,100 tonnes of CO2 per day. Through its 240-kilometer (150 mi) pipeline that was completed in mid-2020, the ACTL will collect excess carbon dioxide (CO2) from the province of Alberta, Canada, and use enhanced oil recovery applications, funnel the collected CO2 to an oil field.
Operated by: Enhance Energy
Century Plant – U.S.
This plant in West Texas, US was the largest single industrial source CO2 capture facility in the country. Boasting a gross capacity of up to 8.4 Mt/yr the plant also produces marketable Methane gas. The project may have cost under $1.1 billion in development. A 160-kilometer onshore pipeline funnels the captured CO2 from the facility to an industrial hub in Denver city. They also use the captured enhanced oil recovery (EOR) projects in the Permian Basin.
Owned by: Occidental Petroleum and Sandridge Energy
Shute Creek Gas Processing Plant – U.S.
In Wyoming, the U.S. Shute Creek CCS facility claims to have removed over 1.5 million cars off the road (365 Mcfd of CO2 to be precise) and has a gross capacity of 7 Mt/yr. They used the captured CO2 in EOR operations in several oil fields in Wyoming. Completed in 2010, the development cost around USD 86m (£68.72m). ExxonMobil Corp also plans to add a USD 262.8 million, Phase 1 LaBarge Carbon Capture project to the existing Shute Creek treating facility soon.
Operated by: ExxonMobil
Gorgon Gas Project – Australia
Better known as Australia’s largest liquified natural gas production facility, the CO2 removed CO2 is injected via wells into the Dupuy Formation, a saline aquifer 2km underneath Barrow Island. Being fully operational since 2020, the project claims to have stored almost 4 Mt/ yr of CO2. The project, though, has been under the scanner of several ecological groups as it is in an eco-sensitive bio spot.
Operated by: Chevron, in a joint venture with Shell, Exxon Mobil, Osaka Gas, Tokyo Gas, Jera
Bonus Read: Promising Startups and New technologies in CCS
See O2 Energy – Canada
Calgary-based startup SeeO2 Energy has been on a mission to remove greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the atmosphere, through their reversible fuel cell technology. With their technology, they can capture carbon and make it into marketable and clean value-added products. Through the electrochemical conversion of water, they are producing syngas and form materials like green plastics and polymers.
Mirreco—Australia
This startup in Australia uses tech to create industrial hemp biomass from the captured carbon. Industrial hemp is the foundation for paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, fuel, and even food. The Australian startup has identified environmentally sustainable and biodegradable hemp plastic and is currently undergoing testing and certifications.
Carbonfree Chemicals – U.S.
The US startup used technologies to convert carbon into minerals that are suitable for industrial facilities. They transformed the GHGs into products for manufacturing PVC pipes and glass or cattle feed. Termed as the SkyCycle technology, the startup’s carbon capture and scrubbing technology claim to remove sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, mercury, and other heavy metals pollutants from the captured air.
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- February 14, 2022
