As the global community endeavors to combat climate change, carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies have emerged as vital tools in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Around the world, several successful CCS projects serve as benchmarks for innovation, demonstrating the feasibility and impact of capturing and storing carbon dioxide. These case studies highlight the diverse applications of CCS technologies across industries and geographies, providing valuable insights for future projects. Here’s a look at some of the world’s most notable carbon capture projects.
1. The Sleipner Project, Norway: Operated by Equinor, the Sleipner project in the North Sea was the world’s first offshore CCS facility, initiated in 1996. It captures CO2 from natural gas production and stores it in a saline aquifer beneath the seabed. To date, Sleipner has successfully stored over 20 million tons of CO2, demonstrating the long-term viability of geological storage.
2. Boundary Dam, Canada: The Boundary Dam Power Station in Saskatchewan is home to the world’s first post-combustion CCS unit on a coal-fired power plant. Launched in 2014, the project captures approximately 1 million tons of CO2 annually, which is then used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) or stored underground. This project showcases CCS’s potential in reducing emissions from existing fossil fuel-based energy infrastructure.
3. The Quest Project, Canada: Operated by Shell, the Quest project captures CO2 from the Scotford Upgrader, which processes heavy oil, and stores it deep underground. Since its inception in 2015, Quest has captured and stored over 5 million tons of CO2, surpassing its initial targets and proving the scalability of CCS technologies in the oil sands industry.
4. Petra Nova, USA: Located in Texas, the Petra Nova project is one of the world’s largest CCS facilities applied to a coal-fired power plant. It captures about 1.6 million tons of CO2 per year, which is then used for EOR. Petra Nova exemplifies how retrofitting existing power plants with CCS technology can significantly reduce emissions.
5. Gorgon Project, Australia: One of the largest CCS projects in operation, the Gorgon Project captures CO2 from natural gas processing and stores it in a deep saline formation off the coast of Western Australia. It aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 4 million tons per year, contributing to Australia’s climate change mitigation efforts.
These case studies underscore the diversity and potential of CCS technologies in addressing climate change. By sharing knowledge and lessons learned from these successful projects, the global community can accelerate the deployment of carbon capture solutions worldwide.
