June 2016 - CCS project identifies UKCS storage sites

A new report produced for the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) confirms that there are no technical hurdles to permanently and safely storing large quantities of carbon dioxide off the coast of the UK. There is also the potential that these sites in the North Sea could be developed to provide a CO2 storage hub for CO2 emissions from mainland Europe, enhancing their economic attractiveness.Axis, in collaboration with Pale Blue Dot Energy and Costain, has recently successfully delivered a Carbon Capture Sequestration (CCS) storage appraisal project.  Funded by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), this project identified 20 specific CO2 storage sites (from a potential 579 sites) which together represent the tip of a very large strategic national CO2 storage resource potential, estimated to be around 78GT (78,000 million tonnes). The top 15% of this potential storage capacity would last the UK around 100 years.The key findings of the report include,The UK Continental Shelf can provide a vast national offshore CO2 storage resource, which can be made readily available without having to undertake extensive appraisal programmes thanks to decades of oil and gas exploration and development activity.The five sites studied in detail are suitable for storing CO2 emissions from both power and industry projects around the UK.Only two of the five sites would need further appraisal drilling before any investment decision was required.Alastair Dodds, Axis Engineering Director, said, This project has made an outstanding contribution in progressing the potential of CCS in the UKCS.  All partners have successfully collaborated to deliver technically robust, multi-disciplinary end to end field development concepts in a very short timeframe.  Axis is delighted to be associated with this milestone project. The full project report has been released online and can be found at http://www.eti.co.uk/project/strategic-uk-ccs-storage-appraisal/