Scottish Carbon Capture and Storage (SCCS) has outlined the concept in a new report. It says a modestly sized CCS cluster for power and industrial users, could be created “quickly and affordably” using existing infrastructure. The cluster could then gradually be transformed into an import hub for a Europe wide CCS system, the report argues.
A significant proportion of Europe’s known carbon storage volume is located in the Central North Sea (CNS) off the coast of Scotland. The area is estimated to have enough storage capacity for 54 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, enough to last Europe for several decades.
The report says a Scottish hub would be uniquely placed to make use of these resources. It says some storage sites can already be accessed from the mainland using pipelines built by the oil and gas industry, and converting them to transport carbon dioxide would be relatively cheap.
Whilst pipelines could be built to the CNS from continental Europe, shipping would have less upfront costs, the researchers argue, and would allow the system to be expanded bit-by-bit, making it a less risky investment. Scottish ports which already boast gas handling facilities could find new work as collection points. Existing oil rigs could also be used to pump carbon dioxide straight from ships as fields become depleted.
Stuart Haszeldine, Professor of CCS at the University of Edinburgh and SCCS Director, said: “The beauty of this proposal is its flexibility and adaptability. From a small start capturing emissions in Scotland with transport and storage based on existing assets, the system can be progressively expanded to receive CO2 from England and Europe using shipping, instead of large expensive pipes.
He added: “A critical point is that while re-evaluation and consideration of CCS options is underway, it is essential than no decommissioning of potentially relevant pipelines, boreholes or offshore facilities is agreed by the UK Government or the Oil & Gas Authority.”
The prospects for CCS in Britain took a major hit last year, when the government announced the scrapping of a £1 billion competition to help develop the technology, a decision which was widely criticised.