Carbon capture and storage is a step closer to being realised in the Humber after the application for the South Bank scheme’s huge new pipeline was accepted by the Planning Inspectorate.
The examination will shortly begin into the routing of the 55km underground transportation link – part of the Viking CCS proposal from Harbour Energy. As a nationally significant infrastructure project it required a development consent order from the government.
Linking the industrial cluster of Immingham with existing North Sea facilities used to extract gas from now depleted fields, it will roughly follow an original pipeline that sent the fossil fuel in the opposite direction, from Theddlethorpe Gas Terminal. From Immingham it drops south between Stallingborough and Keelby, Aylesby and Riby, Laceby and Irby, roughly following Barton Street to the A16, then heading south of Covenham and between North and South Cockerington, then south of Saltfleetby to the coast.
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From Theddlethorpe, the carbon dioxide captured from the refining and power plants – as well as potential shipments to the port from other industrial clusters – will be transported 140km to the depleted Viking gas fields, 2.7 km beneath the seabed, for secure permanent storage.
Viking CCS project director, Graeme Davies, said: “This is another critical step forward towards delivering our Viking CCS project, which will create thousands of jobs in the Humber region and is targeting 10 million tonnes per annum of CO2 emissions reduction by 2030, vital for the UK to deliver its climate ambitions.”
He described the 55km pipeline, with a 60cm diameter, as “a key component in the infrastructure needed to decarbonise and rejuvenate the industries of the Humber, which is expected to make a material contribution to the UK’s net zero emissions targets”.
Last month’s submission followed what Harbour has described as a “comprehensive programme” of consultation and engagement with stakeholders and local communities. It currently runs to 159 documents.
(Image: Harbour Energy)
As well as cleaning up and protecting existing industry, it is seen as bringing major job creation and economic development opportunities – potentially unlocking up to £7 billion of investment across the full CO2 capture, transport, and storage value chain over the next decade.
New power plants and other heavy industry developments are being brought forward, designed to be ‘carbon capture ready’ to plug into a pipeline system.
Humber Zero – the consortium led by Phillips 66 and neighbouring VPI – have been the forerunners, with the executive leading the former, Chris Gilbert, only last week expressing his desire to get on and build as policy was discussed at The Waterline Summit.
Original artice – https://business-live.co.uk/all-about/yorkshire-humber
