Fossil fuel pipes and reservoirs could store captured carbon emissions

Reservoirs, pipes and platforms once used for the extraction and transport of polluting fossil fuels could instead be used to move and store captured carbon dioxide, helping tackle emissions from industry and energy.

Plans to make it easier to recycle oil and gas infrastructure for use in carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS) were included in a raft of government announcements on low-carbon energy today.

Decommissioning has seen roughly 20,000km of pipelines closed, while depleted oil and gas reservoirs have been abandoned. A recent government report said a “small proportion” of infrastructure in the North and East Irish Seas could be re-used for CCUS project storage and transport. Reservoirs are well-mapped and trunk pipelines are often very long and wide, making them both particularly suitable. Wells could be at risk of corrosion, however, and might not be located in ideal places.

Reusing existing fossil fuel infrastructure for CCUS will help tackle emissions from industry and support people to move into the ‘green economy’ as the country transitions away from fossil fuels, the government said. Recycling installations could drive down costs of construction by over £100m for some CCUS projects.

The government recently invested £26m into nine carbon capture schemes. The largest, at a Tata-owned chemical plant in Cheshire, could capture 40,000 tonnes of carbon every year. Carbon dioxide will reportedly be used to make everything from eye drops to instant noodles.

New nuclear

Today’s government announcements also included a proposed investment of up to £18m in the creation of small modular reactors, which are smaller and less expensive than traditional nuclear power plants. A consortium led by Rolls-Royce is expected to have a working model by the early 2030s, powering up to 750,000 homes. The government will also provide up to £40m through the Advanced Modular Reaction programme, and is considering bids.

The announcement also included proposals to explore the use of the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) approach to attract “significant private investment for future nuclear power in the UK”.

 “A critically important step in reaching net zero emissions will be transforming the energy system so the economy can be powered by affordable, secure and clean energy,” said business and energy secretary Greg Clark.

“Through our modern industrial strategy we are building on our international leadership in clean growth to invest and develop the technologies and funding models we will need to reach net zero emissions.”