Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is an emission reduction technique employed at power stations to lower CO2 emissions. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from sources or directly from the atmosphere are collected and then permanently stored underground in deep geological formations for permanent storage.
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What is CCS?
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is an innovative technology used to reduce emissions from power plants and other industrial sources by capturing CO2 before it enters the atmosphere, then transporting and injecting it deep underground geologic formations for permanent storage. CCS plays an essential part of creating a low-carbon future while meeting global climate goals.
At its core, carbon capture and storage (CCS) involves the collection of CO2 from point sources – such as power plants that use fossil fuels or industrial facilities that use natural gas for cement or steel production – before transporting it either by ship or pipeline (depending on project size) to be stored underground reservoirs like depleted oil/gas fields or saline aquifers for injection into.
There are six operating carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects worldwide, but deployment must accelerate dramatically to reach the goals outlined by Paris Agreement. ExxonMobil has long been at the forefront of CCS technology development and scale up efforts, which includes expanding ExxonMobil’s CCS technology offering.
Capture
Carbon capture and storage refers to the process of isolating carbon dioxide from other gas emissions produced from fossil fuel use at power plants, steel mills, cement kilns and other large industrial facilities using carbon capture technologies. Once separated from its source gases, CO2 gas produced can then be transported underground where it will eventually be stored until carbon utilization and storage (CCUS) finds new uses for it.
Post-combustion carbon capture technology captures flue gases from coal or fossil fuel power plant smokestacks before they escape into the atmosphere, using chemical solvents to separate and collect CO2. Once collected, this CO2 can then be compressed for transport purposes.
Carbon dioxide storage sites are accessible via pipeline or ship. Once at their destination, CO2 can be pumped 2,500 feet down into geological formations like empty oil or natural gas reservoirs for further storage; this practice is known as geologic storage. Today, power plants and ethanol refineries store CO2 at deep ocean locations as well as former oil and gas fields.
Transport
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology is an indispensable component of climate goals worldwide. CCS captures excess CO2 from power plants and industrial facilities like cement, steel and petrochemical factories before transporting it deep underground geologic formations for long-term storage.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) can be captured at point sources such as power plants or industrial facilities through various technologies, with CO2 then separated from other combustion byproduct gases and transported via pipeline or ship to geological storage sites for long-term storage.
At the storage site, CO2 is injected into porous rock formations such as saline aquifers or depleted/current oil and gas reservoirs to be permanently stored. The amount injected is monitored to ensure no significant leakage into shallower formations or the atmosphere occurs; or used in producing synthetic fuel or concrete products – with duration depending upon each product type.
Storage
CCS involves the collection and storage of carbon dioxide at an offshore site for long-term storage, combined with conversion technologies to produce products such as steel, chemicals, cement or bioenergy – known as carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS).
Post-combustion CCS uses chemical solvents to extract CO2 from flue gases produced during fossil fuel combustion, with pilot projects currently taking place at coal power plants and industrial facilities that make cement, steel, or bioenergy. Oxyfuel CCS involves burning fossil fuel with pure oxygen so the exhaust gas produced contains more carbon-dioxide which makes capture simpler.
At the storage site, the CO2 is injected into a deep geological formation for long-term storage, with monitoring in place to ensure it does not escape to shallower formations or the atmosphere.
Numerous large-scale CCS projects are either operational or under development worldwide, yet due to its cost, significant public investments will likely be necessary before this technology can become commercialized.