Advances in CO2 capture and storage technology, results (2004-2009)

The CO2 Capture Project (CCP) is an international cooperative partnership between industry, governments, academics and environmental interest groups. The project is focused on technology development to reduce the cost of CO2 capture and to demonstrate that geological storage is safe and secure. It is a three stage technology development programme with overall objectives to: Deliver major cost reductions in the cost of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), relative to the 2000 baseline and make CCS cost competitive with other low or no carbon energy alternatives and to demonstrate to external stakeholders that geological CO2 storage is secure, measurable and verifiable. Phase 1 of the programme, CCP1 (2000-2004), progressed capture technologies to proof of feasibility and defined and started closing key technical gaps within geologic storage of CO2. Phase 2 of the programme, CCP2 (2005-2009), brought forward the most promising capture technologies from CCP1, and some new ones, to reduce technical and cost uncertainties, scaleup operations by at least one order of magnitude and bring at least one capture technology to a "ready-for-pilot" stage. This publication brings together the results of Phase 2 detailing the contributions from full industry members (BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Eni, StatoilHydro, Petrobras, Shell, and Suncor) as well as input from government agencies providing co-funding for selected portions of the program. Two sub-programs are co-funded with the European Commission),one with the Research Council of Norway and one with the US Department of Energy (DOE). It reports has been developments that have focused on providing the scientific and technical understanding and know-how necessary to reassure that CO2 can be securely stored and the costs of CO2 capture can be reduced. Much of the work reported here relates to how this can be applied to power generation and the oil and gas industry itself, to reduce its own carbon footprint and associated operating costs. It includes details of how the CCP Capture Team has, in Phase 2, trialled a number of different capture technologies in refinery and gas fired power stations, building extensive knowledge and learning while delivering significant cost reduction potential. Additionally, it shows how some of the capture technologies have been developed to the stage where they are now ready to be tested at pilot or demonstration scale. Of interest to the energy industry, as well as to those interested in environmental protection, climate change and control of "greenhouse gas" emissions.