Using existing natural gas pipelines located near the United Kingdom’s industrial centers in Scotland could decrease the expense of transporting captured CO2 to offshore storage, according to an analysis issued Monday by Scottish Carbon Capture & Storage. “Our study shows that it is possible to capture and transport significant amounts of CO2 from industrial clusters in Scotland right now, with known technology and by converting existing infrastructure. The presence of existing pipelines, both on and offshore, available for reuse can bring direct savings to CCS projects,” Peter Brownsort, lead author of the study and SCCS scientific research officer, said in a press release.
The report found that 80 percent of Scotland’s large-point sources of CO2 emissions – power plants, refineries, and other facilities – are located within 40 kilometers of a single existing gas pipeline, the Feeder 10 pipeline, which could transport between 3.5 million metric tons per year (Mt/yr) of CO2 at its basic capacity, and 10 Mt/yr of CO2 at its maximum capacity. “This unique advantage, combined with the huge CO₂ storage potential in the Central North Sea, makes a strong case for initiating a CO2 capture cluster and transport network in Scotland, which could lead to commercialisation of a new offshore CO2 storage industry serving the UK and Europe,” Brownsort said.