Project, which includes a $1 million contribution from Shell, aims at reducing CO2 emissions.
Shell and West Coast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (WESTCARB) today announces their collaborative participation in a carbon dioxide (CO2) storage demonstration project. Shell funding and resources for the project, includes a contribution of $1 million to fund a research field test pilot program for the underground injection of CO2. WESTCARB, led by the California Energy Commission, is one of seven regional partnerships and sponsored by the Department of Energy’s Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership program, managed by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).
“We live in a world that demands more energy but less carbon dioxide,” said Edward Hymes, Shell project manager. “Working with WESTCARB and the Department of Energy to deploy carbon storage technology will help Shell in its effort to strike this critical balance.”
This collaboration reflects Shell’s efforts to develop responsible solutions for managing CO2 emissions, while meeting the growing needs of its customers. By demonstrating carbon storage technology’s potential large-scale viability, the WESTCARB collaboration will also help Shell meet California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s greenhouse gas reduction goals for 2020. “Shell aims to operate energy–efficient facilities with best-in-class environmental performance, and projects such as this are key to meeting this goal,” continued Hymes. “Reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will require the active participation of government, industry and consumers.”
Shell contributing to WESTCARB, a planned $6 million CO2 storage research test, facilitates the project’s completion. As part of the project, WESTCARB will inject up to 2000 tons of industrial-grade CO2 into deep porous rocks sealed naturally by cap rock. To ensure the greenhouse gas is stored securely, the project will continue to monitor the distribution of the underground CO2 at the site. The primary goal of WESTCARB’s research test project is to help determine the long-term effectiveness of the underground storage of CO2. Through its contribution, Shell will provide industry cost-share support for this WESTCARB research project.
"As we strive to shrink California's carbon footprint, we are encouraged that Shell has partnered with the State of California to explore how to capture and store carbon dioxide safely underground. As an environmental and economic leader committed to reducing CO2 emissions, California is excited to have Shell join us in working toward a greener, more energy efficient future,” said Energy Commission Vice Chair James Boyd.
At varying stages, Shell is involved in carbon capture and storage (CCS) initiatives in Canada and in Europe. In Alberta, Canada, Shell has proposed a CCS project that could capture about one million tons of CO2 from a Shell facility, storing it permanently in deep underground geological formations. The project is in the feasibility and planning phase. The Barendrecht project in the Netherlands is also undergoing research to build a pipeline from Shell’s Pernis Refinery to a depleted natural gas field. The initial project target is around 400,000 tons of CO2 storage per year.