UK assigns special status to two carbon capture projects

Offshore staff

LONDON — Harbour Energy has reacted warmly to the UK government’s issuing of Track 2 status for two of its offshore/onshore carbon capture developments.

The company is operator of the planned Humber-based Viking CO₂ transportation and storage network in eastern England and a partner in the Acorn Carbon Capture and Storage project in northeast Scotland.

Following today’s announcement, both projects can now progress to the FEED phase and talks with the government concerning the license terms, ahead of final investment decisions.

Viking could potentially transport and store up to 10 MM metric tons of CO₂ annually by 2030 and 15 MMmt of CO₂ annually by 2035 with storage capacity of 300 MMmt of CO₂ in the depleted Viking gas fields in the southern North Sea.

The project could deliver up to £7 billion ($9 billion) of investment in the Humber region across the full CO₂ capture, transport and storage chain between 2025 and 2035, creating more than 10,000 jobs during construction.

There is further potential, via the partners’ work with Associated British Ports at the Port of Immingham on the east coast, for shipped CO₂ from dispersed emitters elsewhere in the UK and internationally to be sent for permanent storage in the Viking fields.

07.31.2023