OTC 2026 panel probes whether CCUS policy momentum is translating into execution

As carbon capture projects move from concept to construction, OTC panelists examined whether CCUS is finally scaling or still constrained by cost, policy friction and infrastructure gaps.
May 6, 2026
3 min read

Key takeaways:

  • ExxonMobil has been involved in CCS projects for more than 40 years in the US, Qatar and Australia. The operator currently has 10 million tons of third-party storage contracts and plans to bring its first CCS storage project online later this year. 
  • Repsol has three main CCUS projects: a flagship in Spain, another in the US and a hyperscale health center for CO2 storage. The operator is facing regulatory challenges in Europe and delays in the US due to changes in EPA regulations.
  • Baker Hughes emphasized the importance of transport, pressure pumping and liquefaction technologies.
  • SLB Capturi focuses on post-combustion carbon capture, with successful deployments in Europe.
  • The discussion also covered the impact of policy incentives and the need for reliable infrastructure to support CCS growth.
Photo by © OTC/Phil McCarten 2026
OTC 2026 Day 2 panel session on CCUS

The panel discussed global advances in CCUS projects including the successful start of operations in Europe and North America. Pictured from left to right: William Landuyt, Tomas Zapata, Nikhil Joshi, Nigel Jenvey and Jonah Margulis.

At OTC 2026, the “CCUS – Gathering Steam or Stalling?” panel today brought together operators and technology service providers to assess whether carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) is transitioning into an execution-driven market or remaining uneven across regions.

Panelists included:

Photo by © OTC/Phil McCarten 2026
OTC 2026 Day 2 CCUS panel session

Panelists explored the conditions that made CCUS projects feasible and current challenges that continue to prevent CCUS deployment at gigascale. Pictured from left to right: William Landuyt, Tomas Zapata, Nikhil Joshi, Nigel Jenvey and Jonah Margulis.

Landuyt emphasized the importance of building shared infrastructure and dependable storage capacity along the US Gulf Coast. ExxonMobil has more than 40 years of CCS experience and currently holds 10 million metric tons per year of third‑party storage contracts, with its first dedicated CCS storage project expected to come online later this year.

“What we think customers are looking for in this space is highly reliable takeaway to storage,” Landuyt said.

Zapata contrasted the relative project momentum in the US with regulatory and funding challenges in Europe. While Repsol is advancing CCUS hubs in Spain, the US and at hyperscale storage sites, Zapata explained that European projects continue to face slower permitting pathways despite strong industrial demand for decarbonization solutions.

“It’s hard to see how two completely different environments can lead to such different outcomes,” Zapata said.

From a technology provider perspective, Baker Hughes' Jenvey framed CCUS as a long-cycle market that requires realistic expectations, sustained incentives and investments across transport, compression and monitoring infrastructure.

“This is definitely a marathon, not a sprint,” Jenvey added.

Moreover, Margulis highlighted progress in post‑combustion carbon capture, noting that the technology itself is no longer the primary bottleneck. SLB Capturi (a joint venture between SLB and Aker Carbon Capture) has deployed multiple capture plants in Europe, focusing on modular systems for mid‑scale industrial emitters.

“The technology works; it’s about laser focus on deployment and getting the cost efficiency right,” Margulis said.

Across the discussion, panelists agreed that policy incentives such as the US 45Q tax credit are accelerating project development but warned that long‑term CCS growth will depend on coordinated infrastructure buildout and regulatory certainty, particularly for storage permitting and transport networks.

CCS was a topic of interest at OTC last year too. Carbonvert CEO Alex Tiller highlighted two CCS projects during his OTC 2025 keynote presentation: the Corpus Christi offshore CO2 capture and storage facility and the GeoDura CO2 storage hub.

Offshore is an official media partner of OTC 2026.
Courtesy Northern Lights
Northern Pioneer LCO2 carrier vessel
CCS involves three main stages: capturing CO2 at industrial sites, transporting it via pipelines or ships, and securely storing it underground.
March 20, 2026
This piece was created with the help of generative AI tools and edited by our content team for clarity and accuracy.

About the Author

Ariana Hurtado
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Ariana Hurtado

Editor-in-Chief

With more than a decade of copy editing, project management and journalism experience, Ariana Hurtado is a seasoned managing editor born and raised in the energy capital of the world—Houston, Texas. She currently serves as editor-in-chief of Offshore, overseeing the editorial team, its content and the brand's growth from a digital perspective. 

Utilizing her editorial expertise, she manages digital media for the Offshore team. She also helps create and oversee new special industry reports and revolutionizes existing supplements, while also contributing content to Offshore's magazine, newsletters and website as a copy editor and writer. 

Prior to her current role, she served as Offshore's editor and director of special reports from April 2022 to December 2024. Before joining Offshore, she served as senior managing editor of publications with Hart Energy. Prior to her nearly nine years with Hart, she worked on the copy desk as a news editor at the Houston Chronicle.

She graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Houston.

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