Xodus designing surveys for offshore Japan CCS project
Xodus will support development of the Offshore Western Kyushu Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project in Japan, the company announced last month.
Members of the consortium behind the development are West Japan Carbon Dioxide Storage Survey Co. ENEOS, Electric Power Development Co. (J-Power), and ENEOS Xplora.
Xodus’ engagement follows the recent signing of a consignment contract by the consortium and JOGMEC (Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security), the Japanese government’s incorporated administrative agency for energy and metals.
JOGMEC has selected nine initiatives, including Offshore Western Kyushu CCS, as part of its Japanese Advanced CCS Projects process. Last May the government passed the Act on Carbon Dioxide Storage Business, seen as critical for the commercialisation of CCS in Japan.
Offshore Western Kyushu CCS, in southwest Japan, will capture about 1.7 MMt/year of CO2 from ENEOS’ oil refineries and J-POWER’s thermal power plants in the Setouchi and Kyushu regions.
The captured emissions will be delivered via ship and pipeline to saline aquifers offshore the island of Kyushu for permanent storage.
Xodus will design the offshore pipeline and cable geotechnical surveys, using its specialists locally in Japan, Australian CCS and others in the Asia-Pacific region.
Work on the feasibility study has started. Once completed, the project will enter the second phase, involving engineering design, exploratory drilling preparations, procurement of long-lead items and evaluation of storage potential.
The initiative aims to develop a full-scale CCS value chain by 2030 (CO2 separation, capture, transport and storage).
What is CCS?
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a term that refers to technologies that capture the greenhouse-gas carbon dioxide (CO2) and store it safely underground, so it does not contribute to climate change. CCS includes both capturing CO2 from large emission sources (referred to as point-source capture) and also directly from the atmosphere.
*Definition by Global CCS Institute
Learn more at CCS Explained: The Basics by the Global CCS Institute.
About the Author
Jeremy Beckman
Editor, Europe
Jeremy Beckman has been Editor Europe, Offshore since 1992. Prior to joining Offshore he was a freelance journalist for eight years, working for a variety of electronics, computing and scientific journals in the UK. He regularly writes news columns on trends and events both in the NW Europe offshore region and globally. He also writes features on developments and technology in exploration and production.