A plan for a storage site of CO2 under the English Channel is under consultation.

An international oil and gas company, Exxon Mobil, is set to hold a series of public consultations on its proposed carbon dioxide (CO2) pipeline project. The Solent CO2 Pipeline Project aims to connect the Fawley oil refinery near Southampton to a CO2 storage site beneath the English Channel.

This initiative is part of Exxon Mobil’s efforts to introduce Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) to the Solent area, a key step in reducing carbon emissions. The consultations will take place across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight from 7 August to 5 September.

Exxon Mobil claims the pipeline from the Fawley Petrochemical Complex could reduce carbon emissions by an amount equivalent to taking five million cars off the road each year.

Michael Foley, the company’s UK low carbon solutions venture executive, stated that the pipeline could capture “millions of tonnes” of CO2 annually.

He added: “The UK Climate Change Committee acknowledge CCS technology as a game-changer, describing it as a ‘necessity not an option’, and we are proud of the work we are doing to bring it to the Solent, one of the most industrially significant areas in the UK.

“Many industrial sectors in the Solent are essential yet challenging to decarbonise, like those at our Fawley Petrochemical Complex which produces a diverse range of essential products, like fuels and rubber products.

“This pipeline, and CCS technology, will not only support the regional economy and maintain high-skilled jobs but will also contribute to the government’s goal of achieving net zero by 2050.”

CCS facilities are designed to capture CO2 from industrial processes and power stations, transporting it via pipeline for storage deep underground. While most of the UK’s storage potential is in the North Sea, government data indicates that the Solent pipeline would connect to the only storage site in the English Channel.

 

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