A Combined CCUS & Shipping Strategy Starts In 2025

17th March 2025

The UK government is making significant strides in establishing a comprehensive carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) supply chain, though integrating non-pipeline transport (NPT) clusters into the network remains in its early stages.

Following the publication of a CCUS roadmap in December 2023, the government approved £21.7 billion (US$26.5 billion) in funding for Track-1 clusters last October. These clusters will serve as the UK’s first two large-scale sequestration sites, with pipeline-connected emitter networks in Teesside and Merseyside. The government has confirmed that construction of the UK’s carbon capture industry will commence in 2025.

UK’s First CO Transport and Storage Network Moves Forward
The Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP), responsible for CO₂transport and storage within the East Coast Cluster, reached financial close in December, allowing its infrastructure network to move into execution. Initially, the system will support three carbon capture projects in Teesside:

• NZT Power
• H2 Teesside
• Teesside Hydrogen CO₂ Capture

Backed by BP, Equinor, and TotalEnergies, NEP’s network is expected to transport and store up to 4 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, with construction set to begin in mid-2025 and operations scheduled for 2028.

Expanding CCS Beyond Oil and Gas
Globally, carbon capture and storage (CCS) has been primarily used for enhanced oil and gas recovery, particularly in the US, where economic incentives and existing expertise support deployment. However, by 2030, CCS is expected to play a growing role in:

• Blue hydrogen production
• Abated power generation (gas, coal, and waste-to-energy plants)
• Industrial applications, including cement, petrochemicals, and steel

CCS is particularly crucial for the cement sector, where emissions reductions are difficult without carbon capture. While the steel industry is increasingly adopting electrification and hydrogen solutions, CCS remains a viable option for cutting emissions.

Currently, the vast majority of captured CO₂ is permanently stored underground, with just 2% used in industries such as greenhouse cultivation. However, future applications include producing plastics and synthetic fuels for ships, planes, and trucks, a key potential market in a net-zero economy where fossil fuel-derived carbon must be replaced by captured or recycled sources.

Non-Pipeline Transport (NPT): The Next Phase of CCUS
To further expand CCUS adoption, the UK government is exploring non-pipeline transport (NPT) clusters. In this model, pipelines transport CO₂ from emitters to terminals, but ships, rail, or trucks deliver it to storage sites instead of dedicated pipelines.

In April 2024, the government issued a Call for Evidence on NPT, later summarising responses in November. Findings indicate strong industry interest in NPT, with several projects expected to be ready to capture significant CO₂ volumes by 2030.

7CO₂: A Pioneering Non-Pipeline Transport Hub
One of the UK's leading NPT projects is 7CO₂, a carbon capture and shipping hub in southwest England. A coalition of regional energy producers, CO₂ storage firms, and maritime transport providers has signed an agreement to assess its feasibility.

How 7CO₂ Works:

• Captured CO₂ is transported by pipeline or rail to Avonmouth Docks.
• The CO₂ is then liquefied, stored, and shipped to permanent geological storage.
• Alternatively, captured CO₂ may be used to produce low-carbon fuels for aviation and shipping.

The 7CO₂ hub aims to be a national catalyst for CO₂ shipping and rail transport, supporting regional job creation, investment, and industrial decarbonisation. As the UK’s CCUS industry evolves, NPT solutions like 7CO₂ could play a vital role in broadening access to carbon capture technology, enabling industries beyond pipeline-connected clusters to participate in decarbonisation efforts.

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