By rdnewsNOW Staff

Six new proposals

Reducing emissions through carbon capture in the Industrial Heartland

Apr 1, 2022 | 9:23 AM

Officials with the Alberta government say six new proposals will begin exploring how to develop environmentally safe carbon storage hubs to reduce emissions from the industrial heartland around Edmonton.

“Carbon capture and storage is proven, safe and effective. We are ensuring that carbon capture and sequestration will be deployed responsibly and strategically over the long term in the best interest of Albertans. This will help meet the increasing demand from industry and help significantly reduce emissions,” said Sonya Savage, Minister of Energy, on Thursday.

How it works: captured carbon dioxide from large-scale projects is stored in porous underground geological formations deep below the earth’s surface, typically more than one kilometre underground. Government officials say various geological trapping mechanisms have been shown through research to prevent the carbon dioxide from having any impact on water, plants and soil.

The province says it has the ideal geology for carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS). They also say that rock formations that have securely stored oil and gas for millions of years can also safely store CO2 permanently.

The list of the six proposals and companies includes:

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• Meadowbrook Hub Project, Bison Low Carbon Ventures Inc. for a potential sequestration hub north of Edmonton
• The Open Access Wabamun Carbon Hub, Enbridge Inc. for a potential sequestration hub west of Edmonton
• The Origins Project, Enhance Energy Inc. for a potential sequestration hub south of Edmonton
• Alberta Carbon Grid™, Pembina Pipeline Corporation and TC Energy for a potential sequestration hub north and northeast of Edmonton
• Atlas Carbon Sequestration Hub (Atlas Hub), Shell Canada Limited, ATCO Energy Solutions Ltd. Suncor Energy Inc., for a potential sequestration hub east of Edmonton
• Wolf Midstream and partners for a potential sequestration hub east of Edmonton.

Companies will be invited to work with government to further evaluate the suitability of each location for safely storing carbon from industrial emissions. If the evaluation demonstrates that the proposed projects can provide permanent storage, companies can work with the government on an agreement that provides them with the right to inject captured carbon dioxide. This agreement is also supposed to ensure they will provide open access to all emitters and affordable use of the hub.

Specific project details, including exact locations, will be determined as proposals are further evaluated and the tenure and regulatory processes are completed.

The province says the Alberta Energy Regulator will approve only projects that meet Alberta’s safety and environmental standards.

Government officials also state the International Energy Agency, among other sources, has said carbon capture is critical for ensuring Canada meets its emission reduction targets in the coming years.

“Alberta’s skilled workforce and years of expertise in carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) are critical to helping industries in Alberta – and across Canada – meet our country’s emissions goals,” said the Alberta government in a release.

The provincial government references the Quest and Alberta Carbon Trunk Line projects that, they say, have safely captured and stored more than seven million tonnes of carbon dioxide since starting operations.

Officials state CCUS is currently used in in various parts of the world to reduce emissions, including Saskatchewan, several U.S. states and Norway.

A second request for full project proposals to provide carbon storage services to regions across the rest of the province is now open. Applications will be accepted from April 25 to May 2.