OREANDA-NEWS. October 18, 2012. National Grid and the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) intend to conduct the UK’s first drilling assessment of a saline formation site for the storage of carbon dioxide, at a site 70km off Flamborough Head in Yorkshire.

The multi million pound project represents a major step forward in the creation of a carbon capture and storage industry in the UK for multiple power stations and industrial sites, to store their carbon dioxide rather than release into the atmosphere. The ETI has invested ?2 million in the project.

National Grid will lead the drilling programme at the identified saline formation; a layer of porous sandstone rock over 1km below the seabed. The operation, using standard oil and gas drilling activities, will involve drilling up to two wells in the seabed to gather data to confirm that carbon dioxide can be safely and permanently stored at the site, while also confirming the scale and economics of the store.

Jim Ward, Head of CCS at National Grid said:

“We believe we are the first in the UK to physically assess a saline site for the storage of carbon dioxide. This drilling operation is a major step forward in the development of long term, large scale CCS clusters of transportation networks and storage facilities in the UK, and we’re excited to be working with the ETI on this project.

He added: “We have engaged experts who have confirmed that our chosen site is the best potential store in the UK southern North Sea and the ideal foundation to develop a CCS network from”.

Existing information has confirmed the store is very large and capable of storing carbon dioxide from several sources over a number of decades. The site is close to the shore and, importantly, near to two major clusters of carbon dioxide emitters in the UK making it an ideal storage location.

Andrew Green, ETI Programme Manager for CCS added:

“Our strategic analysis has shown that the development of CCS as a viable technology in the UK is a critical component to enable the country to meet its future carbon dioxide reduction targets. The ETI’s UK Storage Appraisal Project (UK SAP) has clearly demonstrated that CCS roll out will require use of both depleted oil and gas reservoirs and saline formations, and that appraisal of saline stores at this stage of CCS development is critical. Through our involvement in this project we hope to help Government and industry including other potential storage operators fully understand the potential capacities of saline formation sites. Our own independent analysis has shown that the storage site selected by National Grid is amongst the most promising stores in the UK sector, and has itself the potential to provide a strategically important UK storage resource. Our work to map the UK’s storage potential will help Government, CO2 emitters, storage operators and infrastructure and technology developers to make more informed policy decisions and choices on the rollout of CCS in the UK.”

Jeff Chapman, Chief Executive of the Carbon Capture and Storage Association said:

“This announcement by National Grid and the ETI is tremendous news for the development of CCS in the UK. The appraisal work marks an important step towards the development of saline formations - storage sites which contain by far the largest estimated storage capacity in the UK, and will therefore be fundamental to the establishment of commercial CCS networks that will enable the UK to move cost-effectively towards a low carbon economy”