Shell eyes large-scale CCS project at Canadian refinery

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Shell plans to build a large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) project at its Scotford Complex near Edmonton, the global energy major said on Tuesday.

The company said it expects to make a final investment decision (FID) in 2023 on the Polaris CCS project, which would capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from the Shell-owned Scotford refinery and chemicals plant.

The project would be a key step in the company’s plan to transform six refinery sites into low carbon energy and chemical parks, Shell said.

The Polaris CCS project would have storage capacity of about 300m tonnes of CO2 over the life of the project.

“Our plans for Scotford are in line with Shell’s target to become a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050, in step with society,” said Susannah Pierce, Shell Canada President and Country Chair.

“We are creating a world-class site that will provide customers with lower-carbon fuels, products and CO2 storage. Polaris would also make a significant contribution to Shell’s aim to have access to an additional 25m tonnes a year of CCS capacity by 2035,” Pierce said.

The initial phase of the project would capture and store approximately 750,000 tonnes/year of CO2 from the Scotford refinery and chemicals plant, which would reduce Shell’s direct and indirect emissions by up to 40% from the refinery and by up to 30% from the chemicals plant, the company said.

The second phase involves the creation of a CO2 storage hub in Alberta, further decarbonising Shell’s facilities and storing emissions on behalf of third-party industry sources as a trusted and reliable CO2 storage operator.

Fully built – and contingent on acquiring pore space leases from the Province of Alberta – Polaris could serve as a CO2 storage hub for more than 10m tonnes/year of CO2.

“Our government is committed to developing carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) to help reduce emissions and capitalise on emerging economic opportunities,” said Sonya Savage, Alberta Minister of Energy.

Shell said that CCS and renewable power will allow the Scotford refinery to process new feedstocks such as bio-oils or waste oils to significantly reduce CO2 emissions.

Scotford’s transition into a fully integrated energy and chemicals park is anticipated to happen this decade, the company said.