Exxon Mobil is seeking approval for the Solent CO2 Pipeline Project, which would see a pipe running from its Fawley oil refinery near Southampton to a CO2 storage site under the English Channel.
The company says it is critical for introducing Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) to the Solent area which would help to reduce carbon emissions.
ExxonMobil is inviting the public to participate in a consultation for the proposed routes.
Photo: ExxonMobil
Michael Foley, UK low carbon solutions venture executive at the company, said the pipeline would remove “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.
“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.”
The New Forest National Park Authority response
Chair of the New Forest National Park Authority David Bence said: ‘The CO2 Pipeline Project consultation proposals outline several consultation corridors, all of which are located at least in part within nationally protected landscapes, with the preferred route via the Isle of Wight.
‘The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 placed a strengthened legal duty on relevant bodies to further the purposes of the National Park – to protect and enhance it – when carrying out functions that will affect land in a National Park and we expect this to be fully demonstrated in any future planning application.
‘As a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project any future planning application will be determined nationally by the Government, rather than locally by the respective local planning authorities. The National Park Authority welcomes the opportunity provided for the public and other relevant stakeholders to comment on the consultation corridors for the proposed project.’
About Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is the process of capturing CO2 that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere. CO2 is then transported via a pipeline to an underground storage location. Storage locations are typically deep rock formations which can provide the conditions for safe, secure, and permanent storage.
In the UK, the government has identified over 500 potential CO2 storage sites, including saline aquifers located southwest of the Solent in the English Channel, more than 1,000 metres below the seabed. These aquifers, composed of porous rocks filled with saline water, securely trap CO2, with multiple impermeable rock layers above preventing its escape.
According to government data, the proposed storage site is the only one in the English Channel.
For further information and to respond to the consultation, visit the project website here.