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Carbon Capture Technology

Shell’s Cansolv CO2 Carbon Capture Technology at VPI Immingham

SC&T will provide the carbon capture technology to capture millions of tonnes of CO₂ from VPI Immingham.

By Shell Catalysts & Technologies on Feb 3, 2022

Shell Catalysts & Technologies was appointed by the Humber Zero project to provide the technology that will capture millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the VPI Immingham combined heat-and-power station (CHP) in the United Kingdom.

Humber Zero is a multibillion pound project to decarbonise vital industry in the Immingham industrial area in northern Lincolnshire, on the south bank of the River Humber. The project will incorporate both post-combustion carbon capture and the production of hydrogen for energy.

Shell will be providing Shell’s Cansolv* CO2 post-combustion carbon capture technology to be retrofitted to the existing VPI Immingham power station stacks that emit carbon-rich flue gas. Shell’s alliance partner for Cansolv CO2 technology, Technip Energies, will support the design of the capture unit and the pilot plant. The technology will capture up to 95% of the CO2 in the gas, preventing it from being emitted into the atmosphere and allowing it to be compressed, transported and safely stored in geological structures under the seabed.

VPI Project Director for Humber Zero, Jonathan Briggs, said:

“Industrial-scale carbon capture and storage will be essential if the UK is to achieve its net-zero targets. Humber Zero is a pioneering project that will capture up to 8 million tonnes of carbon from critical industry, making a significant contribution to the national carbon reduction goal.

Shell brings considerable expertise in this field and we look forward to working with them on this exciting and vitally important project.”

Andy Gosse, President, Shell Catalysts & Technologies, commented, “We are proud to work with VPI Immingham as a partner for this critical project. Shell’s Cansolv CO2 capture technology has been in operation since 2013, including in a large-scale, commercial, low-pressure application at SaskPower in Canada, where it is designed to capture up to 1 Mt/y of CO2.

This project with VPI Immingham will be a flagship project in the Humber and UK journey to net zero and will be an important front-runner for the world of carbon capture and storage.

A pilot campaign run at the VPI plant, conducted with our partner Technip, will be a key next step to demonstrate the strength of Cansolv technology in capturing CO2 in natural gas-fired power generation.”

As the UK’s largest cluster by industrial emissions, decarbonisation of the Humber Region by 2040 is critical for the UK’s net-zero ambitions. Humber Zero aims to remove up to 8 million tonnes of CO2 from critical industry located on the South Humber Bank. 

VPI Immingham’s 1,240-megawatt combined heat-and-power plant is ideally placed to kickstart a reduction in industrial CO2 emissions. Located close to major heavy industry, the plant provides power and heat for around 25% of the UK’s refinery capacity, including the adjacent Phillips 66 Humber Refinery.

Decarbonisation of the plant and essential industry at Immingham will preserve and create new high-quality jobs in the north of England in support of the government’s Levelling Up agenda, whilst enabling new global opportunities for the UK to lead lower-carbon technology in a net-zero world.1

The technology provided by Shell will be retrofitted to two of the three gas-fired power generators at the power plant, which also provides up to 5% of the peak power requirement for the National Grid.

In addition to VPI Immingham, Humber Zero’s industrial partners include Phillips 66 Ltd and energy company and trader Vitol.

Cansolv is a Shell group trademark.

Andy Powell et. al, “The Government’s Levelling Up Agenda”, House of Commons Library, 10 September 2021, https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cdp-2021-0148/

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For further details, please contact:

Shell Catalysts & Technologies

Laura van Lingen
Shell Media Relations

Email: Laura.vanLingen@shell.com

Or

Robert Gage
Head of Engagement
VPI
Email: rgage@vpi-i.com

Notes to editors

About the CANSOLV CO2 Capture System

Shell’s CANSOLV CO2 Capture System is the only large-scale, post-combustion technology in commercial operation and is based on amine technology.

It uses a regenerable proprietary amine to capture up to 99% of the CO2 from low-pressure, oxidised gas streams. As a low-pressure CO2 capture technology, it is well suited for retrofitting at the tail end of existing plants and greenfield projects. The CO2 is released as a pure stream that can be sold, sequestered or used for enhanced oil recovery. The technology is highly adaptable to a wide variety of industrial applications, gas flow rates and CO2 concentrations from 3.5 to 25% and higher. Licensed units treat gases containing a range of CO2 concentrations at capacities up to 1 Mt/y.

About Shell Catalysts & Technologies

Shell Catalysts & Technologies, part of Shell, is a leading technology licensor and brings owner–operator–innovator–capabilities to the market. It has more than 1,200 references for gas processing technologies at gas plants and refineries worldwide.

It supports Shell and non-Shell businesses by working with them to co-create integrated, customised solutions comprising licensed technologies, refining and petrochemical catalysts, and technical services

It was formed by combining Shell Global Solutions, a technology licensor with a track record of delivering pioneering process schemes and innovative configurations; Criterion Catalysts & Technologies, the world’s largest hydroprocessing catalyst supplier; and CRI Catalyst Company, a pioneer in the petrochemical catalyst sector.

It operates across the energy value chain: from upstream, gas processing and liquefied natural gas through to downstream refining and petrochemicals.

For more information, visit www.shell.com/ct.

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