Acorn

The Acorn CCS Project has assessed using existing CO2 sources and pipeline infrastructure close to a well-characterised geological province to develop a low-cost full-chain CCS project in the northeast of Scotland. The objective for ACORN is to act as a seed from which a cluster of capture, transport and storage infrastructure would grow, and as such contribute to the most cost-effective, commercial decarbonisation of the region. Bellona has delivered to ACORN its advocacy and research expertise. The end users are primarily national and regional authorities, project developers and current (offshore) asset owners. The Bellona input to ACORN consists of the following two main components. - A reference guide to potential (or lack thereof) of existing North Sea topside, pipeline and well infrastructure for CO2 transport and storage development - Policy options and practical steps to formation of fit-for-purpose CO2 development organisations that could manage retention and reuse of existing infrastructure ACORN has confirmed technical and practical potential for the reuse of three existing pipelines in the North Sea (WAGES, Goldeneye, and MGS). In addition, findings indicate that reuse of pipelines could cost up to 75% less than building a new pipeline. The cost-savings potential of pipeline re-use, and other infrastructure intended for reuse, will have to be decided on a case-by-case basis. Work has been completed to examine potential infrastructure for re-use in the UK and Netherlands, and several pipelines were identified. Also, a register of pipelines currently in use has been developed to include UK, Dutch and Norwegian pipelines, from which selections can be made using simple criteria (i.e. width, length, origin/destination, etc.). The survey performed for Norwegian infrastructure in this reporting period identified the major pipeline which is the most likely candidate for re-use. In a scenario where this pipeline is re-used for CO2 transport service, potential cost savings in the order of several billion NOK are possible compared to a new-build pipeline of similar dimensions and service. Bellona has also contributed to the social science activities in ACORN. Interviews were completed in this reporting period with Norwegian stakeholders in order to map awareness and knowledge of the use of CCS in a structured shift to a low-emissions economy in Norway. Such a structured shift is termed ?just transition?, and would aim to purposely establish new opportunities for employment and commercial activity in the low-emissions economy to compensate for job losses and activities that have been made redundant.

- Screening by ACORN around just three important UK pipelines reveals at least 16 suitable storage sites, with the most promising two potentially providing a storage resource for over 650 Mt of CO2, starting earliest in 2023. - Our analysis shows that Peterhead port can import CO2 by ship. With a maximum throughput of 16Mt of CO2 annually, this facility could enable carbon capture in many other regions around the N. Sea. - The reuse of legacy O&G infrastructure as part of the Acorn CCS project will save around £548 million, saving to the taxpayer millions in decommissioning alone. - Decarbonisation of the UK gas grid for heat and transport is possible by producing hydrogen from natural gas with CCS at St Fergus, where 35% of all UK natural gas comes onshore. - Citizens in high-emitting industrial areas look to governments to enable a just transition to a low-emissions future. - Acorn learnings will be invaluable for similar developments where legacy O&G operations are in place.

English: Bellona will contribute to project Acorn. This is a low cost CO2 capture and storage (CCS) system in NE Scotland, and it could be operational by 2023. It will exploit redundant North Sea gas distribution assets. It is led by the CCS project development advisors Pale Blue Dot Energy and supported by expert partners from UK, Norway and the Netherlands who will explore options for similar projects around the North Sea basin. Acorn is centred on the St Fergus Gas Plant north of Aberdeen. This is connected to offshore infrastructure which is potentially re-usable for CCS. St Fergus is also connected to the high emissions Central Belt region by a dedicated onshore pipeline. Acorn is a minimum viable development starting with CO2 capture from the Gas Terminal, and will explore options for build-out to other large-scale sources of emissions in the region and from CO2 tankers through Peterhead Port 5km to the south. Norwegian and Dutch CCS policy experts will apply the lessons from the "real world" UK project to other North Sea regions. The project will deliver a re-usable blueprint for the decarbonisation of a region currently highly dependent upon the fossil fuel. Norsk: Bellona bidrar til Acorn-prosjektet, som er et system for CO2-fangst og -lagring i Skottland. Systemet vil utnytte overflødig gassinfrastruktur i Nordsjøen. Prosjektet ledes av CCS-prosjektutviklingsrådgiverne Pale Blue Dot Energy og støttes av ekspertpartnere fra Storbritannia, Norge og Nederland som vil utforske alternativer for lignende prosjekter rundt Nordsjøen. Acorn er sentrert rundt gassanlegget St Fergus. Dette er koblet til offshore-infrastruktur som potensielt kan gjenbrukes for CO2-fangst og -lagring. Norske og nederlandske CCS-eksperter vil bidra til å overføre lærdommen fra dette britiske prosjektet til andre regioner i Nordsjøen. Prosjektet vil levere en plan for CO2-kutt i regioner som i dag er avhengig av fossilt brensel.