Major CO2 storage project launched in the Netherlands

The Port of Rotterdam CO2 Transport Hub Offshore Storage (Porthos) project has made its final investment decision and is now set to develop the Netherlands' first major CO2 transport and storage system.

PHOTO: The Europoort area in the Port of Rotterdam. Getty Images

The project is jointly managed by the Port of Rotterdam Authority, non-profit European Business and Innovation Centre Network (EBN), and the European energy infrastructure company Gasunie.

The project's construction is slated to kickstart in Rotterdam in 2024, with operations set to begin by 2026. It will be built at a staggering €1.3 billion ($1.4 billion) investment.   

Highlighting the need to have a CO2 storage system in the country, Porthos director, Hans Meeuwsen said, “CO2 storage is crucial if we want to achieve the climate goals in the Netherlands. This investment decision is an important starting point for future developments in CO2 storage in the Netherlands.”

The project “will reduce emissions from the companies in the Port of Rotterdam by 10%,” the Port of Rotterdam Authority’s interim chief executive Boudewijn Siemons said.

“Next to all our other efforts to start working with cleaner fuels, CO2 capture and storage is really necessary if we are to achieve a considerable reduction in CO2. With Porthos, we are taking the first big step,” he added.

According to the port authority, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a cost-effective way to keep a bulk of CO2 emissions out of the atmosphere in the short term, making it a key aspect of the Dutch government’s climate policy.

Recognising the importance of the project, the European Union declared Porthos as a Project of Common Interest with a subsidy of €102 million ($107 million).

The project will provide transport and storage services to several firms in the port, including Air Liquide, Air Products, Exxon Mobil, and Shell. These companies are also set to invest in their own carbon capture installations to supply CO2 to the Porthos project.

How it works

The project envisages transport of CO2 from the Port of Rotterdam to depleted gas fields in the North Sea, about 20 km off the coast. This CO2 will be permanently stored 3-4 km deep under the seabed. 

Porthos plans to store around 2.5 million mt/year of CO2 for 15 years. This will total to around 37 million mt, taking the project to its full storage capacity.

By Manjula Nair

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