Immingham

Carbon Capture

How does it work?

Humber Zero will be one of the UK’s first large-scale carbon capture projects with the potential remove up to eight million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) from emission to the atmosphere by 2030.

But how does carbon capture work?

 

Diagram showing the carbon capture process

 

 

Carbon capture is not a new process but the technology has evolved sufficiently to allow emissions to be captured at a much larger scale.

As part of industrial processes at VPI Immingham and the Phillips 66 Humber Refinery, fuel is burned and the emissions contain concentrations of CO2. These are released to the atmosphere via chimneys (officially known as stacks).

Humber Zero will see technology fitted to the stacks to capture the flue gas and a solvent called amine will be used to remove the majority of the CO2 from it. The CO2 will then be compressed into a fluid – or dense phase – state which will allow it to be transported to secure storage offshore. The flue gas, now with minimal CO2 content, is then released into the atmosphere.

The solvent – now stripped of its CO2 – is returned to the beginning of the process to capture more carbon.

What will be needed to make this happen?

This process requires new facilities to be built close to the stacks at both VPI and the Humber Refinery. There will be two separate carbon capture facilities, one for each site.

It will also be necessary for these facilities to be connected to one of the transport and storage pipelines being proposed for the area, both of which will run close to the Immingham industrial area. You can find out more about the proposed pipelines at the East Coast Cluster and V Net Zero websites.

 

Watch the animation

VPI has produced a 3D animation of the carbon capture process planned for VPI Immingham.

 

ICHP Vitol

Animation of Carbon Capture at VPI Immingham

THIS IS SOME TEST CONTENT