CCUS for a sustainable industry

Industry is facing a gigantic challenge – how to bring about a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions? Six major industrial players in the Antwerp port area are joining forces with Fluxys and Port of Antwerp-Bruges, in the Antwerp@C project. But how exactly will that work? Hanne Talboom, project manager for Antwerp@C at Port of Antwerp-Bruges, explained it to us.

Energy & climate Pipeline

So how does the Antwerp@C project intend to help address this issue?

Hanne: “Antwerp@C is a major infrastructure project in the Antwerp port area were we enable our industrial players to transport their captured CO₂, to liquefy it and to load it onto vessels heading for empty oil or gas fields in the North Sea.

The consortium consists of eight partners: BASF, Air Liquide, Ineos, Borealis, TotalEnergies, ExxonMobil and Fluxys. The Port Authority is fulfilling a coordinating role. Because the scale of the infrastructure required is so large, collaboration was key.

The entire project consists of four major projects:

She's the project manager for Antwerp@C at Port of Antwerp-Bruges and she's talking about the Antwerp@C proejct where they enable their industrial players to transport their captured CO2, to liquefy it and to load it onto vessels.

A capture installation on the site of the emitter. BASF and Air Liquide joined forces in the Kairos@C project to construct the initial capture installations.

The CO₂ pipeline, also known as the CO₂backbone, will transport the CO₂from the capture installations to the terminal. Any company can connect to that backbone. Fluxys, Air Liquide and Pipelink will build the first pipeline through the port area, connecting the different emitters with the terminal.

The CO₂ liquefaction terminal will liquefy the CO₂ gas. Air Liquide and Fluxys will construct this open access terminal, which everyone will be able to use. The terminal will process a total of 10 million tons of CO₂ per year. This corresponds to half of the total emissions in the port area. That capacity will be built in phases and the first phase will account for 2.5 million tons per year.

The quayside at the terminal. Port of Antwerp-Bruges will construct the quayside with a mooring that enables two ocean-going vessels to be loaded simultaneously. Those vessels will then sail to empty gas fields or ‘sinks’, where the CO₂can be stored. Large, specialised tankers to transport CO₂are currently under construction.

Antwerp@C is a major CO₂ infrastructure project where we enable industrial players to transport, liquefy and load CO₂ onto vessels heading for empty oil or gas fields in the North Sea.

Hanne Talboom,project manager

Antwerp@C

What is the current status of the project?

Hanne: “The entire FEED phase (which stands for Front-End Engineering Design) has been completed. That is the concept phase of the project, and includes the feasibility studies. Funding has also already been applied for to construct the final infrastructure. Grants have already been received for Kairos@C, the terminal, the backbone and the quayside. All of the permits have now been issued. If all goes well, the entire Antwerp@C project could be operational by 2028.”

Two technicians who are working an a big pipeline for transport of CO2.

Is Port of Antwerp-Bruges also pursuing other CCUS projects?

Hanne: “Yes, it certainly is! In Zeebrugge, there's the CO₂ highway project. The intention is to collect CO₂ in gaseous form there. A compression station will pressurise the CO₂, after which it will then be transported in a large pipeline from Zeebrugge to Equinor's fields in Norway. The pipeline involved will be one thousand kilometres long.

What are the biggest challenges for a company looking to start using CCUS today?

Hanne: “The first challenge is to find a sink. Only a limited amount of mature sinks are available just yet, which means fewer options and higher prices. The second challenge is the ‘willingness to pay’. A viable business case for CCS projects is still lacking. That’s why we need additional mechanisms or a greater willingness from consumers to pay for sustainably produced products.”

CCUS in a nutshell

CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilisation & Storage) is one of the key strategies to help companies reach net-zero emissions, especially in hard-to-abate sectors where CO₂ is hard to avoid. While most businesses first focus on reducing emissions by optimising processes, switching to green energy sources like sustainable or blue hydrogen, and using circular or sustainable feedstock, some emissions remain unavoidable. That’s where CCUS comes in: it captures the CO₂ released during production processes, such as in cement manufacturing, and allows it to be reused or permanently stored, offering a vital solution for industries facing the toughest decarbonisation challenges.