Drax signs MoU with Harbour Energy and bp to explore options to transport and store CO2

Drax Group (Drax) has agreed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Viking CCS, the Humber-based CO2 transportation and storage network led by Harbour Energy, together with non-operated partner bp, to assess options to transport and store CO2 in the Humber region.

The MoU will see the companies work together on an early pipeline study to explore options that could connect Drax Power Station to the depleted Viking gas fields in the southern North Sea.

Once operational, and subject to final investment decision, the Viking CCS cluster could capture and store up to 10 million tonnes of UK emissions per annum by 2030 and up to 15 million tonnes by 2035.

Richard Gwilliam, UK BECCS Programme Director at Drax, said:

“Viking CCS has a compelling vision for delivering the decarbonisation of the Humber. Their plans could facilitate significant investment into the region, create thousands of new highly skilled green jobs and ensure that the Humber continues to play an important long-term role in supporting the UK’s energy security.

“We are excited about working with Viking CCS through this new MoU which will explore how BECCS at Drax Power Station could connect to their pipeline. BECCS is currently the only credible large-scale technology that can generate renewable power and deliver carbon removals.

“When operational, a BECCS unit at Drax Power Station could remove four million tonnes of CO2 each year which is 80% of the UK Government’s ambition of delivering five million tonnes of engineered greenhouse gas removals by 2030. We believe the technology will play a substantial role in combating climate change, reducing the UK’s CO2 emissions and meeting its Net Zero goals.”

Graeme Davies, Viking CCS Project Director at Harbour Energy, said:

“The Humber is unique in the UK as the largest emitter of CO2 from existing industry and power generation and Viking CCS has the potential to put the Humber at the heart of the UK’s net zero economy, protecting and creating thousands of jobs, providing billions of pounds of investment across the full capture, transport and storage chain.

“We look forward to exploring the potential for the Drax BECCS plant to connect to Viking CCS in the future.”