Under the terms of the MoU, the companies are initially studying the technical and economic feasibility of setting up an industrial CCS chain from their facility to storage in the North Sea.

The partners said the project’s objective is to reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 3 million t/y by 2030, equivalent to emissions of more than 1 million passenger cars. They intend to seek funding from European, French and regional schemes and said the project is also open to other industrial parties.

Air Liquide will contribute its proprietary Cryocap CO₂ capture and liquefaction technology, which it said allows the capture of up to 90% of carbon emissions. The company added that it has successfully implemented the technology at its plant in Port Jérôme, Normandy, in 2015.

“This wider initiative illustrates how industrial players can mobilize to decarbonize key industrial basins and contribute to the fight against global warming. It is in line with Air Liquide’s climate objectives, which target carbon neutrality by 2050,” said François Jackow, executive vice president at Air Liquide supervising Europe industries activities.

Charles Amyot, Esso’s CEO and president of ExxonMobil’s activities in France, said ExxonMobil is advancing plans for more than 20 new CCS opportunities around the world.

TotalEnergies is also collaborating in other CO₂ storage projects. Working with Equinor and Shell in the Northern Lights joint venture, the partners will transport and store captured CO₂ permanently under the North Sea. The facilities are under construction and will be operational in 2024. The Aramis project is a cooperation with Shell that also aims to store CO₂ in depleted offshore gas fields under the North Sea.

Jorge Noval, president of Yara Industrial Solutions, said CCS “is essential in achieving our mid-term ambition of a 30% reduction in absolute CO₂ emissions in 2030 compared to 2018, meaning a reduction of 200,000 t of CO₂ emissions, equivalent to 100,000 t of blue ammonia at Le Havre.”