TOKYO-Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) today announced that it will be contracted to study liquefied CO2 transport by vessel in a carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) project off the northern to western coast of Kyushu (see chart below) in a project implemented by ENEOS Corporation (ENEOS), Electric Power Development Co., Ltd. (J-Power), and JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Corporation) and commissioned by the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC).
JOGMEC has positioned projects with large-scale potential as "Advanced CCS Projects (Note 1)" for CCS promotion and expansion with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and is supporting the entire value chain from CO2 separation and capture to transport and storage in an integrated manner. The offshore northern to western Kyushu CCS project will be the largest among candidate projects in JOGMEC's advanced CCS projects with an annual CO2 storage capacity of about 3 million tons.
MOL will conduct an initial study of the voyage plan, estimate marine transport costs, and identify risks and issues related to the use of a liquefied CO2 carrier (liquefaction conditions: low temperature and low pressure, medium temperature and medium pressure) collected at J-Power's thermal power plants and ENEOS's refineries in Western Japan to the potential storage sites.
Through this study, MOL will contribute to the start of domestic CCS by FY2030, and ultimately to the realization of a carbon-neutral society.
Outline of CCS Project Plan in the Study:
| Emission | ENEOS refineries and J-Power thermal power plants in Western Japan |
| Mode of transport | Vessels and pipelines |
| Potential storage site | Off northern to western Kyushu (offshore saline aquifers) |
| Storage volume | 3 million tons/year |