Italian energy company Eni has welcomed the UK’s decision to grant a Development Consent Order (DCO) for the HyNet North West CO2 pipeline.
The DCO will allow the construction, operation, and maintenance of infrastructure to transport captured CO2 as part of the HyNet CCS cluster, where Eni is the transportation and storage operator.
The pipeline is the first Anglo-Welsh cross border application for a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) to be granted a DCO by DESNZ. It marks the completion of an 18-month determination process following Eni’s submission of the DCO application in October 2022.
The DCO brings the HyNet CCS cluster closer to the execution phase, with FID expected by September 2024.
The HyNet North West CO2 pipeline will transport carbon dioxide from capture plants across the northwest of England and north Wales through new and repurposed infrastructure to safe and permanent storage in Eni’s depleted natural gas reservoirs, located under the seabed in Liverpool Bay.
Claudio Descalzi Eni CEO commented: “We see the UK as an attractive destination for Eni’s investments, particularly in the area of decarbonisation. We welcome the UK Government’s ambition to promote and develop the kind of groundbreaking projects we need to address climate change, especially within hard-to-abate sectors.
“Carbon capture will play a critical role in meeting this challenge by safely eliminating emissions from industries that currently do not have equally efficient and effective solutions. This decision marks a significant step towards establishing a significant new industry for the country and consolidates the Eni’s leading position providing a service to decarbonise both its own and third parties’ industrial activities at a competitive cost and with a fast time to market.
“This position was further reinforced following our acquisition of Neptune Energy, which gives Eni access to three additional CO2 storage licences for a total gross storage capacity of about 1GT in the UK.”
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