Launch of Sweden's Largest Carbon Capture and Storage Plant

STOCKHOLM, May 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sweden's largest test facility for carbon dioxide capture has begun operation at Preem's refinery in Lysekil. Within the pilot project `Preem CCS', the entire value chain will be analyzed - from the capture of carbon dioxide to its storage. The outcome of the project will enable more companies to use the technology and reduce their carbon dioxide emissions

The project is a collaboration between Preem, Aker Solutions, Chalmers University of Technology, Equinor and the Norwegian research institute SINTEF. The Swedish Energy Agency and the Norwegian research and development program CLIMIT contribute with funding.

Within the pilot project, the entire value chain will be evaluated - from carbon capture at the refinery, local storage, transport to the planned storage location off the Norwegian west coast and for the storage itself. The results of the pilot project will then be made public - in order for more companies to be able to use the technology and reduce their carbon dioxide emissions.

In 2020, the test facility will capture carbon dioxide from the flue gases from Preem's hydrogen gas plant at the Lysekil refinery.

"We are excited to bring our field-proven carbon capture technology to Sweden for the first time. Helping operators reduce their carbon footprint is a key part of Aker Solutions' strategy, and we look forward to working with Preem and the project's other partners," says Luis Araujo, CEO of Aker Solutions, which owns the test facility and will produce a feasibility study based on the test results.

The technology for capturing and storing carbon dioxide is an important component for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and for achieving Sweden's climate goals. For Preem, this is an important piece of the puzzle to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and to become climate neutral by the year 2045. The goal is for the tests to form the basis for a full-scale CCS plant that can be operational by 2025.

"We see carbon capture and storage as a vital measure to reduce global carbon emissions. For Preem, a full-scale CCS plant could initially reduce emissions from our Lysekil refinery by 500,000 tonnes, which is close to a quarter of the refinery's total carbon emissions," says Petter Holland, CEO of Preem.

The carbon dioxide is planned to be stored in Norway, which is leading in this area and has better geological conditions for storage than Sweden. Preem made a statement of intent to collaborate with the Northern Lights project last fall. Northern Lights is a project that includes Equinor, Shell and Total and to develop the technology and the transport chain to store carbon dioxide in bedrock under the North Sea. Northern Lights plans to commence in 2024.

"Equinor is involved in several different projects in the capture, transport and storage of carbon dioxide. This project can give us third-party volume for our transport and storage project, Northern Lights. In addition, a carbon capture technology is used that may be relevant for our facilities. This type of collaboration between industry, research and government is crucial to the success of carbon capture and storage," says Torbjørg Klara Fossum, Vice President of Global CCS Solutions at Equinor.

For more information, please contact:
Preem Press Office
[email protected]
+46 (0)70-450 10 01

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