Business GNL

A collective working for decarbonisation

25/10/23

Because there is strength in numbers, Dunkerque LNG has joined forces with Eqiom, Lhoist, RTE and Air Liquide France Industrie in the Cap Décarbonation project. The goal is to decarbonise industry by capturing 1.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from emitter sites, transporting it and storing it permanently. This is the equivalent of twice the emissions of a city like Dunkirk. This ambitious project was the subject of a preliminary consultation phase from 22 May to 21 July 2023.

CO₂ is responsible for the greenhouse effect, which results in the rise of temperatures and the disruption of ecosystems. The European Union and France are committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. However, reducing emissions is not enough. For example, the production of concrete and lime intrinsically generates CO₂, which needs to be captured before it is emitted into the air.

Manufacturers in the Hauts-de-France region are therefore working to use innovation to sequester the CO₂ produced. This is the core of the Cap Décarbonation initiative. EQIOM, Lhoist (Chaux et Dolomies du Boulonnais), Air Liquide France Industrie, Dunkerque LNG and RTE are involved in three complementary projects: Phase 2 of the K6 Programme at the Lumbres cement plant, the CalCC project at the Réty lime production plant and the D'Artagnan project, with CO₂ transport pipelines and the CO₂ terminal at the West Port of Dunkirk. These projects are all part of a joint approach to decarbonising industry.

D'Artagnan, a project estimated at €220 million

"Dunkerque LNG is involved in the D'Artagnan project’s CO₂ Terminal. It comprises two components: a network of pipelines to transport the CO₂ captured by emitter sites to Dunkirk, developed by Air Liquide, and the construction of a maritime terminal for the export of CO₂ at the port of Dunkirk, developed by Dunkerque LNG and Air Liquide," explains Pierre-François Sorato, Head of Terminal Development. The CO₂ Terminal will receive the CO₂ captured on the Lumbres and Réty sites and condition it for shipment to sequestration sites in the North Sea. It will be located in the western outer harbour, more specifically on the platform of the former LNG terminal construction base camp, thus limiting the impact on untouched natural areas. The CO₂ Terminal facilities will be used to liquefy and reduce the pressure of the CO₂, which will then be temporarily stored in tanks before being loaded onto ships, similar to LNG carriers (which transport natural gas in liquid form), but ten times smaller. With this in mind, a new 200-metre jetty will be created within the Terminal. The project will cost around €220 million.

Effective, practical public consultation

"The strength of Cap Décarbonation lies in a common desire, a sharing of experience and a pooling of certain resources. The public consultation, which ran from 22 May to 21 July 2023, was therefore organised jointly. Hundreds of people attended a series of 25 meetings," explains Pierre-François Sorato. "Citizens were able to express their views and were heard. In concrete terms, changes were made to the project following the discussion workshops."

The public enquiry is scheduled for the coming months. The investment decision for D'Artagnan should be taken at the end of 2024. Construction work is scheduled to take place between 2025 and 2027, with commissioning planned for late 2027. A long road already well under way to a less polluting industry.

www.cap-decarbonation.fr/fr

Article présenté sur la lettre d'information : Octobre 2023