The world’s first carbon capture and storage (CCS) for oil sands is to be built by Shell in Alberta, Canada. Dubbed the Quest project, Shell is undertaking the project as a representative of the owners of the Athabasca Oil Sands joint venture comprising Chevron, Marathon Oil and Shell itself.
The Governments of Alberta and Canada have extended their support to the project by way of Canadian $745 million and $120 million funding respectively.
The envisaged tremendous rise in global energy demand can be met with reduced carbon dioxide emissions only by adopting CCS. According to Peter Voser, Chief Executive Officer of Royal Dutch Shell, the company is supporting the deployment of CCS technology at a global level. The Quest is the flagship project of their CCS endeavors. Voser stated that the oil sands of Alberta are not just a reliable energy source but are drivers of economic activity inside and outside Canada. He also emphasized the importance of CCS on future energy needs as it is expected that even in 2050, 65% of the global energy needs will be met by fossil fuels inspite of the advent of energy sources with reduced carbon dioxide emissions.
The bitumen generated from the Athabasca Oil Sands is transported to the Scotford Upgrader of Shell in Edmonton. Quest will come into operation well into the year 2015 after which the carbon dioxide generated during the processing of bitumen will be captured and stored underground. The storage will reduce carbon dioxide emission by 35% at the bitumen processing facility which is equivalent to the effect of 175,000 cars being taken off the road in North America.
Source: http://www.shell.com
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