Introduction

The IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme (IEA GHG) has undertaken an assessment of the learning that is being provided by operational, large-scale, pilot, demonstration and commercial CCS projects around the world. This activity was approved by IEA GHG contracting parties and sponsors at the meeting of the Executive Committee held in April 2008 in Berlin.

By compiling and assessing this information we hope to increase awareness of current projects and associated learning, to assist wider CCS development and deployment. We also hope to use the information to identify gaps within the global CCS portfolio to help direct future funding, research and ultimately further projects.

The following indicative criteria were chosen to define operational large-scale CCS projects:

• Operational by the end of 2008, and satisfying one of the following criteria:

• Capturing over 10,000 tCO2 per year from a flue gas;

• Injecting over 10,000 tCO2 per year with the purpose of geological storage with monitoring;

• Capturing over 100,000 tCO2 per year from any source;

• Coal-bed storage of over 10,000 tCO2 per year;

• Commercial CO2-EOR is excluded unless there is an associated monitoring programme.

Whilst acknowledging relevant learning gained from smaller projects and research; the purpose of this exercise was to focus only on these larger projects.

Information was collected during the second half of 2008. Twenty-six projects which meet the criteria were initially identified, contacted and sent a questionnaire designed to elicit key information. The questionnaire was in five parts, parts 1-4 requesting basic information on the project, and part 5 focusing on the key learning aspects. It was envisaged that the questionnaire would form the first phase of an iterative process to compile a global dataset on active projects; we see the updating of this information as an ongoing activity every 2-4 years, and in conjunction with other activities, leading to a global network of learning from large scale CCS projects.

Recommendations

There are a number of potential next steps to progress further with the analysis of what we have learnt from demonstration projects. Certain topics can be investigated in more detail, and means of sharing the learning will be explored.

As the analysis progresses it is expected that further gaps, overlaps and areas for collaboration will emerge. IEA GHG will continue correspondence with project operators to investigate and share results, which will also be used to update the IEA GHG R,D&D Project database. This study process is intended to be repeated every 2 years to track the learning and knowledge development from CCS demonstration projects as we progress towards full scale commercial deployment. Future activity here by IEA GHG is expected to be in collaboration with the Global Institute for Carbon Capture and Storage (GCCSI).