Plan to store carbon under the English Channel

An international oil and gas company is to hold a series of public consultations on its plans to create a new carbon dioxide (CO2) pipeline.

Exxon Mobil is seeking approval for the Solent CO2 Pipeline Project, which would see a pipe running from its Fawley oil refinery near Southampton to a CO2 storage site under the English Channel.

The company says it is critical for introducing Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) to the Solent area which would help to reduce carbon emissions.

The consultations will be held across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight from 7 August until 5 September.

Exxon Mobil claim the pipe from the Fawley Petrochemical Complex would lead to a carbon reduction equivalent to removing five million cars from the roads each year.

Michael Foley, UK low carbon solutions venture executive at the company, said the pipeline would remove "millions of tonnes" of CO2 annually.

He added: “The UK Climate Change Committee acknowledge CCS technology as a game-changer, describing it as a ‘necessity not an option’, and we are proud of the work we are doing to bring it to the Solent, one of the most industrially significant areas in the UK.

“Many industrial sectors in the Solent are essential yet challenging to decarbonise, like those at our Fawley Petrochemical Complex which produces a diverse range of essential products, like fuels and rubber products.

“This pipeline, and CCS technology, will not only support the regional economy and maintain high-skilled jobs but will also contribute to the government’s goal of achieving net zero by 2050."

CCS facilities aim to prevent CO2 produced from industrial processes and power stations from being released into the atmosphere.

CO2 from burning fossil fuels is captured, transported via a pipeline, and then stored deep underground.

Most of the UK's potential storage is located in the North Sea but according to government data, the site the Solent pipeline will lead to is the only one in the English Channel.

Public consultations on Solent CO2 Pipeline Project

• The Victoria Pavilion, Newport, Isle of Wight, 7 August
• Boldre War Memorial Hall, Boldre, Hampshire, 14 August
• Macdonald Elmers Court Hotel & Resort, Lymington, Hampshire, 16 August
• Shalfleet Village Hall, Newport, Isle of Wight, 22 August
• Phoenix Knights Centre, Cowes, Isle of Wight, 23 August and 3 September
• Niton Village Hall, Ventnor, Isle of Wight, 24 August
• The Bridge Community Centre, Milford on Sea, Hampshire, 30 August
• Calshot Activity Centre, Calshot, Hampshire, 4 September
• Jubilee Hall, Fawley, Hampshire, 5 September

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