Defining CCS Ready: An Approach to An International Definition

Executive SummaryThe components specific to defining a Capture Ready plant include plant site selection,technology selection, design for capture facilities, space allowance, and equipment preinvestment.Site selection for a Capture Ready plant is critical, as an appropriate location canmake transportation and storage of the captured CO 2 technically feasible withoutcompromising other commercial requirements of the plant (e.g., access to fuel, water supply).Selecting at least one technology for a Capture Ready plant and conducting studies to assesswhether the capture facilities can be constructed at the time of the retrofit is necessary for asmooth transition to CCS retrofit in the future. A Capture Ready plant design could bedifferent from a business-as-usual plant, due to the additional facilities and equipment neededfor retrofitting power or industrial plants. Allowing sufficient space for future capture facilitieswill ensure that a retrofit to CCS is indeed feasible. Lastly, potential pre-investment ofequipment may be useful, as it may result in reduced lead time for retrofitting and increase thelikelihood of eventual CCS retrofit by reducing money-forward costs.For a Transport Ready plant, the key components are transport method selection, transportcorridor selection, and design for transport facilities. Identifying and selecting a transportmethod(s) is necessary for developers to begin the process of determining the technical andeconomical feasibility of CO 2 transport between the Capture Ready plant and the potentialstorage site. CO 2 transport corridor selection is essential to identify and reduce potentialbarriers and minimise delays at the time of CCS retrofit. For instance, by initially identifyingwaterways, roads, and shorelines that a potential CO 2 pipeline may traverse, developers canchoose the most appropriate corridor. While there are no significant technologicalchallenges or gaps in knowledge associated with the design of transport facilities (e.g., CO 2pipelines and ships), the inclusion of this component in the Transport Ready plant definitionis aimed to confirm the technical and economic feasibility of the identified or selectedtransport method(s) along the specified corridor.Components of a Storage Ready Plant are storage site selection; verification of injectivity,capacity, and integrity of a storage site; and design of storage sites. Identifying a potentialstorage site(s) is critical, as the choice of a storage site will affect both the location of theCCS Ready plant as well as the options for transportation corridors. Verifying injectivity,capacity, and integrity of a storage site is necessary to ensure that required amounts of CO 2can indeed be safely stored for the long term. Developing initial designs for injectionfacilities includes an assessment of plans for monitoring and verification of the storage site.This would reduce the technical and cost uncertainties and ensure that storage facilities arerealistic and feasible.There are certain components of the CCS Ready definition that are common to everyelement (e.g., Capture Ready, Transport Ready, and Storage Ready). These commoncomponents include identification of conflicting uses and rights; costs estimates for CCSfacilities; assurance of environmental, safety, and other approvals; enhancement of publicawareness and engagement; identification for sources for equipment materials and services;and fulfilment of ongoing obligations.Identifying and potentially resolving conflicting uses and rights of way for a Transport ReadyPlant and a Storage Ready Plant could reduce delays to the future deployment of CCS. Anassessment of the costs associated with making a plant CCS Ready, as well as economicfeasibility assessments for future retrofit, can reduce the risk that a CCS Ready plant willnot be economic to operate before the end of its normal lifetime. While different issues forenvironmental, safety, and other approvals must be considered for each element of CCS23 February 2010 2