Definition
Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) — also known as carbon capture and storage — is a technology process that captures carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions produced by industrial facilities and power plants, transports the captured CO2, and stores it permanently in deep geological formations. The objective is to prevent CO2 from entering the atmosphere, thereby reducing the greenhouse gas contribution of fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes.
CCS encompasses three stages: capture (separating CO2 from other gases at the emission source), transport (typically via pipeline), and storage (injection into depleted oil and gas reservoirs, saline aquifers, or other geological formations).
Technology Approaches
There are three primary approaches to CO2 capture: pre-combustion capture (removing carbon from fuel before combustion), post-combustion capture (extracting CO2 from flue gases after combustion), and oxy-fuel combustion (burning fuel in pure oxygen to produce a concentrated CO2 stream). Each approach has distinct cost, efficiency, and applicability characteristics.
Qatar’s CCS Initiatives
Qatar has invested in CCS as part of its strategy to manage carbon emissions while continuing to develop its hydrocarbon resources. The most notable initiative is the CCS facility at Ras Laffan Industrial City, which captures CO2 from the LNG production process. This facility is one of the largest operational CCS installations in the Middle East.
QatarEnergy has indicated plans to expand CCS capacity as part of its broader sustainability commitments, including targets to reduce the carbon intensity of LNG production. CCS is positioned as a key enabling technology for Qatar’s ambition to be a lower-carbon producer of natural gas.
Significance
For Qatar, CCS represents a bridge technology that allows continued hydrocarbon production while addressing climate obligations. It is integral to the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement and to the positioning of Qatari LNG as a competitive, lower-emission energy source in global markets.