WSP has been appointed by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), to advise on progressing the development of Carbon Capture Usage and Storage (CCUS) in the UK.

The consultancy will lead a consortium alongside Crondall Energy and GeoEnergy Durham to provide engineering and technical advice to BEIS over the next two years as part of the government’s ambition of having the option to deploy CCUS at scale during the 2030s.

In order to meet a low-cost decarbonisation pathway, BEIS has identified CCUS as a key part of the UK’s transition to a net zero economy by 2050. As well as generating low carbon power, CCUS has the potential to support the decarbonisation of UK industry and enable the production of low carbon hydrogen at scale.

WSP will be supporting the design of a CCUS work programme to enable the deployment of various projects during the 2020s, whilst advising on the engineering and technical implications for CCUS business models, associated policy development and CCUS cluster engagement.

The decarbonisation of the UK’s six major industrial clusters – Grangemouth, Humberside, Merseyside, Southampton, South Wales and Teesside – is closely linked to CCUS and hydrogen network deployment, with the government’s Industrial Decarbonisation challenge aiming to establish the world’s first net zero industrial cluster by 2040.

Dominic Cook, director, energy at WSP, said: “CCUS is an essential technology which must be deployed swiftly if the UK is to realise its ambition of being net zero by 2050. It is also key to the low carbon transformation of the UK’s industrial base and the government’s challenge to industry in establishing the world’s first net-zero carbon industrial cluster by 2040. WSP is pleased to be able support the UK government in becoming global leaders in CCUS and take advantage of the significant growth opportunities in this field.”

Theresa Jezierski, director at GeoEnergy Durham, said: “GED are delighted to have won the contract from BEIS to support the nation’s adoption of CCUS technology and thus reduce the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions. We are particularly pleased to be working with partners WSP and Crondall Energy with whom we already have a good relationship. GeoEnergy Durham has for the past decade been working to deliver carbon storage in the UK and it is good to know that this initiative from BEIS should at last make it real.” 

Stephen Booth, managing director, Crondall Energy Subsea, said: “Crondall Energy is delighted to be working with our partners WSP and GeoEnergy Durham on the BEIS CCUS Development Engineering and Technical Advisory Support contract. This contract comes at a significant time for CCUS globally and we are excited to support the government in developing a world leading CCUS industry in the UK.  It is also significant for Crondall Energy as it consolidates our Energy Transition services as a key part of our business which has traditionally been offshore oil and gas. We have greatly enjoyed working with our partners, WSP & GeoEnergy Durham, on previous projects & look forward to continuing to work as part of this team.”