CCS demonstration project using the Donghae-1 depleted gas reservoirs

What is Carbon Capture and Storage(CCS)?

CCS is the only proactive means for greenhouse gas reduction. It includes 3 major stages: 1)capture CO₂ from industrial emission sources, 2)transport to the injection site, and 3)inject into safe geologic formations for permanent storage. Many aspects of core technologies in CCS have a lot in common with E&P technologies in the oil and gas industry. Not Surprisingly, global oil and gas companies are leading in the forefront of CCS businesses.

Why do we need CCS?

In an effort to reduce the level of Greenhouse Gas(GHG), Korean government signed the Paris Agreement in 2015. Korean government submitted the updated and enhanced NDC which is to reduce total GHG emissions by 40% from the 2018 level by 2030. In order to achieve the Greenhouse Gas reduction target, the Korean government established the “ The 1st National Carbon Neutral and Green Growth Basic Plan(April 2023)” based on the Basic Act on Carbon Neutral and Green Growth. According to the Basic Plan, 4.8 million tons of CO2 per year shall be stored through CCS into deep formations by 2030. Among many other technologies for CO₂ reduction, CCS is the most preemptive one that will contribute to achieving our target for GHG reduction and carbon neutrality by 2050. * CCUS: Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage. The concept of CCUS includes “Utilization” in which CO₂ is converted to valuable industrial material, for example.

Where we are now?

The Korean government is advancing its first large-scale Caron Capture Storage (CCS) demonstration project using the depleted Donghae-1 gas field, which ceased production at the end of 2021. KNOC is providing technical support to ensure the project’s successful implementation. Through this CCS demonstration project, Korea aims to develop CCS-related technologies and achieve an annual reduction of 1.2 million tons of CO₂ (1.2 Mtpa) emissions by 2030.

CCS project outline

CCS project outline

Project	CCS decomstration project using Donghae-1 gas field
Size	1.2 Mtpa
Site	Donghae-1 gas reservoirs including offshore production facilities
Duration	[Preperation] 2021~2024, [Design&Construction] 2025~2028, [Operation] After 2028