The UK government has approved plans for a 60-kilometer pipeline that will capture industrial carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and store them offshore in depleted gas reservoirs.

The pipeline will collect CO2 from industrial plants in Ince and Stanlow, Cheshire, and transport it to the Point of Ayr terminal at Talacre, Flintshire. There, the CO2 will be injected into underground storage owned by Italian energy company Eni.

The project will utilize both new construction and repurposed natural gas pipelines. Approximately 36.4 kilometers will be newly built, with a significant portion (32 kilometers) running between Stanlow and Flint. 

The Point of Ayr terminal, which currently processes natural gas from the Liverpool Bay, will be repurposed to handle CO2 instead.

The scheme is expected to capture and store around 4.5 million metric tonnes of CO2 annually, with the potential to reach 10 million tonnes per year by 2030.

"This project is a significant step forward for the UK's net-zero ambitions," said Claire Coutinho, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. 

"Carbon capture technology plays a vital role in decarbonizing hard-to-abate industries, and this pipeline will help us achieve that goal."

Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi welcomed the project's approval, highlighting the UK's attractiveness for decarbonization investments.

"Carbon capture will be critical in eliminating emissions from industries that lack alternative solutions," Descalzi said, adding that the company was “proud to be part of [the] groundbreaking project that tackles climate change."