The UK government has approved the £200 million (about $250 million) Viking onshore pipeline development project, paving the way for the establishment of giant carbon capture facilities off Lincolnshire's coastline.

The 55-kilometer (34-mile) underground pipeline will convey dense-phase carbon dioxide from the receipt point in Immingham to the Theddlethorpe Gas Terminal. The captured CO₂ will be shipped offshore to be securely stored in the Viking gas fields in the North Sea.

Led by Harbour Energy and supported by BP, the Viking CCS Pipeline is part of a wider CCS project that will attract £7 billion (about $9 billion) of investment to the Humber region by 2035.

Government leaders anticipate the project making a huge economic dividend with forecasts of producing 10,000 construction jobs and £4 billion of economic benefit within the next decade. 

According to the reports, the pipeline infrastructure will have required elements like valves, inspection equipment, venting facilities, and handling facilities, as well as temporary construction sites, storage sites, and access roads.

The planning consent was granted following a rigorous six-month examination by the Planning Inspectorate, with the exercise providing an opportunity for local residents, councils, and statutory consultees to provide their opinions on the development proposal.

After considering all the evidence and opinions received, the Planning Inspectorate recommended approval to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, who granted the final permission for the project.

The Viking CO₂ gas fields have a proposed storage capacity of 300 million tonnes of CO₂, with the system capable of handling 10 million tonnes annually by the year 2030.