Carbon Capture and Storage: What will drive successful CCS projects in the decade ahead?

Why does carbon capture and storage matter?

Across the world, energy operators are looking for solutions to reduce their carbon emissions. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a critical part of this journey, demonstrated not only by its dominance in the net zero agenda, but in the continuing investment in CCS projects by governments and industry.

Wood’s teams have completed CCS studies for more than half of the 300 carbon-capture facilities being planned worldwide. Its technical experts are leading the way, advising and engineering the design and digitalisation of more than 175 carbon capture projects, from the U.S Gulf Coast of Louisiana and the oil sands of Canada to the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia.

What challenges must CCS projects overcome?

It’s estimated that within the UKCS alone, there is the potential to store 78 billion tonnes of CO2, and if successfully implemented, it will position the UK as a world leader in CCS.

One of the less visible challenges facing CCS projects is establishing consistent standards for captured carbon dioxide streams. Differences in CO₂ composition, transport methods and storage infrastructure can affect both project economics and operational performance. Industry collaboration remains important in developing common approaches that support safe, efficient and scalable CCS value chains.

Wood has decades of experience in delivering feasibility studies, concept solutions, engineering design, integrated services and the implementation of capture technologies. The company’s track record working on existing infrastructure means it is ideally placed to advise clients on how assets can be repurposed to transport and store CO2.

How can existing energy infrastructure support CCS?

Across many mature energy regions, existing offshore and onshore infrastructure could play a significant role in accelerating CCS deployment. Pipelines, processing facilities and depleted reservoirs may provide opportunities to reduce development timelines and lower capital investment compared with entirely new-build infrastructure.

Wood has supported projects such as Acorn, which demonstrates how existing energy infrastructure can be repurposed to capture, transport and store CO₂, helping accelerate the development of large-scale CCS networks. The project aims to capture carbon at the St Fergus gas terminal in Aberdeenshire and use existing energy infrastructure to transport and store it beneath the North Sea.

Projects such as Morecambe Net Zero illustrate how depleted offshore reservoirs could be repurposed as long-term carbon storage hubs, creating opportunities to support industrial decarbonisation at scale. With a proposed storage capacity of up to one gigaton of carbon dioxide and plans to scale from more than 5MTPA to 25MTPA, the project demonstrates the scale at which future CCS infrastructure may need to operate. Planned connectivity via pipeline, ship and rail further highlights the importance of flexible transport networks in supporting industrial carbon management.

Intelligent operations, maintenance and integrity solutions are becoming increasingly important as operators seek to improve reliability, manage risk and support long-term CCS performance.

Effective late-life asset management is becoming increasingly important as operators balance energy security, operational efficiency and decarbonisation objectives. Existing assets may continue to create value while also supporting future carbon transport and storage networks.

What does the next phase of CCS look like?

As CCS projects mature, the focus is increasingly shifting from feasibility and planning towards delivery and long-term operation. Success will depend not only on capture technology, but on the effective integration of transport networks, storage infrastructure and industrial emitters.

The development of CCS hubs and regional clusters is expected to play an important role in scaling deployment. By connecting multiple emitters to shared transport and storage systems, these networks can improve efficiency, reduce costs and accelerate decarbonisation efforts across entire industries.

Digital technologies are also becoming more important throughout the CCS lifecycle. From asset integrity and emissions monitoring to predictive maintenance and operational optimisation, digital solutions can help operators improve performance, manage risk and support regulatory compliance.

At the same time, many organisations are exploring how existing infrastructure can support future CCS requirements. The repurposing of pipelines, terminals and offshore assets may offer a practical route to accelerating deployment while maximising the value of existing investments.

As the industry continues to evolve, collaboration between operators, technology providers, regulators and supply chain partners will remain essential to developing safe, reliable and economically viable CCS networks.