First carbon capture permit goes to Peterhead

The first carbon dioxide appraisal and storage licence to be awarded by the Oil and Gas Authority as an independent regulator has been granted to a pioneering energy scheme in Aberdeenshire.

The Acorn carbon capture and storage project will repurpose an existing capture facility at St Fergus gas terminal in Peterhead and re-use existing oil and gas infrastructure to transport and store the climatewarming gas.

The new licence has been granted to developer Pale Blue Dot Energy for an initial four-year period. It authorises offshore exploration to find a storage site.

Thecompanywouldneed a storage permit before injection could begin.

It was announced last weekthattheacornproject will receive £175,000 each from the Scottish and UK governments, plus additional European funding.