A 4,370-tonne offshore platform has been installed in Liverpool Bay, creating the world’s first purpose-built facility of its kind for storing industrial carbon dioxide beneath the seabed.
The Douglas CCS platform will support the HyNet industrial decarbonisation cluster, serving industry across north-west England and north Wales. Captured CO2 will be transported through existing pipelines beneath the Irish Sea before being stored in depleted gas reservoirs.
From old gas infrastructure to carbon storage
Reusing pipelines that previously carried natural gas should reduce the need for new construction. The wider Liverpool Bay CCS project is now 50% complete and is expected to operate for more than 25 years.
Its first phase is planned to store 109 million tonnes of CO2 over its lifetime, with annual capacity initially reaching 4.5 million tonnes. That could rise to 10 million tonnes after 2030.
The project is also bringing a sizeable economic boost. Around 60% of its investment spending is being delivered through UK-based supply chains, while construction is supporting more than 2,000 jobs. Up to 300 long-term roles are expected once the facility is operating.
Why it matters for Britain
The project gives hard-to-decarbonise industries in north-west England and north Wales access to carbon storage, while putting existing energy infrastructure to new use. Its construction is also supporting UK suppliers and creating skilled employment in the region.
