A contract around studying engineering design for a CCS value chain in the Tomakomai area has been created between three companies and the Japan Organisation for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC).

The companies that are involved are, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd. (JAPEX), Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. (Idemitsu), and Hokkaido Electric Power Co., Inc. (HEPCO). It was from a public Request for Proposal for ‘Engineering Design Work for Advanced CCS Projects’ which was sent out in the fiscal year 2024, that these companies were selected.

The three companies that were selected will be dedicated to conducting "basic engineering design for CCS value chain’ as well as, "assessment on CO2 storage potential at the planned CO2 storage site". The commencement of the project follows a feasibility study that was performed in FY2023 and currently the aim for all the companies is to launch the CCS projects by FY2030.

During this project, the companies will work to conduct specific technical studies that are focused on CO2 separation and capture, along with carbon dioxide transport and storage.

Idemitsu and HEPCO will be focused on the separation and capture of CO2 and to study this, they will perform works that include basic engineering design for the necessary equipment at every CO2 emission source.

On the other hand, JAPEX will look at the CO2 transport and storage and this company will conduct works including basic engineering design for the pipelines, as well as equipment which will connect each emission source to the selected storage site.

Whilst JAPEX is conducting their "assessment on CO2 storage potential at the planned CO2 storage site", part of this role will be to carry out preparatory works for an exploratory well and the company will then formulate a plan around procuring and storing the equipment as well as materials that are required for an exploratory well. This would include drilling the well, analysing and finally, assessing the data that has been obtained from the well.

On top of this work, JAPEX will also focus on completing assignments that will involve basic engineering design for the equipment necessary for injecting and monitoring deep saline formation of the sea area around Tomakomai. The purpose of this would be to achieve a CO2 storage volume of an estimated 1.5 to 2 million tonnes on an annual basis by 2030.