2.1 Project Overview

ROAD is the Rotterdam Opslag and Afvang Demonstratieproject (Rotterdam Capture and Storage Demonstration Project) and is one of the largest integrated Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) demonstration projects in the world.

2.1.1 Project objectives

The main objective of ROAD is to demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of a large-scale, integrated CCS-chain. In the power industry, to date, CCS has primarily been applied in small-scale test facilities. Large-scale demonstration projects are needed to show that CCS is an efficient and effective CO₂ abatement technology within the next 5 to 10 years. With the knowledge, experience and innovations gained by projects like ROAD, CCS could be deployed on a larger and broader scale: not only on power plants, but also within energy intensive industries. CCS is one of the transition technologies expected to make a substantial contribution to achieving climate objectives.

2.1.2 Partners

ROAD is a joint project initiated by E.ON Benelux N.V. and Electrabel Nederland N.V. (GDF SUEZ Group). Together they constitute the limited partnership Maasvlakte CCS Project C.V. The intended partners of ROAD are GDF SUEZ E&P Nederland B.V. for the CO₂ transport and TAQA Energy B.V. for the CO₂ injection and permanent storage. The ROAD-project is co-financed by the Government of the Netherlands, the European Commission within the framework of the European Energy Programme for Recovery (EEPR) and the Global CCS Institute.

2.1.3 Project specifications

ROAD applies post combustion technology to capture the CO₂ from the flue gases of a new 1,100 MWe coal-fired power (Maasvlakte Power Plant 3) in the port and industrial area of Rotterdam. The capture unit has a capacity of 250 MWe equivalent and aims to capture 1.1 million tonnes of CO₂ per year. The capture installation is planned to be operational in 2015.

Location of the ROAD-project CCS chain: Rotterdam port and industrial area and North Sea

Location of the capture unit: Maasvlakte Power Plant 3 (photo: E.ON)

From the capture unit the CO₂ will be compressed and transported through a pipeline: 5 kilometers over land and 20 kilometers across the seabed to the P18 platform in the North Sea. The pipeline has a transport capacity of around 5 million tonnes per year. It is designed for a pressure of 175 bar and a maximum temperature of approximately 80 °C.

ROAD plans to store the captured CO₂ in depleted gas reservoirs under the North Sea. These gas reservoirs are located in block P18 (P18-6, P18-4 and P18-2) of the Dutch continental shelf, approximately 20 kilometers off the coast. The depleted gas reservoirs are at a depth of around 3,500 meters under the seabed of the North Sea. The CO₂ will be injected from the platform into depleted gas reservoirs. The estimated storage capacity is approximately 35 million tonnes.

2.1.4 Rationale for Rotterdam port and industrial area

The Rotterdam port and industrial area has a number of advantages that create favorable conditions to implement a CCS demonstration project like ROAD. The Rotterdam port and industrial area has many CO₂ point sources. Several new power stations prepared for the application of CCS (capture ready) are under construction. The Port of Rotterdam is relatively close to a large number of (almost) depleted gas reservoirs on the continental shelf under the North Sea, allowing for a small transport distance. These gas reservoirs meet the physical and geological properties for CO₂ storage and will become available in the next few years (from 2014 onwards). The Netherlands has a lot of knowledge and experience with both oil and gas extraction and storage of gas in aquifers and gas reservoirs. In addition, the complete CCS-chain is remote from residential areas.

250 MWe capture unit (post-combustion)

P18-A platform at the North Sea (photo: TAQA)

2.1.5 Facts & Figures

Base installation: E.ON Maasvlakte Power Plant 3 (Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

Capture Plant

Transport

Storage

2.1.6 Planning

The high level schedule of the ROAD project is as follows: