US-headed ExxonMobil Corporation (ExxonMobil), one of the largest publicly traded international energy companies has announced that it has made a final investment decision to expand carbon capture and storage at its LaBarge facility in Wyoming (WY).“Carbon capture and storage is a readily available technology that can play a critical role in helping society reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Joe Blommaert, President of ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions.
According to ExxonMobil, its LaBarge facility has already captured more CO2 than any other facility in the world to date. The expansion project will capture up to 1.2 million tonnes of CO2, in addition to the 6-7 million tonnes captured at LaBarge annually.
By expanding carbon capture and storage at LaBarge, we can reduce emissions from our operations and continue to demonstrate the large-scale capability for carbon capture and storage to address emissions from vital sectors of the global economy, including industrial manufacturing, said Joe Blommaert.
ExxonMobil completed front-end engineering and design work for the estimated US$400 million project in December 2021 and expects to issue the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract in March. Pending regulatory approvals, the startup is estimated in 2025.
The expansion is part of the company’s 2030 emission-reduction plans and supports the company’s ambition to achieve net-zero greenhouse emissions (Scopes 1 and 2) for its operating assets by 2050.
By capturing an additional 1.2 million tonnes of CO2 each year, ExxonMobil can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its upstream operated emissions by 3 percent.
The LaBarge facility currently captures nearly 20 percent of all human-made CO2 captured in the world each year. In addition to producing natural gas, ExxonMobil’s LaBarge facility is one of the world’s largest sources of helium, producing approximately 20 percent of the global supply.
Helium is an essential component for health care equipment such as magnetic resonance imaging, high-tech products including fiber optics and semiconductors, and materials for space travel.
Our state has always been a leader in carbon capture, utilization and sequestration (CCUS) and we are pleased to see projects like this that bring that technology forward. Wyoming and our industries do more than talk about carbon capture technologies. We help develop and deploy them. This announcement is a great example of what industry can do to reduce greenhouse emissions and develop resources. I am delighted that ExxonMobil has decided to move forward with its expansion in Wyoming. This helps Wyoming advance its commitment to developing the technology to become carbon negative said Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon.
