The Shell Quest Carbon Capture and Storage Project

Publication Overview

In late August 2015, Shell Canada began sustained, commercial-scale operation of the first-ever CO₂ capture facility at an oil sands bitumen or heavy oil upgrader in the world, as well as transportation and storage of the carbon dioxide to a nearby geological storage site. This remarkable facility is situated near Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. This report explores the journey of the Shell Quest Carbon Capture and Storage Project team and its partners, and will provide valuable insights to other heavy oil upgraders and oil refineries globally that seek to reduce their lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions through deployment of CCS technologies and infrastructure.

Publication Summary

The Shell Quest project was conceived in 2008 and began early operation seven years later. During this period, Shell Canada and its project team achieved many firsts:

• design, construction, and operation of an efficient, operating amine capture facility at an oil sands upgrader,
• transportation of the produced CO₂ to a suitable site for long-term storage at a nearby deep saline aquifer geological formation within 64 km of the Scotford Upgrader,
• development, deployment and management of a world-class geological storage site, and
• attainment of local, regional, national and international key stakeholder support and engagement for the undertaking.
• This project was a ground-breaking achievement. Until it was operational, no other heavy oil upgrader or refinery in the world had deployed carbon capture and storage (CCS) to reduce its carbon footprint. Consequently, as of 2015, Shell Quest has provided a sustainability benchmark to the oil industry.