Porthos has made the final investment decision and will start construction of the first major CO2 transport and storage system in the Netherlands in Rotterdam in 2024. The Porthos system is expected to be operational in 2026. The Porthos infrastructure involves an investment amount of €1.3 billion. Now that the final investment decision has been taken, Porthos will award the final contracts to the contractors who will realize the project.
Porthos steering committee members from the parent companies sign the final investment decision of Porthos: from left to right Pierre Bartholomeus, Managing Director New Energy (Gasunie), Berte Simons, Business unit director CTOS (EBN), Jeroen Steens, Director Commercial Delivery (Port of Rotterdam Authority).
Porthos is a joint venture of EBN, Gasunie, and the Port of Rotterdam Authority. Porthos provides CO2 transport and storage services to a number of companies in the port of Rotterdam. Air Liquide, Air Products, ExxonMobil, and Shell will capture CO2 and supply it to Porthos. To this end, they will invest in capture installations themselves. Porthos will then transport the CO2 through the port of Rotterdam to empty gas fields about 20 km off the coast. There, the CO2 is permanently stored at 3 to 4 km under the North Sea bed. Porthos will store about 2.5 Mt per year for 15 years, to a total of about 37 Mt. With that, Porthos is sold out. The onshore transport system being constructed does provide space for future CO2 storage projects.
Hans Meeuwsen, director of Porthos: "CO2 storage is crucial if we want to achieve the climate goals in the Netherlands. This investment decision is an important starting point for future developments in CO2 storage in the Netherlands."
CO2 capture and storage (CCS) is a way to keep large amounts of CO2 out of the atmosphere in the short term. CCS is, therefore, an important pillar of the government's climate policy. Thanks to Porthos, the Rotterdam port industry will soon emit about 10% less CO2. At the same time, the industry is working on the transition to processes based on renewable energy and raw materials. Storage does mean that horticulture cannot get that CO2.
To realize the project, Porthos is working with TAQA Energy, the current operator of the P18 gas fields, and specialized contractors and suppliers such as Denys N.V., Allseas, LMR Drilling GmbH, Mannesmann Grossrohr GmbH, Corinth Pipeworks, Equans, Ensco Offshore, Van der Ven and Bonatti. Together, they are responsible for the construction of the relevant infrastructure.
The European Union has recognized Porthos as an important project to meet climate goals and has designated it as a Project of Common Interest and provided €102 million in funding for this purpose.
For more information:
Porthos 
Daalsesingel 1
3511 SV Utrecht
Tel.: +31 (0)6-2567 7776
[email protected]
www.porthosco2.nl