Reflecting a rise in confidence in Thailand’s offshore drilling and interventions expertise, as well as its keenness to embrace new technologies, PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP) has confirmed that it plans to go ahead with the nation’s first Carbon Capture and Storage Project (CCS) project.
It has reached a final investment decision (FID) on a US$320mn CCS project at the Arthit gas field, paving the way for the technology to play a role in advancing the country’s net zero goal.
The Arthit oil and gas field is an established producing field located in the Gulf of Thailand.
The CCS project will be designed to capture and store up to one million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, said Montri Rawanchaikul, PTTEP’s CEO, and turns a “vision” into reality.
“PTTEP strives not only to safeguard the country’s energy security but also to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,” said Rawanchaikul.
“CCS is an essential technology, both nationally and globally, complementing other clean energy solutions in addressing climate change.”
It marks a strategic step toward applying the technology to reduce GHG emissions, in line with government policy, which recognises the project under the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) Action Plan on Mitigation 2021–2030.
“The Arthit CCS Project will serve as a pilot for cultivating expertise and driving CCS adoption in Thailand, including the Eastern CCS Hub in the Northern Gulf of Thailand, which has potential to make material contribution to the country’s net zero target and enhance the nation’s long-term economic competitiveness” added Rawanchaikul.
CCS is regarded as a reverse process of petroleum exploration and production.As natural gas is extracted from underground to provide energy for national development and everyday life, the excess carbon dioxide is captured and safely injected back into its original subsurface reservoirs.
A huge amount of preliminary work has already gone into the Arthit CCS project, from storage site selection with reservoirs at depths of 1,000–2,000 metres, to engineering design, and comprehensive Measurement, Monitoring and Verification (MMV) programmes.
PTTEP intends to leverage existing infrastructure at the field while constructing and installing additional facilities as required.
It hopes that carbon storage operations will commence in 2028, with capacity gradually ramping up to around 1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
