SPSE, a leader in long-distance transportation and storage of liquid hydrocarbons, and Elengy, France’s leading operator of LNG terminals, have announced the successful launch of their Rhône CO2 project.
The initiative aims to develop a network of CO2 transportation and liquefaction infrastructure connecting industrial sites in the Rhône Valley to a liquefaction and export terminal at Fos-sur-Mer.
Last June, SPSE and Elengy issued a call for expressions of interest (CEI) seeking partners to participate in the development of a carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) chain in one of France’s most industrialized regions.
The project aims to capture and transport CO2 from industrial emitters to a liquefaction facility for subsequent export or geological sequestration.
The CEI attracted significant interest from industry players, with 15 companies expressing their support for the project.
Six of these companies have committed to the initial phase of the Rhône CO2 project, including notable emitters like Fibre Excellence, Heidelberg Materials, Lafarge, Vicat, and Petroinéos, as well as H2V, a developer of synthetic fuel production projects.
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Based on these commitments, SPSE and Elengy anticipate the Rhône CO2 infrastructure to become operational as early as 2030, with a projected capacity of over 2.7 million tonnes per year by 2035. The project’s success underscores the growing need for industry to adopt carbon-neutral solutions.
Fabien Poure, Chief Executive Officer of SPSE, commented: ‘I’m delighted to see the success of the “Rhône CO2” CEI and the interest it has aroused among numerous partners. Their commitment bears witness to the importance of this ambitious project. I’m looking forward to working with all of them to set up this CCUS chain, which is essential for accelerating the decarbonisation of industry in the Rhône Valley and the Berre-Fos/Mer-Lavéra industrial port area.
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Nelly Nicoli, Chief Executive Officer of Elengy, stated: “After the success of the CEI that Elengy organised for GOCO2 in Saint Nazaire, this new result for Rhône CO2 confirms the need of industrial companies to have access to infrastructures that can transport CO2 to geological storage areas for emissions that they cannot reduce in any other way.”
“It also confirms that the model of developing infrastructures that are open to third-party access is both relevant and effective,” Nicoli said.
