West Lake Energy Corporation – a Calgary-based oil and gas company, announced it submitted a proposal to the Government of Alberta for a permit to evaluate a potential carbon capture and storage hub near Pincher Creek, Alberta.
According to the company, the hub is an immediate solution to the need for carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) services for Southern Alberta and the northwest United States.
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It is expected to be operational for 30 years and sequester over 2.7 million tons of CO2 per year. That is estimated to be about the same as a little over 580,000 cars off the road annually.
The carbon capture hub would be situated strategically around 50 kilometres from the US border. It would be within metres of existing highways, gas lines like the Nova Gas Transmission pipeline and rail lines which facilitates transport, access to markets, and security of the Canadian gas supply.
The project is expected to be built around three proposed industrial sites – an approved gas-fired power generation station, a proposed on-site, self-contained blue ammonia plant and other industrial emitters in the area.
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“This is a monumental project for southern Alberta and Canada… We’re extremely excited about the potential of the Pincher Creek Hub project… We can’t wait to see this new venture take off and the new industries that will be attracted to the area,” said Bruce McDonald, CEO of West Lake Energy Corp.
The project would fill a gap in the need for carbon capture and sequestration for power stations and ammonia plants in southern Alberta as there are no other facilities in the area that are currently able to provide such decarbonization service to existing and future emitters.
A decarbonization hub for industrial emitters is expected to be an important asset to the infrastructure and economy of southern Alberta as the transition to low-carbon energy becomes more essential for Canada. The project is also expected to generate hundreds of millions in annual revenue for the region, create employment opportunities and opportunities for local businesses and services.
