Big Oil Firms Talk Up Carbon Capture, But Do Little

Major international oil companies say carbon capture and storage is a way to curb carbon dioxide emissions while continuing to burn fossil fuels, but their critics say few are actually investing.

“Without CCS (carbon capture and storage), fossil fuel use would have to be cut by more than half,” said Malcolm Brinded, executive director of exploration and production at Royal Dutch Shell. Commercialising the technology to capture and store carbon dioxide was a major priority, said Brinded, who was speaking at the OffshoreEurope industry conference this week.
But he said while carbon capture was not impossible, it would not be easy or cheap.

Environmental campaigners say the oil companies need to act on carbon storage, but have done little so far.

“New investments coming forward in this is pathetic,” said Jonathon Porritt, who heads green lobby group Forum for the Future.

“The industry had better get serious about CCS…it’s critical for big oil companies to take a lead,” he said at the conference.

Planet Ark