Shell carbon capture and storage offshore bid signed

Image caption, A carbon capture storage pilot project is running at Longannet

An agreement has been signed in a bid to redevelop a North Sea gas field as a potential CO2 storage facility for a major government project.

CO2DeepStore will work with Shell UK with the aim of finding a solution for the Scottish Power Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project.

The focus is the Goldeneye gas field in the North Sea.

The bid is one of two contenders in the UK government's competition for a commercial-scale CCS scheme.

The Scottish Power Consortium is currently operating a carbon capture prototype at its power station at Longannet in Fife.

Longannet is competing with E.ON's plant at Kingsnorth in Kent.

The aim is to develop new technology to tackle climate change.

Experts are trying to find ways of reducing carbon emissions from power stations.

CCS technology would remove carbon dioxide produced by coal-fired stations.

'Exciting project'

This would then be turned into liquid using chemicals and stored underground.

CO2DeepStore is part of the Petrofac group.

Petrofac's group director of strategy, Rob Pinchbeck, said: "This important agreement highlights Petrofac's commitment to the Carbon Capture and Storage sector and comes just six months after our acquisition of the CO2 storage specialist, CO2Deepstore.

"This is an exciting project and Petrofac is delighted to be involved in the early stages of this emerging new sector."