The Tomakomai CCS project involves capturing CO2 from industrial facilities and storing it in an offshore reservoir. Japan Petroleum Exploration (Japex) is responsible for the offshore injection and storage component, with CO2 to be sourced from Idemitsu Kosan's Hokkaido refinery and Hokkaido Electric Power's Tomato Atsuma power station.

Current Project Status and Key Requirements

Japex is currently drilling two exploration wells to test the suitability of the offshore reservoir for storage. A final investment decision for the project is contingent on meeting several key requirements. First, the drilling program must confirm the existence of a reservoir capable of storing approximately 2 to 2.5 million tonnes of CO2 annually for about 20 years. Second, a viable CO2 value chain must be established based on the storage fee proposed by Japex. Finally, the decision will be made in alignment with the investment decisions of the CO2 emitters once all conditions, including financing, are structured.

Project Planning and Additional Initiatives

In preparation, Japex has completed basic engineering design for the necessary pipelines and equipment for CO2 transport and storage. The company has previously assessed that deep saline formations in the Tomakomai sea area could support a storage volume of up to 2 million tonnes per annum by 2030. Beyond the Tomakomai project, Japex is also advancing a separate CCS project in the Higashi-Niigata area of Japan.