Eni, Snam start Italy’s first CCS project

Eni and Snam announced on September 3 the commencement of CO₂ injection activities for Phase 1 of the Ravenna carbon capture and storage (CCS) project. This initiative, aimed at supporting industrial decarbonisation, marks Italy's first project dedicated exclusively to the capture, transport, and permanent storage of CO₂ for environmental purposes.

Phase 1 of the Ravenna CCS project will capture, transport, and store CO₂ emissions from Eni’s natural gas treatment plant in Casalborsetti, located in the Ravenna municipality. The project is expected to handle approximately 25,000 tonnes/year of CO₂. Once captured, the CO₂ is transported via reconverted gas pipelines to the offshore Porto Corsini Mare Ovest platform, where it is injected and stored at a depth of 3,000 metres in the depleted Porto Corsini Mare Ovest gas field.

Eni reported that the project is already achieving a reduction of over 90% in CO₂ emissions from the Casalborsetti plant’s chimney, with peaks reaching 96%. Another unique aspect of the Ravenna CCS project is that the facility is entirely powered by electricity generated from renewable sources, thereby avoiding additional CO₂ emissions.

Looking ahead, the project’s Phase 2 will involve industrial-scale development, aiming to store up to 4mn tonnes of CO₂ per year by 2030, aligning with Italy’s Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC). The total storage capacity of depleted gas fields in the Adriatic Sea could potentially allow for the capture and storage of up to 16mn tonnes/year of CO₂, depending on market demand.

Eni and Snam are also exploring potential future uses for the captured CO₂ through research and development initiatives, which will likely involve collaboration with research centres and universities in the Emilia Romagna region.