Putting Houston’s carbon capture and storage potential into perspective

September 10, 2021

A carbon capture and storage (CCS) hub in Houston could dramatically accelerate the deployment of CCS technology in the United States. Originally proposed by ExxonMobil, this hub is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to reduce emissions from the hardest-to-decarbonize sectors like heavy industry and power generation.

Carbon capture potential: how CCS technology could reduce industrial emissions in Houston

The concept aims to capture emissions from industrial facilities in the Houston area and safely store them deep below the Gulf of Mexico seabed in natural geological formations. The hub could remove up to 100 million metric tons of CO₂ a year by 2040, helping to put the city on the path to meeting its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050.

Considered by experts to be one of the few proven technologies able to significantly reduce emissions from certain hard-to-decarbonize industries, CCS could be a game changer when it comes to meeting the Paris Agreement’s climate goals.

To put the hub’s potential into perspective, here’s a glance at what 100 million metric tons of CO₂looks like: