Eni and Snam, through their equal Joint Venture established for this initiative, are excited to announce the launch of CO2 injection activities in the reservoir for Phase 1 of the Ravenna CCS project. This project aims to support industrial decarbonization and marks Italy's first dedicated initiative for the capture, transport, and permanent storage of CO₂ for environmental purposes.

Source: Snam

Phase 1 will focus on capturing, transporting, and storing approximately 25,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually from Eni’s natural gas treatment plant located in Casalborsetti, within the municipality of Ravenna. After capture, the carbon dioxide will be transported via repurposed gas pipelines to the offshore Porto Corsini Mare Ovest platform, where it will be injected and stored at a depth of 3,000 meters in the depleted Porto Corsini Mare Ovest gas field.

The project has already achieved a significant reduction of over 90% in CO₂ emissions from the chimney of the Casalborsetti plant, with peaks reaching up to 96%. This accomplishment is particularly impressive given the challenging conditions of a carbon concentration below 3% and low atmospheric pressure. As a result, Ravenna CCS stands out as the world’s first industrial-scale project with such a high carbon capture efficiency.

A notable feature of the Ravenna CCS initiative is that it operates entirely on electricity sourced from renewable energy, thereby avoiding additional CO₂ emissions.

A project of great significance for decarbonisation has now become an industrial reality. The capture and storage of CO₂ is an effective, safe – and now available - means to reduce emissions from energy-intensive industries whose activities cannot be electrified. We are using our depleted fields, existing infrastructure, and technical expertise in reinjection techniques to offer a very competitive service, which is receiving tremendous interest. We are tackling the complexity of the energy transition with real substance and determination, increasing and enhancing the solutions available to us to decarbonise our activities as well as various areas of economic and industrial systems. From renewables to biofuels, from CCS to sustainable chemistry, we are engaged in providing our clients with a variety of solutions, with a constant focus on economic competitiveness and the level of real demand from companies who require energy to function.

Looking ahead, Phase 2 aims to develop the project to store up to 4 million tonnes of CO₂ annually by 2030, aligning with Italy’s Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC). The Joint Venture will commence the necessary procedures to obtain permits, collaborating closely with authorities, stakeholders, and the local community.

With the total storage capacity of the depleted gas fields in the Adriatic Sea and depending on market demand, the annual volumes of CO₂ captured and stored underground could reach up to 16 million tonnes.

Given its characteristics and storage potential, the Ravenna project is poised to become Italy's hub for decarbonizing energy-intensive and hard-to-abate industries. This initiative is vital for achieving climate objectives and carbon neutrality by 2050. Moreover, it is expected to bolster the competitiveness of Italy’s industrial sectors, particularly in the energy-intensive areas of the Emilia-Romagna region, while preserving current jobs and creating new specialized positions within the project's supply chain.

CCS is a well-established and safe technological process that utilizes proven technologies from traditional oil and gas operations. It is deemed essential for meeting the decarbonization and climate neutrality goals outlined in the 2015 Paris Agreement. For sectors that are difficult to decarbonize, such as cement production, steel manufacturing, refineries, chemical plants, and the paper, glass, and ceramics industries, CCS represents the most efficient and immediate decarbonization technology available. Leading international organizations, including the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC), the International Energy Agency (IEA), and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), recognize the fundamental role of CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage) in any credible mid- to long-term decarbonization strategy. Additionally, the European Union has set a target to develop storage capacity for at least 50 million tonnes of CO₂ annually by 2030.

The commitment to the Ravenna CCS project is an integral part of our strategic plan and is aligned with our intention to position ourselves as a multi-molecule operator in order to enable a fair and balanced energy transition, in which offering even the most energy-intensive players the opportunity to undertake decarbonisation paths that preserve their competitiveness. To do so, we leverage our long-standing expertise in the transport and storage of molecules, with a specific focus on the Po Valley region, where we already have deep roots thanks to strategic assets that have supported the country’s economic and social development for decades. Moreover, this joint venture with Eni follows the same trajectory as similar projects of European interest in which we participate through our associates in France, Greece and the United Kingdom, and from which we expect to be able to draw synergies that will promote the success of Ravenna CCS.

Eni and Snam are also engaged in research and development efforts aimed at exploring potential future uses for the captured CO₂. These initiatives will likely involve collaboration with the best local expertise in the Emilia-Romagna region, including research institutions and universities.

As the project operator, Eni, along with Snam, has effectively applied the technical skills and expertise gained from their traditional sectors to advance the Ravenna CCS project sustainably. Eni has utilized its extensive field knowledge and capability to deliver large-scale projects to repurpose exhausted gas fields and portions of existing infrastructure for permanent storage. Meanwhile, Snam is enhancing the onshore transport capabilities by adapting existing infrastructure for CO₂ transport, leveraging its experience and skills in storage activities.