Liverpool Bay CCS (LBCCS) has signed a lease agreement with the UK’s Crown Estate to use seabed areas for the development of a carbon dioxide (CO₂) transport and storage project supporting the HyNet industrial decarbonisation cluster.
The deal marks a first for the UK, as LBCCS intends to repurpose existing offshore gas infrastructure for the permanent storage of captured industrial CO₂ emissions.
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The LBCCS initiative, part of the Eni CCUS Holding group, will see the company reuse more than 75 miles of existing pipelines, three offshore platforms and an onshore treatment plant.
These will be supplemented by 21 miles of new pipeline to connect industrial sites in the region to the transport and storage network in Liverpool Bay.
The initial focus will be on transporting captured CO₂ from cement production, hydrogen generation and energy-from-waste sectors. The CO₂ is set to be stored in depleted gas fields under Liverpool Bay.
Phase 1 of the project aims to store up to 109 million tonnes of CO₂ over its operational lifetime, starting at 4.5 million tonnes per year, and potentially increasing to ten million tonnes after 2030.
LBCCS expects the scheme to support approximately 2,000 jobs during the construction phase and generate around £2bn ($2.6bn) in supply chain spending.
LBCCS MD Stefano Rovelli said: “This lease with The Crown Estate is another important step for the Liverpool Bay T&S infrastructure which will serve the wider HyNet cluster.
“Repurposing our existing infrastructure helps to speed up the process by which we can tackle CO₂ emissions from industry in the North West of England and North Wales, supporting economic growth in the region as part of the UK’s journey to Net Zero.”
The Crown Estate CCS & Hydrogen director Denise Moylan said: “This lease marks an important milestone for the Liverpool Bay CCS project and the development of carbon storage infrastructure in UK waters.
“While enabling the responsible use of the seabed and the repurposing of existing offshore infrastructure, the project can help hard-to-abate industries reduce emissions while supporting jobs, investment and industrial competitiveness in North-West England and North Wales.”
HyNet North West, which the government selected as a Track-1 carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) cluster in October 2021, is a key beneficiary of the network.
LBCCS was awarded an Agreement for Lease in August 2024 by The Crown Estate, followed by financial close in April 2025.
The project plans to begin injecting CO₂ in 2028, in line with the delivery schedule of industrial partners in the HyNet cluster.
