Alberta carbon capture project gets funds

More than $850 million is being poured by the Canada and Alberta governments into a large carbon capture project for the Shell Canada Scotford oil sands upgrader near Edmonton. However, a spokesperson from Shell says the Quest project is “a long way” from the stage when they would hire consulting engineers. Currently, the company’s in-house engineers are testing well sites and doing public consultations in the area. 

The technology will collect carbon dioxide from the processing of oil sands and pump it into underground wells rather than releasing into the atmosphere. A joint venture of Shell, Chevron and Marathon Oil Sands, the Quest project is predicted to reduce the Scotford’s carbon emissions by about 40%.

In announcing the funding, Lisa Raitt, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources said carbon capture and storage is “the most viable emission-reducing technology for fossil fuels.”