Petronas assigns work on Malaysian carbon capture and storage project to RINA

Petronas CCS Solutions, a subsidiary of Malaysia’s state-owned energy player Petronas, has put RINA, a provider of inspection, certification, and engineering consultancy services, in charge of a preliminary front-end engineering design (pre-FEED) study for a carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in Malaysia.

According to RINA, the pre-FEED study, expected to be completed by the end of 2024, covers the Northern hub in Kerteh and the Southern hub in Kuantan, enabling the firm to handle three distinct scopes, encompassing the Northern hub’s onshore terminal, jetty, and pipeline; the Southern hub’s onshore terminal; and the offshore pipeline and platform.

The company believes these facilities will play “a crucial role” in capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from industrial sources and securely storing them in offshore geological formations. With this in mind, the pre-FEED study is expected to provide an optimized engineering plan for the collection, transport, and storage of CO2.

To make this happen, the scope of work entails developing detailed plans for the infrastructure needed to manage CO2, from its capture at industrial sites to its transportation via pipelines and subsequent storage in depleted offshore reservoirs. RINA claims that this project extends its capabilities in carbon management, spotlighting its role as “a key player” in the energy transition.

Commenting on the pre-FEED contract, Enrico Beccaceci, ASEAN Engineering Integration Senior Manager at RINA, highlighted: “This contract reinforces RINA’s strategic partnership with PETRONAS and marks a significant step in our expansion within Southeast Asia.

“The CCS project is not only critical for reducing CO2 emissions but also represents an important contribution to the global carbon reduction effort. Our technical expertise, demonstrated through several rounds of technical clarification, was a key factor in securing this project.”

RINA underlines that the CCS development project is “a key step” in supporting Malaysia’s efforts towards achieving net-zero emissions, given the country’s long-term decarbonization strategy, as part of its commitment to reducing CO2 emissions through its net-zero plans.

“Petronas’ Carbon Management Division has been central to these efforts, developing CCS capabilities to capture and store carbon emissions. This initiative aligns with the nation’s broader sustainability goals and plays a pivotal role in regional CO2 management,” emphasized RINA.

This CCS project, which is expected to capture millions of tons of CO2 annually, is anticipated to help reduce the environmental impact of key industrial sectors, with the captured CO2 permanently stored in offshore geological formations, such as depleted oil fields, leveraging Malaysia’s natural subsurface structure.

In line with its goal to drive growth through sustainable energy initiatives and its target to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, Petronas is part of a joint industry partnership (JIP) to step up carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) projects with the establishment of industry guidelines for CO2 specifications.

Furthermore, Petronas took the final investment decision (FID) for the development of the Kasawari CCS project, said to be Malaysia’s first offshore CCS project, at the end of 2022, followed by the award of the EPCIC contract to Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering (MMHE).

Baker Hughes was tasked with supplying CO2 compression equipment for the project, while Worley got detailed engineering design services. Petra Resources was hired for the hook-up and commissioning works and the Tokyo-headquartered Kawasaki Heavy Industries to deliver a gas compressor for the project.

McDermott was picked to take care of transportation and the structural installation of a 138-kilometer pipeline section, a 15,000-metric-ton CCS platform jacket, and a bridge connecting to the existing central processing platform for the Kasawari project.