Sarawak’s Audacious Gambit: Pioneering Carbon Capture

Sarawak made an audacious gambit by constructing Malaysia’s first offshore Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) Project. Set to launch in 2025 at the Petronas Kasawari field, 200 km off the Bintulu shore. This groundbreaking initiative promises to slash Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions by a staggering 3.3 million tonnes annually. This ambitious undertaking sets Sarawak at the forefront of environmental innovation and ranks among the world’s largest offshore CCS projects.

Why are we capturing carbon dioxide? The answer lies in the air we breathe and the oceans that sustain us.

Since the Industrial Revolution, humans have pumped excessive amounts of CO2 into our atmosphere. NASA reports a shocking 50% increase in atmospheric CO2 levels since the 18th century. Today, we’re breathing air with approximately 420 parts per million (ppm) of CO2 – a level unseen in human history. As a comparison, the CO2 content was 300 ppm in 1911.

This surge in CO2 doesn’t only heat our planet; it’s transforming our oceans into acidic soups. As CO2 dissolves in seawater, it forms carbonic acid, triggering a phenomenon known as ocean acidification. The consequences are dire:

Marine creatures struggle to maintain their protective shells

Fish larvae lose their ability to detect predators

The entire marine food chain faces disruption

These changes will affect our food supply, threatening the global food security.

The top photo shows a healthy ocean snail with a smooth glass-like shell. The bottom photo shows an unhealthy shell. Source: NOAA

Enter Sarawak’s CCS project – a technological marvel designed to tackle this global crisis head-on. But what exactly is CCS, and how does it work?

CCS technology captures CO2 emissions at their source. It prevents them from entering the atmosphere. The captured CO2 is then compressed into a liquid form. Then, they will be transported via pipelines or ships to underground storage sites.

Sarawak’s project will store captured CO2 in the M1 petroleum field, which holds 71 to 76 million tonnes. Based on the current performance, this field could serve as a carbon vault for up to 23 years.

The story doesn’t end with storage. The ‘U’ in CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage) opens up a world of possibilities for the captured CO2:

Construction Innovation: The construction industry can use CO2 to hasten cement curing and lock carbon into concrete.

Chemical Production: CO2 can be transformed into fertilizers and methanol through chemical catalysis.

Sustainable Fuels: Captured CO2 can create cleaner fuels for transportation

Center for International Environment Law (CIEL) produced a report in July 2024 outlining the risks of offshore CCS projects to the environment. Some of the points in the key summary in the report are tabulated as follows:

While CCS technology offers immense potential, it’s not without its critics. The Center for International Environment Law (CIEL) has raised several concerns:

The untested nature of combining CO2 from various sources

The risk of CCS as an excuse to justify further fossil fuel expansion

Environmental risks associated with CO2 injection into seabeds

The high costs and potential for project failures

These challenges highlight the need for strict oversight, ongoing tech improvements, and a real commitment to cutting emissions along with CCS.

Sarawak’s CCS project represents more than an environmental initiative; it’s a bold statement of intent. By adopting this advanced technology, Sarawak is setting itself up as a leader in green energy in Southeast Asia.

The success of this project could spark a green revolution, creating new jobs in sustainable industries and encouraging Malaysian students to pursue STEM careers.

Sarawak’s CCS project represents a hopeful step toward a sustainable future, where innovation and nature work together to fight climate change and protect our planet for future generations.