Carbon Capture Lawyers, CCS Global Law Firm

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has the potential to be employed throughout the energy system and has a critical role to play in decarbonising industrial processes which cannot reduce emissions by other means.

As well as capturing CO2 from fuel combustion and industrial processes, carbon removal technologies can also extract CO2 directly from the atmosphere via a process known as direct air capture (DAC). The International Energy Agency has stated that both CCS and DAC have a key role to play if we are to limit global warming to two degrees Celsius.

We are currently advising on a number of pathfinder CCS and DAC projects across the globe and are applying our market leading oil and gas, power and regulatory expertise to work together with clients to bring these important precedent transactions to market.

Recent client highlights

Northern Lights CCS, North Sea: advising on the Northern Lights CCS project in northern Europe.
CCS hub, Saudi Arabia: advised a financial investor on early-stage discussions to establish a carbon capture and storage hub in Jubail on the east coast of Saudi Arabia.
Climeworks, Iceland: advised Climeworks on the financing and development of the Orca carbon dioxide Direct Air Capture project in Iceland. We also advised Partners Group on its investment in Climeworks, as co-lead in a CHF 600 million fundraising round with GIC.

Whitetail CCS, UK: advised 8 Rivers and Sembcorp on the financing, development, construction and operation of a CCGT power plant with carbon capture and storage in Teesside, UK.
CCS incentives, USA: advised the DOE on tax credits and other incentives associated with carbon capture and storage, in connection with planned DOE loan guarantees to such projects.
CCS project, UAE: advised Masdar on the development of a scale carbon capture, usage and storage plant in the UAE.

White Rose CCS, UK: advised the lenders on Drax’s aborted CCUS project.
Regulatory framework, UK: advised Shell on the developing regulatory framework for CCS in the UK including conducting analysis of the risks from CCS and the relationship between decommissioning and liability risks and advising on the emerging EU and UK policy regulation.

Our insights

Going beyond carbon reductions: The proposed EU carbon removals certification regulation

On 30 November 2022, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a Regulation to create a first EU-wide voluntary framework that would certify high-quality carbon removals. The draft Regulation is part of the EU's drive to be the world's first climate-neutral continent by 2050. The proposal requires third-party verification and certification of the compliance of carbon removals with the QU.A.L.ITY criteria and the related certification methodologies that will be set out in delegated acts. This regime does not apply to the storage of carbon emissions which are already covered by the mandatory EU ETS.

Find out more about Going beyond carbon reductions: The proposed EU carbon removals certification regulation

Energy Transition Trends 2023

Energy security and affordability have become a major issue for many countries. Rising inflation, increasingly frequent and significant climate events, and an uncertain geopolitical and economic outlook provide a challenging backdrop for governments committed to net zero targets and keen to accelerate the development of low-carbon energy. We highlight some trends which focus on some of the innovations and legal developments that we are seeing in a number of sectors to meet these challenges.

Find out more about Energy Transition Trends 2023

Energy Transition TV: What's on the horizon for Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage?

Richard Tomlinson outlines carbon capture's place in the move toward clean energy.

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