“Committed to responsible development, West Lake intend to become a leader in the energy transition through the creation of innovative clean energy ventures, contributing to the sustainability of Western Canadian energy.”

CO2 Sequestration

Alberta is among the global leaders in carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) and West Lake has joined this transition to a low-carbon future, which is not only inevitable but essential to the Alberta energy industry. Growing concerns regarding carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions identified a need for abundant and cost-effective CO2 storage to service industrial and petroleum industry needs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eowvf2yaYNQ
We took the first step in creating a major clean energy project in May 2022 with an application to the Government of Alberta for a permit to evaluate a potential carbon capture sequestration hub (the Hub). Located between Waterton National Park and Pincher Creek in Southern Alberta, the project aims to provide low-cost, high-volume storage to the industry for Southern Alberta and the northwest United States, and spur economic development in the area.

Awarded with the right to pursue the next stage of development by the Government in October 2022, we are currently working with Alberta Energy to provide additional information and demonstrate how the Hub can be safely and responsibly developed to meet Alberta’s rigorous safety and environmental standards. Once the evaluation is complete, West Lake can apply for a sequestration agreement, which will grant the right to inject CO2.

West Lake’s Pincher Creek / Waterton CCUS Hub is expected to have the capacity to sequester over 2.7 million tonnes of CO2 per year over its expected 30-year lifespan, providing an immediate and permanent solution to the need for CCUS from industrial emissions. This reduction is estimated to be about the same as a little over 580,000 cars off the road per year.[1]

West Lake identified an immediate solution for CO2 capture using the massive existing isolated Rundle A formation saline aquifer for storage. A one-of-a-kind asset, the Rundle reservoir has with potential to sequester >30 million tonnes of CO2 in the reservoir over decades. In addition to removing CO2 from the atmosphere, the Hub will minimize the environmental impact in several ways:  the closed-loop aquifer poses no threat to the surrounding watershed; reusing existing infrastructure including pipelines and facilities limits footprint; and completing regulatory assessments will mitigate effect on environment and local communities.

We believe collaboration will be integral to create a low-carbon world. We actively engage stakeholders to ensure that our actions and initiatives yield positive benefits and are working with several partners on this project. The Hub has the support of several organizations, including the local municipalities, industry participants, clean energy developers, investment banks and First Nations groups.

Future Clean Energy Centre

As part of this process, we will be providing additional information regarding the creation of a transformational self-contained clean energy centre in Southern Alberta connected to the CO2 sequestration. As part of the Company’s vision, the Hub is to have multiple phases and be built around three key sources of carbon: a proposed onsite, self-contained blue ammonia plant that will be used to produce fertilizer for the agricultural industry; an approved gas-fired power generation station; and other industrial emitters in the area.

The socio-economic benefits of the Hub is unparalleled:  there are no other facilities in southern Alberta with the land position, facilities and agreements to support the CCUS project and future growth options.

Expected to generate hundreds of millions in annual revenue for southern Alberta, the Hub is expected to create a valuable economic benefit for the province and the surrounding communities, spurring significant economic development for future generations over its 25+ year life. This includes over $240 million invested in local services and employment opportunities, hundreds of jobs at each stage of the process, commitments for training, support for local businesses and services, generation of additional tax revenue, and over $2.0 billion in capital and operating expenses over its lifespan.

We believe that the Hub will be an important asset to the infrastructure and economy of southern Alberta as the transition to low-carbon energy becomes more essential. Unique to the area, this project represents a clean energy solution towards Canada’s goal of net zero emissions.

About Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS)

Located in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, Alberta has the ideal geology for storing carbon dioxide safely and permanently deep below the earth’s surface.

CCUS plays an important and diverse role in meeting global energy and climate goals. CCUS is a multi-stage process that involves the capture of CO2 emissions from large sources, including power generation or industrial facilities. The captured CO2 is then compressed and either transported by pipeline, ship, rail or truck to be used in a range of applications, or injected underground into deep geological formations, which trap the CO2 for permanent storage.

Want to know more about CCUS and why Alberta is developing storage hubs? Check out the Alberta Government’s CCUS fact sheet.

[1] https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator