Faced with a serious delay in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the Legault government wishes to study “innovative solutions”, such as the capture and storage of CO2 in the basement of Quebec. The end of oil and gas exploration projects could also give it the opportunity to test this experimental technology in wells that have already been drilled. However, these projects raise concerns.
According to the provisions of Bill 21, which must put an end to oil and gas development on Quebec territory, the government reserves the right to authorize “pilot projects” in old wells.
These projects must make it possible to “acquire geoscientific knowledge” on the potential for “sequestration” of CO2, green hydrogen storage, “deep geothermal energy” and “any other activity that promotes the energy transition” or the achievement of Quebec’s climate objectives. It is up to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources to determine “the standards and obligations” of these potential projects.
Use old wells
The idea of experimenting with CO storage2 in the basement of Quebec is nothing theoretical, according to what confirms the Ministry of the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change (MELCC). “The government is committed to supporting efforts to capture and store carbon, whether in natural carbon reservoirs, such as the forest environment, or by supporting the emergence of capture and sequestration technologies. “, underlines the ministry, in writing.
“Quebec can rely on infrastructures already in place, such as wells already drilled, in particular to improve its geological knowledge of the rock-reservoirs present in the Quebec subsoil,” specifies the MELCC. Even though carbon capture and storage “technologies” are “mostly at the development stage,” they could qualify to receive funding from the Green Economy 2030 Plan.
The Department of Energy and Natural Resources wants to assess the possibility of storing CO2 in deep geological formations. “We are interested in the potential of any technology that can serve decarbonization efforts and the achievement of Quebec’s carbon neutrality objectives,” responds the ministry, citing the need to look into “innovative solutions.”
However, Quebec is closing the door to any project to revive gas exploitation. The Alberta company Questerre Energy nevertheless recently announced a project on the territory of one of its exploration permits, in Bécancour. This project would go hand in hand with a “pilot project” for the exploitation of shale gas.
A costly “escape”
Carbon capture and storage consists of capturing CO emissions2 industrial processes or oil and gas exploitation, before compressing them and transporting them by pipe to bury them in deep geological formations, in order to theoretically store them forever.
In a context of climate emergency, some experts believe that this technology is essential to limit greenhouse gas emissions. The federal government has also earmarked $319 million for research in this area, which is of particular interest to the oil sands industry.
Climate policy analyst at Équiterre, Émile Boisseau-Bouvier, however, refutes the idea that the sequestration of CO2 is a desirable avenue for Quebec. “Capture and storage technology is embryonic at best, inefficient and expensive otherwise. In the short term, Quebec must rely on proven and truly effective solutions to reduce its GHGs, not a new loophole exploited by the fossil fuel industry. »
“Renewable energies, electricity storage, energy efficiency and sobriety have proven themselves for a long time. Long before the industry lobby started selling us carbon storage as the greatest invention since sliced bread,” he adds.
One solution among others
In its brief presented on Wednesday as part of the consultations on Bill 21, to the National Assembly, the National Institute for Scientific Research (INRS) considers for its part that underground carbon storage “must be considered and developed in addition to efforts to integrate renewable energies and electrify transportation if Quebec wants to reach its targets”.
The INRS researchers stress, however, that the projects should be framed “by strict criteria of acceptability”. The Quebec Federation of Municipalities also demands that municipalities be “involved” before any decision is made, contrary to what has been done for drilling in the shale gas industry.
Same story on the side of Greenpeace spokesman Patrick Bonin. “Pilot projects should be subject to environmental assessments before any authorization, benefit from the social acceptability of the communities and demonstrate their harmlessness by applying the precautionary principle. It is also the polluters who should bear the costs of these projects, so as to respect the polluter-pays principle. »