ExxonMobil and Shell named lead developers for Singapore cross-border CCS project

The S-Hub consortium of ExxonMobil and Shell was selected to develop a cross-border carbon capture and storage project capturing at least 2.5 million tonnes of CO2 annually for Singapore by 2030. For Indian heavy industry, the project models how hard-to-abate sectors may rely on regional CCS hubs for decarbonisation.

The S-Hub consortium, comprising ExxonMobil Asia Pacific and Shell Singapore, was nominated to work with the Government of Singapore as lead developers for a cross-border carbon capture and storage project. S-Hub signed an MOU with the Singapore Economic Development Board in December 2023 to plan a CCS scheme capable of capturing and permanently storing at least 2.5 million tonnes of CO2 per year by 2030. The project will capture CO2 emissions from Singapore and store them deep underground or beneath the ocean floor at carefully selected sites, subject to conclusive agreements between the parties.

Singapore's hard-to-abate industrial sectors are directly affected, with CCS positioned as a key decarbonisation pathway for energy, chemicals, power, and waste, according to EDB Executive Vice President Lim Wey-Len. ExxonMobil and Shell, as consortium developers, will leverage their experience in complex cross-border projects and core carbon capture and storage capabilities. The project supports Singapore's net-zero climate goals as part of the government's broader portfolio of decarbonisation measures. Regional governments and industry associates are also engaged, reflecting the cross-border nature of the storage value chain.

Industrial emitters in hard-to-abate sectors should monitor the S-Hub project's progress toward its 2030 target of capturing at least 2.5 million tonnes of CO2 annually, as commitment to proceed remains subject to conclusive agreements. Companies in energy, chemicals, power, and waste should evaluate how regional CCS hubs could support their own emissions reduction. Stakeholders should track storage site selection, which follows rigorous analysis to confirm suitability, and watch the consortium's collaboration with regional governments, given CCS's expected role in large-scale emissions reduction from manufacturing units.

Key figure — Target CO2 capture and storage capacity: at least 2.5 million tonnes per year by 2030