[IMPACT Interview] De-Risking CCS for Commercial Reality: Harbour Energy’s Roadmap

Introduction:

During an interview at the Carbon Capture Global Summit, Julia Dubinina, Vice President of Commercial and Market at Harbour Energy, shared an in-depth look at how the company is shaping the next phase of commercial carbon capture and storage (CCS). She discussed the transition from early pilot initiatives to scalable infrastructure, highlighted progress and challenges related to the Viking CCS project, and described the commercial and policy mechanisms needed to unlock final investment decisions (FID) across the UK and Europe.

Key Takeaways:

1. Early First-Mover CCS Projects Will Set the Pace for European Industry Growth

The transition from pilot initiatives to large-scale commercial CCS depends heavily on the success of the first wave of projects, which must demonstrate practicality, reliability, and bankability. Harbour Energy is intentionally focusing on a small number of modular projects, proving they can be delivered effectively before scaling to more assets. This approach reduces risk and enables incremental expansion of customers, infrastructure, and capacity.

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2. Viking CCS Is Technically Ready, but Commercial Frameworks and Government Decisions Are Now the Critical Path

The Viking CCS project—targeting storage capacity of up to 50 million tonnes per year by 2035—has completed FEED and secured major permitting approvals, including the DCO. However, final investment readiness relies on UK government actions, including emitter sequencing, business model confirmation, and funding mechanisms. Original expectations for a 2025–26 FID are now dependent on political timelines, with progress expected within the current parliamentary term.

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3. Stability and Continuity in UK CCS Policy Are More Important Than New Reforms

For the UK to accelerate CCS deployment, Dubinina emphasized that policy consistency is crucial, noting that Track-1 commercial models have already been tested and validated. Changing the system now risks delays and reduced investor confidence. Harbour Energy advocates applying the existing Track-1 framework to Track-2 projects—including Viking and Acorn—to maintain momentum and reduce uncertainty for customers and developers.

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4. Cross-Border Shipping and CO₂ Hub Models Must Be Flexible and Built Around Shared Risk Management

The future of CCS in Europe will involve international cross-border transport networks, including shipping, aggregation hubs, and terminal services. Dubinina noted that there is no single commercial model yet established, and approaches will vary between projects, partners, and customer strategies. Harbour Energy plans to rely on collaboration rather than owning shipping infrastructure directly, prioritizing expertise and risk-sharing across the full value chain to ensure operational reliability for emitters.​

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5. Long-Term Strategic Partnerships with Industrial Emitters Will Anchor Demand and Ensure Project Bankability

Reliable project development requires identifying priority anchor emitters, developing trust-based exclusive relationships, and progressing joint work well ahead of FID. Long lead times, co-funded feasibility studies, and clear commercial alignment are essential to reach binding agreements. Government incentive schemes play a crucial role in motivating the pace of negotiations.

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6. Success by 2030 Will Be Defined by Delivering High-Quality, Operational Projects, Not by Portfolio Size

Harbour Energy’s vision for success centers on quality, disciplined delivery, and operational proof, not on the number of licenses or scale of theoretical capacity. By the early 2030s, the company aims to have several fully operational CCS projects, validated business models, and established commercial partnerships, creating a strong foundation for future expansion.