CO2 reduction technologies. Opportunities within the EU refining system (2030/2050). Qualitative & Quantitative assessment for the production of conventional fossil fuels (Scope 1 & 2)

Report no. 8/19: This report describes the work being conducted by Concawe with the objective to explore a range of Low Carbon Pathways with the potential to reduce the CO₂ emissions associated with the production of refined oil products. This document demonstrates that the effective deployment of different technologies has the potential to achieve a significant reduction of the CO₂ emissions associated with oil refining by 2050. The gradual decarbonisation of the EU electricity grid will offer new ways to integrate low-carbon electricity into the production system, while CO2 Capture technology will enable refineries to make CO₂ available for either storage (CCS) or use (CCU) thereby integrating the EU refining system into a circular economy.

External factors such as future energy prices together with more effective R&D programs will play a role in boosting the deployment of the key technologies identified. It is important to note that this work is not intended to be a roadmap for the whole EU refining industry. Factors such as the CO₂ efficiency of existing facilities coupled with local and structural constraints will determine individual refineries’ preferred route to contribute to mitigation of climate change. Whilst this report details opportunities to improve the CO₂ efficiency of the EU Refining system, other Concawe studies examine the potential for integrating different, non-petroleum derived feedstocks and their implications in a future picture of the Refinery 2050.