OSLO, September 11, 2024—As the world accelerates toward a net-zero future, SLB and Aker Carbon Capture Joint Venture (SLB-ACC JV) is leading the change in industrial decarbonization with a cutting-edge portfolio of carbon capture technologies. Through a collaborative approach and a modular product platform, SLB-ACC JV is delivering impactful solutions at scale, further cementing its role as a key player in the global energy transition.

A commercial ready technology for impact at scale
The recent formation of a joint venture (JV) between SLB and Aker Carbon Capture (ACC) represents a significant milestone in this journey. This new company will combine ACC's amine-based Advanced Carbon Capture™ technologies—such as Just Catch™, Big Catch™, and Just Catch Offshore™—with SLB's innovative technology solutions, including non-aqueous solvent and emerging sorbent-based offerings. Together, these technologies are designed to capture and manage CO₂ emissions from mid- and large-scale industrial facilities, both onshore and offshore. Currently, the JV is working on seven technology installations with a combined design capacity to capture up to 1 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year.

"As we advance in deploying carbon capture technologies, we are proving that our solutions can create a step-change in the economic viability of carbon capture projects,” said Frederik Majkut, SLB’s SVP of Industrial Decarbonization. “By providing the technology to shape a more sustainable industrial landscape, we ensure that as the world moves toward a carbon-neutral future, we remain at the forefront of that transformation. We are advancing carbon capture as a path to net zero, accelerating industrial decarbonization.”

Pioneering Carbon Capture in Silicon Production
A recent test campaign conducted at WACKER's silicon production site in Holla, Norway, exemplifies the practical application of the JV's technology. This study, enabled by the JV's expertise and cutting-edge solutions, successfully captured carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions generated from the production of metallurgical-grade silicon—an essential raw material for microchips, solar modules, and silicones.

During the test campaign, a mobile test unit was installed adjacent to WACKER's production facilities, effectively replicating the CO₂ capture process on a smaller scale. The waste gases from silicon production were piped into the pilot unit, where carbon dioxide was captured using a process known as amine scrubbing. In industrial scale operation the captured CO₂ would then be released from the solvent by desorption before being cooled, condensed, and purified, ready for potential reuse in various industrial processes or CO₂ storage in geological storage sites.

Toward Closed Carbon Cycles
The pilot study concluded successfully in late July and achieved capture rates of over 95%. The project team thoroughly analyzed and validated the process parameters, providing important information for large-scale implementation.

In parallel, WACKER and SLB-ACC JV conducted an engineering feasibility study to design a plant that would capture 180,000 metric tons of CO₂ annually. This effort represents a significant step toward establishing closed carbon cycles, where captured CO₂ can be repurposed for synthetic fuels or other chemical processes (CCU), or stored underground via carbon capture and sequestration (CCS).

"Our technology portfolio is a leader in cost-effective carbon capture, providing reliable solutions that achieve carbon a and removal targets across various industrial sectors.” says Egil Fagerland, CEO SLB-ACC JV. “With a modular design that ensures adaptability and scale and a strong foundation in project execution, we consistently deliver from concept to execution."

Read the WACKER press release.