Air Liquide and Dunkerque LNG have welcomed the European Commission’s decision to endorse the D’Artagnan project. This initiative, under the “Cap Décarbonation” framework, aims to slash CO₂ emissions by 1.5 million tonnes annually in Dunkirk’s industrial basin and neighboring areas. The D’Artagnan project encompasses a CO₂ transportation and export infrastructure, featuring an Air Liquide pipeline for transporting captured CO₂ and a terminal at Dunkirk port for liquefaction and loading onto ships. It’s the first CO₂ infrastructure project in France to receive EU backing, potentially securing over 160 million euros through the CEF-E funding program upon implementation.
D’Artagnan is pivotal within the “Cap Décarbonation” value chain, which includes:
- CO₂ capture at Eqiom (a cement plant in Lumbres) and Lhoist (lime production in Réty) using Air Liquide’s CryocapTM technology, supported by the Innovation Fund.
- CO₂ transport via pipelines and export terminal, constituting the D’Artagnan project.
As part of D’Artagnan, captured CO₂ would be transported via Air Liquide-operated pipelines to a new terminal in Dunkirk’s West Port near the LNG terminal. This joint venture between Air Liquide and Dunkerque LNG combines expertise in CO₂ management and terminal operations. The terminal aims to handle 1.5 million tonnes annually initially, with potential capacity to manage up to 4 million tonnes, equivalent to over 5% of France’s industrial greenhouse gas emissions. This infrastructure is poised to facilitate further CO₂ capture and storage projects in the Dunkirk area.
With an estimated investment exceeding 400 million euros, D’Artagnan underscores a significant stride in deploying CO₂ capture and sequestration technologies crucial for slashing industrial emissions in France and across Europe. Emilie Mouren-Renouard from Air Liquide and Olivier Heurtin from Dunkerque LNG expressed their enthusiasm for the project’s pivotal role in regional decarbonization efforts and its strategic importance for Dunkirk’s economic vitality and environmental sustainability.
