Earlier this month, the federal government announced a $21.5 million investment in five Alberta-based energy projects aimed at lowering the cost of capturing and storing carbon emissions–and that Inter Pipeline, the owners of the Cochrane gas plant–own the largest share of the funds.
On July 4, the federal Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Tim Hodgson, was at the Inter Pipeline plant to announce that $10 million of the $21.5 million is going towards an Inter Pipeline project that involves the design and installation of a carbon dioxide compression and conditioning system, transportation pipeline, and sequestration well.
Officially called the Bow Valley Carbon Cochrane Limited Partnership, a collaboration between Inter Pipeline and Entropy Inc., the project involves the two companies working together to drill a four kilometre deep well that will store captured carbon emissions.
Inter Pipeline CEO Paul Hawksworth told the Cochrane Eagle that the company plans to break ground at the project site outside Cochrane this November, and expect the project to be up and running by either late 2026 or early 2027.
“This is something we’re very excited for here,” said Hawksworth. “This is a great initiative for our company, it really highlights our safety experience and dove tails with our community investment programs.”
Hawksworth said the project demonstrates a tangible step forward in the field of carbon capture and emissions reduction. Enbridge, Enhance Energy, OptiSeis Solutions, and OCCAM’s Technologies also received funding, but Inter Pipeline received the largest portion of funds because they were the ones with a “shovel-ready” project.
As part of the announcement, the Government of Canada released a statement saying it is investing in carbon capture and clean technologies and getting more low-risk, low-cost and low-carbon Canadian energy to market while “fighting climate change.”
“These investments are examples of how innovation can help Canada strengthen and modernize our energy industry, support good local jobs, reduce pollution and grow a cleaner economy,” the government wrote in a press release.
“We are taking action to make Canada a conventional and clean energy superpower– getting good products to market, cutting emissions, creating jobs and delivering the technologies that will power our economy for decades to come,” said Minister Hodgson in a statement. “[This] announcement highlights how Canada is showing the world that we are not just talking about clean energy–we are building it.”
Natural Resources Canada said that the projects support Canada’s ambitions of becoming an energy superpower and help to demonstrate how “energy innovation can enhance energy security and unlock the full potential of our workers, businesses and resources.”
Hawksworth used the investment announcement to highlight the company’s vested interest in Cochrane and the surrounding area. Inter Pipeline recently invested $600,000 in the new Horse Creek Sports Park, which is still under development. Hawksworth said that the gas plant has 75 full time employees and that 10 per cent of Inter Pipeline’s corporate workforce live in Cochrane.
“We want to be great stewards in the community,” Hawksworth said. “We believe this project is a great way to lower emissions…this should open up opportunities in the future for Bow Valley to be a carbon capture hub for the area.”
