A NEW partnership driving forward the world's first offshore carbon capture system to meet zero emissions on Teesside and down the East Coast has been formed with a consortium of some of the world's biggest oil companies.

The Northern Endurance Partnership scheme aims to develop offshore carbon dioxide transport and storage facilities under the North Sea. It's part of Net Zero Teesside's ground breaking Carbon, Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) project forecast to bring benefits of £450m to the region and with 5,500 jobs in the construction phase alone.

Net Zero Teesside says it aims to develop Britain's first decarbonised industrial cluster at Teesworks, the UK’s largest industrial zone. The project is being delivered by a consortium led by BP and is due to be operational by 2030.

Net Zero Teesside is working with Zero Carbon Humber to speed up the development.The process removes carbon dioxide from heavy industry and powerplants and transports it by pipeline to storage sites located several miles under the North Sea. The scheme is expected to capture up to ten million tonnes of CO2 emissions a year, equivalent to emissions from three million UK homes annually.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said "Here in Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool we are developing an enviable reputation as a centre of excellence for the development of clean energy and central to this is Net Zero Teesside which is at the heart of my plan for jobs that will deliver the clean energy jobs of the future right here.

"This project could have gone anywhere in the world, but it came here because we have the skill, ingenuity and resources to make this ground-breaking project a reality, putting the Teesworks site at the heart of a world-class class centre for new clean technologies."

It's hoped the partnership will help bring up to £170 million in funding from the Government.

Andy Lane, Net Zero Teesside Managing Director added: "The formation of the Northern Endurance Partnership is another significant milestone towards developing the offshore infrastructure that will be needed to safely transport and store CO2 from CCUS projects along England’s east coast.

"The partnership and our joint bid demonstrate industry’s willingness to come together and collaborate wherever possible to accelerate making CCUS a reality in the UK, helping to decarbonise the local economy and contributing to the UK’s climate goals."

Cllr Mary Lanigan, Leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said: "I can't stress enough the importance of this project for our area. It is set to bring thousands of jobs to our first-rate workforce and prosperity to families across Teesside. The national significance of this project should not be overlooked. This is ground-breaking technology which will play a key role in decarbonising the area and be of national prominence in supporting the international climate change agenda."

The aim is that the deep carbonisation scheme along with hydrogen will make a massive contribution in the hopes of cutting CO2 emissions across the UK to zero by 2050.