NTPC drills India's first geological CO2 storage well at Pakri Barwadih

New Delhi, Nov 1 (PTI) NTPC Ltd on Saturday said it has started drilling for the country's first-ever CO2 injection borewell at its Pakri Barwadih coal mine in Jharkhand.

This move, led by the company's R&D arm, NETRA (NTPC Energy Technology Research Alliance), is a decisive step towards fulfilling India's Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) roadmap and its net-zero commitment by 2070, NTPC said in a statement.

"NTPC has marked an important milestone in the nation's clean energy transition by commencing drilling for the country's first-ever CO2 Injection Borewell at its Pakri Barwadih Coal Mine, Jharkhand," it said.

The CO2 borewell is being drilled to an approximate depth of 1,200 metres. Its primary purpose is to secure crucial geological and reservoir data required for establishing a safe and effective CO2 storage process.

This includes extensive core, methane, and water sampling, alongside seismic monitoring and detailed simulation studies to assess the rock formations' ability to permanently store carbon dioxide.

This first-of-its-kind project is a critical component of NTPC's broader carbon capture, utilisation & storage (CCUS) programme.

The initiative aims to rapidly develop indigenous CCS capability tailored specifically for deployment across India's vast power and industrial sectors, solidifying NTPC's leadership in sustainable energy solutions.

NTPC Ltd is India's largest integrated power utility, contributing one-fourth of the India's power requirements and has an installed capacity of over 84 GW, with an additional capacity of 30.90 GW under construction, including 13.3 GW of renewable energy capacity.

The company is committed to achieving 60 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2032, strengthening India's net-zero goals. PTI ABI TRB TRB