Foundational project

Pathways Alliance members have proposed a Transportation Network and Storage Hub Project that, when operational, will have the capacity to transport captured CO2 from multiple oil sands facilities to the Cold Lake area of Alberta, where it will be injected into a capped, sandstone formation for underground storage. The Project proceeding is contingent upon obtaining sufficient fiscal and policy supports and regulatory approvals.

Carbon dioxide, or CO2, is a colourless, odourless gas that’s produced when animals (including humans) breathe, or when carbon-containing materials (including fossil fuels) are burned. CO2 is naturally occurring in the atmosphere and essential to the photosynthesis process that sustains plant life, but it becomes hazardous in high concentrations. Risks related to CO2 depend on the concentration upon release, duration of exposure and environmental conditions.

Carbon capture
and storage (CCS)

Learn more about CCS and explore other projects like ours around the world.

MORE ABOUT CCS

Safety

Learn about the multi-layered safety system for the proposed CO2 Transportation Network 
and Storage Hub.

More about safety

CCS process

Find out how the CCS process works, from capture to transportation to storage.

See how it works

Regulatory

Learn about our proposed location and the regulatory and approval processes.

More about REGULATORY

About the Project

On behalf of Pathways, Canadian Natural is proposing a project that, when operational, will transport and store captured CO2 from multiple oil sands facilities in northeast Alberta. The proposed Pathways CO2 Transportation Network and Storage Hub (the “Project”) will provide necessary transportation and storage infrastructure for CO2 captured from oil sands facilities. Each individual oil sands operator will manage carbon capture activities at its own facilities. For this reason, carbon capture facilities aren’t included in the Project.

Connecting pipeline from these facilities to the Pathways CO2 Transportation Network, a pipeline that’s over 400 kilometres long will transport captured CO2 from the oil sands facilities to the Storage Hub, located in the Cold Lake area of Alberta. The Storage Hub is a capped sandstone formation located between 1,000 and 2,000 metres below the Earth’s surface.

Learn more about the project

Why Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology?

Canada has long benefitted from a strong oil sands industry through economic contributions and a secure source of energy provided by the industry. To ensure our industry can continue providing these benefits for decades to come, Pathways Alliance member companies are advancing environmental innovation and projects like the proposed CO2 Transportation Network and Storage Hub. By working together and with governments, oil sands companies can keep advancing environmental innovation and projects, contributing to Canada’s economy and helping to provide a secure source of energy here and to the world.

Steel equipment at an operating facility, with blue sky above.

How does CCS work?

CCS is a technology used around the world, including here in Canada. Typically, capture technologies are fitted to large, stationary sources of CO2 emissions, like boilers or steam generators, making it possible to capture CO2 emissions from oil sands facilities before they enter the atmosphere. The CO2 is compressed into liquid form and can safely be transported through pipelines to be stored in a deep, underground formation. Alberta’s geology is well-suited for CO2 storage.

See how it works

Consultation and engagement

Pathways Alliance members value their long-standing relationships in the communities where they operate and are committed to the transparent sharing of information related to the Project. Throughout the proposed Project life cycle, Pathways member companies will focus on understanding concerns, addressing issues and developing mitigations related to the Project and its operations. Consultation and engagement has been led by Canadian Natural on behalf of Pathways member companies, and it began in 2023, following early engagement activities in 2022. 

Over many years of working together, each of the Pathways Alliance members have endeavoured to develop positive and mutually beneficial relationships in the communities where they operate. Because of these unique relationships and the importance we place on them, Pathways Alliance members have taken the initiative to engage early on this Project, sharing information in a timely, open and transparent manner with Indigenous groups, local landowners and other interested parties.

The Project proceeding is contingent upon obtaining sufficient fiscal and policy supports and regulatory approval.