How Integrated Surveillance Will Be Key to Carbon Capture

The carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) market will be worth around $14.2 billion by 2030¹. The UK Government alone intends to create four CCUS clusters by this time to help the UK meet its net zero emissions target by 2050². 

These four clusters could store millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide, preventing it from entering the atmosphere. It also opens the door to green hydrogen, a low-carbon energy source. 

The anatomy of a CCUS cluster

Understanding the anatomy of a CCUS cluster is key to understanding their specific security, safety and operational needs. Take the UK’s HyNet North West and East Coast Clusters, which are already underway. 

Spread over large geographic areas, these projects will utilise new and existing infrastructure, such as gas pipelines, hydrogen production plants, gas storage and logistics hubs. Their success will also require a multi-stakeholder approach. HyNet North West alone is supported by over 40 organisations in Liverpool, Manchester and Cheshire. 

Surveillance suited to carbon capture complexity

This tells us that carbon capture projects will have a standard requirements checklist. The ability to monitor vast areas, complex sites, industrial (and potentially hazardous) processes, large workforces, and support multi-stakeholder collaboration are just a few. 

These requirements are best met by integrated security and surveillance solutions that enable a diverse range of emergency, safety, and operational management systems to be monitored and controlled via a unified platform. In addition to saving time and resources, this is the most effective way to achieve the situational awareness necessary for protecting projects with this level of complexity. 

Key system features for simplified safety and security

In addition to unifying system monitoring (access control, perimeter detection, body-worn safety sensors, ANPR, analytics, etc.) for improved risk identification, integrated surveillance solutions for CCUS will help operators leverage other vital capabilities.

Three key ones will be:

• Advanced mapping – allowing operators to quickly navigate between multiple formats, from detailed site CAD maps to geospatial open maps, and view location-related info on screen for vital context to any incident detected. This is important when you have detailed plant areas and large geographic expanses to watch. 

• Remote access – allowing monitoring of uncrewed/skeleton staff facilities and centralised control of multi-site estates. Crucially, it’s also possible for authorised personnel from different organisations to share live footage or even system control. This is vital when there are multi-stakeholder sites and clusters to consider. 

• Workflows – give users on-screen guidance based on live data received and pre-set protocols for incident management. As well as aiding quick decision-making, workflows support efficient task division and incident escalation. 

Specialised integration for hazardous environments

For hazardous-area process monitoring, specialist technology compliant with strict safety, performance, and regulatory requirements is needed. 

Certified explosion-protected cameras are necessary for monitoring potentially explosive environments, whereas thermal cameras with radiometric capabilities help detect temperature variations in pipes, equipment and storage areas that indicate potential equipment faults or process issues. 

Cameras such as these, combined with sensors dedicated to monitoring gas levels, will become commonplace to rapidly identify ‘high alert’ conditions for potential combustion scenarios. 

¹ CCUS Market
² UK Net Zero Target