Oil and gas companies continue to play a leading role in carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) projects, particularly where the technology supports core operations such as LNG, refining, hydrogen production and upstream activities, according to GlobalData.
GlobalData said that as of June 2026, more than 70% of operational and upcoming carbon capture facilities, based on facility count, were linked to energy assets. The company noted that the sector remains a major participant in CCUS despite scaling back some broader low-carbon investments.
GlobalData’s report “Carbon Capture and Storage” highlights projects including Eni’s Ravenna cluster, ExxonMobil’s Gulf Coast CO? transport and storage network, and Northern Lights in Norway, jointly owned by Equinor, Shell and TotalEnergies.
GlobalData Oil and Gas Analyst Ravindra Puranik said the global operational carbon-capture base remains relatively modest. More than 140 projects across multiple industries were operational as of June 2026, with combined capture capacity of around 62 million tonnes per annum (mtpa).
However, much of the future capture capacity remains at the feasibility and front-end engineering and design (FEED) stages, indicating that significant commercial and technical challenges remain before many projects can reach construction and operation.
According to GlobalData, the development of shared CO? pipelines, shipping networks and storage hubs will be critical to reducing project risks and improving the economics of carbon capture.
Despite a strong project pipeline, CCUS deployment over the rest of the decade is likely to be selective rather than uniform. Financing constraints, rising costs, regulatory uncertainty and delays in securing long-term CO? transport, offtake and storage arrangements could prevent many announced projects from progressing.
GlobalData noted that companies are unlikely to invest heavily in capture facilities unless they have reliable and commercially viable routes for permanently storing captured CO?.
Policy support, including the US 45Q tax credit, the European Union Emissions Trading System and Canada’s carbon-pricing mechanism, is helping improve project economics. However, high capital and operating costs, limited transport and storage infrastructure, permitting delays, long-term liability concerns and public acceptance remain major barriers to large-scale CCUS deployment.
