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Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is still considered a relatively young industry compared to oil and gas. Safe and cost-effective solutions for both new projects and existing assets are critical for the development of a sustainable CCS value chain. In recent years, several operators have explored the possibility of repurposing existing hydrocarbon pipelines for CO2 transport. Medco is currently evaluating the development of a CCS project in South Sumatra, and to minimize investment costs, repurposing an existing pipeline for CO2 transport offers significant benefits for the CCS project investment. This paper aims to assess the feasibility of repurposing an existing hydrocarbon pipeline for CO2 transport.

The methodology is a desktop study, discussing flow assurance, mechanical integrity, and risk assessment aspects, including inspection data of the existing pipeline as reference. A Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) was conducted to evaluate the potential risks associated with repurposing the pipeline in comparison to the company’s risk acceptance criteria.

The flow assurance study recommends against using glycol for the dehydration process. The mechanical integrity study shows that the existing pipeline is still feasible for operation at the maximum allowable operating pressure for the next 14 years, with the caveat of considering the potential risk of crack propagation. QRA Results show that the residual risk from the CO2 release scenario is medium which means still acceptable with attention to apply mitigation control. In summary, repurposing the existing hydrocarbon pipeline is considered viable as an alternative for reducing CO2 transport costs and could potentially reduce around 80% of pipeline cost.