Open Access Wabamun Carbon Hub

Area history

Enbridge has a long history of involvement in evaluating CO₂ storage potential in the Wabamun area west and north of Edmonton, Alberta.

• Project Pioneer: Enbridge and Capital Power partnered with TransAlta Corporation for Project Pioneer which aimed to capture 1 Mtpa of CO₂ from the Keephills 3 power plant located west of Edmonton. Project Pioneer assessed CO₂ storage in the Nisku formation within the Wabamun area through a drilling program that included an extensive characterization plan and the Pioneer Well, which was drilled, cased, and tested between October and December 2011.
• Wabamun Area Sequestration Project: The Wabamun Area Sequestration Project (WASP) was a University of Calgary-led project with industry partners that included Enbridge. WASP involved a comprehensive characterization study of large-scale CO₂ storage opportunities in the Wabamun area. It examined the feasibility of storing 20 Mtpa of CO₂ within a 60 km by 90 km area extending south of the Wabamun Lake area. The Nisku formation was selected as the primary target for CO₂ storage.
• Alberta Saline Aquifer Project: Enbridge and Capital Power (then EPCOR) co-launched the Alberta Saline Aquifer Project (ASAP) in 2007. Led by Enbridge, ASAP was a broad-based initiative to advance CO₂ storage technology and capacity in Alberta. Initially comprising 19 private sector companies, the number of ASAP participants eventually grew to 36 industry participants, one academic institute, and one research institute. ASAP aimed at gaining a better understanding of the potential costs, procurement constraints, and technological considerations of the various components required for successful CO₂ storage projects.