Occidental (Oxy) and its subsidiary 1PointFive announced they plan to begin engineering and construction of their first large-scale Direct Air Capture (DAC) plant in Ector County, Texas, near Oxy’s portfolio of acreage and infrastructure that are conducive to safe and secure storage of carbon dioxide.
Site preparation and road work is scheduled to begin in late 2022 and start-up is expected in late 2024. The DAC plant will be the world’s largest of its kind and once operational, it is expected to capture up to 500,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year with the capability to scale up to 1 million metric tons per year.
“The construction of Oxy’s first DAC plant is an important milestone on the pathway to achieving our net-zero ambitions and helping the world meet the Paris Agreement’s climate goals,” said Vicki Hollub, president and CEO, Oxy. “We are fortunate to partner with Carbon Engineering and Worley, who share our vision in creating a carbon removal industry that can accelerate the path to net zero.”
Richard Jackson, president of U.S. onshore resources and carbon management operations with Oxy Construction, said the development of this plant could anchor future low carbon projects.
The project is expected to employ more than 1,000 people during the construction phase and up to 75 once operational.
