CCUS Gains Ground but Faces Headwinds

CCUS

CCUS Gains Ground but Faces Headwinds: BlackRock Enters; New Licences & Global Pilots Signal Growth; Political & Cost Risks Bite

CCUS momentum accelerated in Q3 2025. Across Energy Considered’s 5,000 tracked Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), mentions rose to 660, underscoring a shift from research to deployment. Most commentary was generated by key opinion leaders (KOL) from the Oil & Gas majors and energy sector specialists, highlighting how capture and storage are moving from engineering trials to mainstream climate strategy.

Momentum was visible across regions. Japan approved its first offshore carbon capture wells, and Norway’s Northern Lights project began CO₂ injections, milestones underscoring offshore models’ scalability. Energy Considered’s tracked KOL Naoko Shibata (Project Manager, Japan CCS Co.) noted that “the focus now is operational safety and long-term monitoring, not just demonstration.” Meanwhile, DNV’s new pipeline safety work and Yara’s progress on the North Sea hub reaffirmed Europe’s technical leadership.


The finance story was led by BlackRock’s investment in Eni’s CCUS unit, a move that Robert R. Bland (Associate VP, Energy & Sustainability, Cornell University) described as “a sign that carbon storage is being reframed as an investable climate asset rather than a compliance cost.” In the U.S., EPA’s draft permits for Texas projects indicated regulatory momentum yet political and financial uncertainty loomed large. Elizabeth J. Wilson (Director, Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy & Society, Dartmouth College) observed that “public engagement and monitoring frameworks will make or break community acceptance of CCUS.”

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CCUS Gains Ground but Faces Headwinds: BlackRock Enters; New Licences & Global Pilots Signal Growth; Political & Cost Risks Bite - Quarter 3 2025

Case for tracking:

In Q3 2025, carbon capture and storage (CCUS) took another step forward, but the picture was mixed. Japan approved its first offshore capture wells, and Norway began injecting CO₂, supported by new safety work from DNV and progress on Yara’s North Sea hub. On the finance side, BlackRock bought into Eni’s CCUS unit, showing growing interest from big investors.

In the U.S., the EPA issued draft permits for Texas projects, suggesting momentum, but program cuts exposed the political and financial risks still facing the sector. Local pushback also grew. California imposed a pipeline moratorium and storage wells came under scrutiny after leaks. Meanwhile, industry adoption widened, with steelmakers in Oman and LNG projects pairing operations with CCUS. The quarter showed CCUS moving from promises to real projects and investment but also facing stronger community concerns and tough economics.

Volume of Mentions from Energy Considered’s Key Opinion Leaders:

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To continue reading this briefing and explore deeper insights, register for access to our Energy Insights Portal. Inside, you’ll find:

  • Extended editorial briefings with in-depth analysis and empirical data drawn from 5,000 of the world’s most influential commentators on the energy industry on key issues shaping the energy sector.
  • Monthly and quarterly data identifying and tracking how energy industry leaders are engaging with critical topics.
  • In depth research explaining why energy industry leaders are engaging with these key issues and providing the context and framework for further exploration.
  • Quantitative primary research conducted with responses from energy industry leaders on our panel, providing unique answers to the issues affecting the global energy industry.
  • Power BI dashboards offering dynamic exploration of 5,000 energy key opinion leaders, social and digital narrative analysed against 14 strategic and tactical energy industry metrics.
  • Expert interpretation of what these issues really mean to the industry and what decisions can be taken on the back of unprecedented empirical evidence.
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