Serving the Teesside Business Community | 9
/NEWS
SOUTH TEES BREAK WITH CLEAN GAS PROJECT
/OPINION
‘WE’RE READY
TO DELIVER’
The South Tees Development
Corporation site has been ear-
marked for major regeneration.
T
he development of a world-first multi-
billion pound energy project on Teesside
has been revealed, which could create
thousands of jobs for the region.
A consortium led by OGCI Climate
Investments and made up of six global
energy giants – BP, ENI, Equinor, Oxy, Shell
and Total – with a total combined market
capitalisation of over £500billion, have
unveiled phase one of their plans to create a
huge power plant on Teesside which will run
on natural clean gas.
Tees Business understands the
proposed plant would be on the South Tees
Development Corporation site.
Branded the ‘Clean Gas Project’, it will be
the world’s first gas-powered energy plant to
deploy full-chain Carbon Capture Utilisation
and Storage (CCUS) at scale, meaning CO2
from the plant will be captured and then
stored via pipelines under the North Sea.
The infrastructure created would also
enable wider industry on Teesside and
elsewhere to capture and store CO2 from
their processes.
The CCUS technology, once fully
T
developed, could also attract more
companies to the region that are seeking
ways to utilise CO2 commercially – such as
converting the waste gas into more useful
chemicals that can be used in the supply
chain.
This could unlock additional investment that
creates thousands of jobs, while reducing the
area’s carbon footprint even further.
The OGCI consortium is responsible for a
$1billion-plus fund, investing in technologies
and business models which lower the carbon
footprint of the energy and industrial sectors.
The fund was created by the CEOs of
these major oil and gas giants to take
practical action on climate change.
The Tees Valley was selected as the best
configuration for a CCUS cluster out of 50
business models considered by OGCI.
Tees Valley chemical and process
industries contribute almost £1billion to the
economy each year and support a workforce
of more than 7,600 people.
Average wages in the Tees Valley chemical
sector are also 23% higher than the national
sector average.
Tributes to Nas Khan
ributes have been paid to Dr Nas Khan
OBE – the motor dealership boss and
devoted family man renowned for his
commitment to the Teesside community.
Dr Khan, who died suddenly aged 58,
couldn’t speak English when he came to
Britain from Pakistan as a 14-year-old.
Just eight years later, he was appointed
as a sales executive at the Jennings Ford
dealership in Yarm Road, Stockton.
And that was the start of an astonishing
career which ultimately saw him establish
the Jennings Motor Group as one of the UK
car industry’s major players.
Resolution Media and Publishing non-
executive director Bob Cuffe, former
managing director of the Gazette, led the
tributes.
“Teesside has lost one of its most
respected business leaders with the
untimely death of Nas Khan,” said Cuffe.
“Nas was a very proud Teessider and was
a complete advocate for the area he said had
welcomed him and his family.
“Teesside was very proud of Nas and
our thoughts and best wishes go to his
wife, Naila, and his children, Sohail, Sairah,
Tributes have been paid to Nas Khan
(pictured courtesy of the Gazette).
Natasha and Samah.”
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen said: “Nas
Khan was a fantastic man, a business giant
and a true Teesside success story.
“He worked incredibly hard to build
Jennings into a household name, and helped
countless people across our region thanks to
his commitment to our local charities. He will
be sorely missed.”
James Ramsbotham, chief executive of the
North East England Chamber of Commerce,
said: “Nas Khan’s start in life would never
have suggested the amazing contribution he
has made to so many people’s lives.”
I
t goes without saying I wholeheartedly
welcome OGCI’s proposed development
of a world-first clean energy project for
the Tees region.
This is the project we’ve been talking
about for quite some time. It has taken a
while, but I hope the people of the Tees
Valley will be pleased with what we have
announced.
This multi-billion pound energy project
will pave the way for our region to become
the clean energy powerhouse of the UK,
creating and safeguarding thousands of
jobs.
We have got some of the biggest
companies in the world choosing Teesside
to develop this ground-breaking technology
– a world first which will also support the
development of our huge processing and
chemicals industry.
Tees Valley chemical and process
industries contribute almost £1billion to
the economy each year and support a
workforce of more than 7,600 people.
Average wages in the Tees Valley
chemical sector are also 23% higher than
the national sector average.
I’ve worked with OGCI and the UK
government for over a year to press the
case for the location of the power plant and
CCUS.
This is a project of national significance,
and once developed will create thousands
of jobs and even more in our local supply
chain.
Due to the sheer size and scale of this
multi-billion pound energy plant, it won’t
happen overnight.
But to be selected out of 50 business
models by this major international
consortium is a clear vote of confidence
in our local economy and our skilled
workforce.
Let there be no doubt: we’re ready to
deliver this monumental project.
Ben Houchen
Elected mayor, Tees Valley
PD Ports has announced an all-time
record in container volumes handled at
Teesport, one of the deepest water ports
on the east coast of England. Teesport
also achieved an overall volume increase
higher than any other UK port in 2017.
#TalkingUpTeesside