Japan’s Inpex Corporation and Kanto Natural Gas Development have formed a joint venture, named Metropolitan CCS JV, to advance research and planning for a carbon capture and storage (CCS) project. Commissioned by the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC), the initiative focuses on the transportation and storage aspects of the CCS process in the Metropolitan Area CCS project.

Inpex holds an 85% stake in the new company, while Kanto Natural Gas owns 15%. The JV’s responsibilities include technical assessments, such as evaluating CO2 storage potential and studying pipeline routes, alongside business planning. This follows a contract signed with JOGMEC in late 2024 by Inpex, Kanto Natural Gas, and Nippon Steel Corporation.

The project targets CO2 emissions from Nippon Steel’s East Nippon Works in the Kimitsu area and various industries in the Keiyo Industrial Region, both located in Chiba Prefecture. The captured CO2 will be moved through large pipelines and stored under the seabed off the prefecture’s eastern coast. The effort aims to support Japan’s decarbonization goals through detailed research and eventual commercialization.

Nippon Steel will handle the CO2 capture and separation, while the Metropolitan CCS JV focuses on moving and storing it. Inpex views this as a key part of its Vision 2035 strategy, which emphasizes lower-carbon solutions like CCS and hydrogen as major growth areas for the company.

The collaboration builds on existing ties among the partners and JOGMEC, aiming to create a practical system for managing industrial emissions. By leveraging Chiba Prefecture’s industrial hubs and coastal access, the project seeks to establish a model for sustainable energy practices. The JV’s work will refine the technical and economic groundwork needed to make CCS viable on a larger scale.