JFE Steel Corporation announced today that its research and development (R&D) into using the company's Mighty Seam™^*1 electric-resistance-welded steel pipe to transport high-pressure CO₂ has been selected for inclusion in an R&D project under The Nippon Foundation^*2–DeepStar^*3 Joint Research & Development Program on Offshore Oil and Natural Gas^*4, which is being cooperated with major oil companies to advance Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) related technology project. Through this project, JFE Steel will collaborate with major energy companies that are members of the DeepStar consortium, including ExxonMobil (USA), Occidental Petroleum (USA), Shell (British), BP (British), TotalEnergies (France), Woodside Energy (Australia), and Petrobras (Brazil). The project aims to establish evaluation methods and acceptance criteria for steel pipe materials used in CO₂ transportation pipelines, contributing to the practical deployment of safe and reliable CO₂ pipeline infrastructure.

The realization of a carbon-neutral society requires the deployment of CCS or CCUS, which captures and stores CO₂ emissions. Pipelines are expected to play an important role in transporting captured CO₂ to storage sites. However, impurities contained in captured CO₂ may affect the performance and integrity of steel materials used in pipelines. To address this issue, JFE Steel will conduct material testing under simulated CO₂ transportation environments at its Steel Research Laboratory in Chiba, Japan. The project will evaluate the effects of impurities on the strength and fracture resistance of steel pipe materials. Based on the results, JFE Steel will contribute to the development of evaluation methodologies and material requirements for CO₂ transportation pipelines and will verify their applicability. Through these activities, the company aims to establish safety assessment technologies that take the effects of impurities into account and support the practical implementation of CCS infrastructure.

JFE Steel will continue to contribute to the realization of a carbon-neutral society through the development of technologies that support CCS infrastructure.

*1: Mighty Seam™: JFE Steel’s electric resistance welded (ERW) steel pipe for line pipe applications, offering excellent weld quality.

*2: The Nippon Foundation is a Japanese public interest foundation that supports maritime initiatives, social welfare programs, and international cooperation projects through grants funded by revenues from public boat racing.

*3: DeepStar is a consortium for offshore technology development consisting of companies engaged in the exploration, development, and production of offshore oil and natural gas around the world, including Chevron (U.S.), Shell (U.K.), and Equinor (Norway), as well as suppliers, universities, and research institutions that provide products, services, and research support to the offshore energy industry.

*4: The Nippon Foundation–DeepStar Joint Technology Development Grant Program for Decarbonization in the Offshore Oil and Gas Industry (Phase 1).

About JFE Steel Corporation

JFE Steel Corporation, one of the world’s leading integrated steel producers, was established through the consolidation of NKK Corporation and Kawasaki Steel Corporation in 2003. The company operates several steelworks in Japan and numerous branch offices and affiliates throughout the world. Under the corporate vision of “contributing to society with the world’s most innovative technology,” JFE Steel leverages world-class technologies and know-how to produce a wide range of products. The company reported consolidated sales of 3,716 billion yen and consolidated crude steel output of 24.80 million tons in the fiscal year ended March 2023.

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