“Our CCUS activities are enshrined with the amendment of the Sarawak Land Code (Carbon Storage) Rules, 2022.” – Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg
LAST Tuesday was my day off, and I spent it trying to understand Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) in the comfort of an air-conditioned conference room at a local hotel in Kuching.
The talk, organised by the Commonwealth Journalists Association (Sarawak Branch), was conducted by Dr Waseem Razzaq Khan, a senior lecturer from the Department of Forestry Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, University Putra Malaysia.
The talk was attended by young and veteran journalists from various mass media organisations, including Sarawak Tribune, Borneo Post, Dayak Daily, BERNAMA, TVS, Cats FM, PETRONAS, Angkatan Zaman Mansang (AZAM) Sarawak, and students from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS).
I learnt that carbon capture was the process of trapping carbon dioxide which was produced by burning fossil fuels or other chemical or biological processes, and storing it in such a way that it was unable to affect the atmosphere.
The aim of doing so is to mitigate the effects of global warming.
Global warming is a gradual increase in the earth’s temperature generally due to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) and other pollutants.
Now, what is carbon utilisation?
It is using captured carbon dioxide (CO2) to create valuable products or services.
The process begins with capturing CO2 from industrial sources or even directly from the atmosphere.
The captured CO2 is then transformed into various products like fuels, chemicals or used in processes like enhanced oil recovery.
Meanwhile, carbon storage, also known as carbon sequestration or carbon capture and storage (CCS), is the process of capturing and storing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from industrial sources or directly from the atmosphere, to prevent them from being released into the atmosphere and contributing to climate change.
The captured CO2 is then transported to a storage site by ships, even pipelines or road transport.
Finally, the CO2 is injected into suitable geological formations deep underground for long-term storage.
From the Internet, I learnt that in some cases, captured CO2 could be used in enhanced oil recovery (EOR); it could be injected into oil reservoirs to extract more oil.
I also learnt that there were different types of carbon storage.
Geologic Storage involves storing CO2 in deep underground geological formations while Soil Sequestration involves improving land management practices to increase carbon storage in soils.
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is, however, a more general term that refers to the entire process of capturing and storing CO2, including geologic and soil storage methods.
With CCUS making headlines regularly now, it is imperative for journalists to understand the concept.
As a senior editor who is deskbound, I personally found the talk very informative.
At least, I know what Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage is all about now.
Dewan Negara unanimously passed the Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) Bill 2025 on March 25 this year, paving the way for increased investment and economic growth.
The Bill was approved after its third reading by Economy Minister, Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli.
“If we want to keep our economy thriving and ensure that people will continue to have good job opportunities, we must strike a balance in carbon dioxide emissions.
“We need additional measures besides natural methods such as planting and preserving trees, which alone are insufficient,” said Rafizi in winding up the debate on the Bill.
Under Budget 2025, the government proposed to impose a carbon tax on the steel and energy industries by 2026 to encourage the adoption of low-carbon technologies.
“With CCUS, we can create new industries that will attract other sectors to these states. CCUS will serve as a key driver in decarbonising heavy industries,” said Rafizi.
He added that state governments would be able to collect various taxes, including land and business taxes, while also generating employment opportunities.
It is good to know that Sarawak is maintaining its control over carbon storage despite the federal legislation.
At PETROS’ seventh anniversary celebration in Kuching in October last year, Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said, “As far as Sarawak is concerned, the storage of carbon in our offshore (areas) is to be managed by Petroleum Sarawak Bhd (PETROS).
“Sarawak will have its own approach in terms of managing CCUS. We will work with the Federal Government only in cross-border carbon transportation.”
The Premier also said Sarawak wanted to be a part of any agreement between the Malaysian government and other parties for carbon storage in the state.
According to Sarawak Premier, the state is already making significant progress in carbon capture and storage to position itself as the CCUS heartland for the Asia Pacific region.
He revealed in November last year that Sarawak was committed to establishing four carbon storage sites by 2030 through PETROS’ appointment as the resource manager for CCUS.
“In July 2024, we launched the Sarawak Bid Round, offering three carbon storage sites with an estimated total storage capacity of 1,000 million tonnes CO2,” he said when delivering his keynote address at the Sarawak Gas Roadmap Summit.
Meanwhile, all eyes are now on the Asia Carbon Conference (ACC) 2025 which will take place at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching on May 29 and 30 this year. Around 400 delegates are expected at the conference which will be officiated by Sarawak Premier.
One of the major highlights will be the Government Keynote session which will delve into how governments across Asia are implementing their climate mitigation efforts.
There will be discussions on global carbon trading collaborations and a special session on creating an integrated ASEAN Marketplace for Carbon.
At the ACC, journalists who recently attended the ‘Talk on Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS)’ will have the opportunity to ask relevant questions.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at adelinel888@gmail.com.
