On a day when Texas wind power was showcasing its full force across the Permian Basin, over 200 supporters gathered to mark the beginning of something new, something big, and something important.
Carbon Engineering’s industry-leading partners at Occidental and their subsidiary, 1PointFive, celebrated breaking ground on a Direct Air Capture (DAC) facility expected to capture 500,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually when fully operational. The newly named “STRATOS” facility was introduced to a cheering crowd, while a flythrough video transported the audience to a not-so-distant future in which the world’s largest Direct Air Capture facility is operational where they stand watching.
Leadership from Occidental, 1PointFive, Carbon Engineering and Worley stepped up to the podium in turn to express what this day means for the future of their business and the climate. In a nod to the skies and the natural systems that this ambitious project seeks to protect and restore, Vicki Hollub shared that STRATOS earned its name to “convey the real sense of scale and possibility” of what Oxy is working to accomplish here.
“Sometimes history puts you in the right place at the right time with the tools you need to do something extraordinary. Together, we, with our partners and supporters, have seized this moment to start the deployment of large-scale Direct Air Capture around the world which will make a difference for our world, our company, and our communities.”
VICKI HOLLUB, CEO AT OCCIDENTAL
During her remarks, CE’s VP and Head of Business Development, Lori Guetre, offered a compelling comparison to the Apollo 13 mission’s seemingly-impossible challenge to engineer a CO2 scrubber in record time and to bring the astronauts home after the spacecraft had serious complications.
“This time the earth has some serious complications, and it needs the brightest minds. And Mission Control is what it feels like to work with the Oxy, 1PointFive and Worley teams. You know it will be challenging to go fast and that you will face new curveballs – like a global pandemic or supply chain challenges – but you also know that it’s just engineering and chemistry, that the world is watching and counting on us, and that the team’s will to overcome is quiet, steady and unwavering.”
LORI GUETRE, VP AND HEAD OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AT CARBON ENGINEERING
Construction was already well underway, with site preparation having kicked off in the third quarter of last year. 1PointFive expects this plant will be commercially operational in mid-2025.
Today, we invite you to step back into this moment and take in the event, remarks and experience for yourself. Watch the speaker remarks and 3D flythrough video below.
Michael Avery
Vicki Hollub
Richard Jackson
Lori Guetre
Chris Ashton
Flythrough the world’s largest Direct Air Capture facility.
