Petition Against CO2 Pipeline On Isle Of Wight Gains Momentum

A petition opposing a proposed carbon dioxide pipeline on the Isle of Wight has attracted nearly 3,000 signatures.

The petition was launched after Exxon Mobil revealed plans on July 18 to seek permission for an underground pipeline that would transport captured CO2 from its Fawley oil refinery near Southampton.

Christopher Davis, a resident of Little Atherfield who started the petition, expressed concerns that the project would leave a “massive scar” on the island’s landscape. Exxon Mobil, the American oil and gas corporation behind the proposal, has yet to comment on the petition.

According to Exxon Mobil, the CO2 would be transported to a deep rock formation in the English Channel for safe storage.

The company is currently gathering public feedback on its Solent CO2 Pipeline Project, which includes three potential routes, two of which would pass beneath the Isle of Wight.

One proposed route, known as the Isle of Wight North to South corridor, spans 26 kilometers, running from Lepe under the Solent seabed and continuing south from Gurnard to Little Atherfield.

Another route, the 24-kilometer Isle of Wight North to West corridor, follows a similar path before veering southwest towards Dunsbury near Brook.

Mr. Davis warned that the pipeline could “devastate” areas of outstanding natural beauty, as well as sites of special scientific interest. He highlighted the potential harm to unique wetlands and protected animal habitats, including those of endangered red squirrels.

The project has also drawn criticism from local officials, including Richard Quigley, Labour MP for Isle of Wight West, and Nick Stuart from Isle of Wight Council. Both share Mr. Davis’s concerns about the impact the pipeline could have on the island’s environment.

The UK government has committed to carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology as part of its general election manifesto, pledging £1 billion for carbon capture deployment.