CO2 cross-border transport and storage in IPCC GHG Inventories Guidelines

February 8, 2024
Partner, Hiroyasu KONNOObligation about GHG Inventory under Article 4.1 (a) of UNFCCC►Article 4.1 (a) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (“UNFCCC”) sets forth the Partiesʼ obligations regarding “GHG
Inventory” as follows:
1. All Parties, taking into account their common but differentiated responsibilities
and their specific national and regional development priorities, objectives andcircumstances, shall:(a) Develop, periodically update, publish and make available to the Conference ofthe Parties, in accordance with Article 12, national inventories ofanthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of all greenhousegases not controlled by the Montreal Protocol, using comparable
methodologies to be agreed upon by the Conference of the Parties;ー（Omitted)ー2

Function of GHG Inventory in Japan►On its website, the Ministry of the Environment (Japan) explains the functionof its GHG Inventory as follows: ※The amount of greenhouse gas emissions and absorptions in the GHG Inventory isimportant basic data for assessing the progress and achievement of Japan's
internationally stated greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, such as the 2020
emission reduction targets under the Cancun Accords, the 2030 emission reduction
targets under the Paris Agreement, and the realization of carbon neutrality by 2050.
It will also be used as basic data for the Global Warming Countermeasures Plan,
which stipulates various domestic measures and measures to achieve these goals.
※ https://www.env.go.jp/earth/ondanka/ghg-mrv/overview.html, as of January 2024.

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Decision 24 at COP 19►Decision 24, adopted by the Conference of the Parties (“COP 19”) held in
Warsaw in November 2013 (24/CP. 19) revised the UNFCCC Reporting
Guidelines of the GHG Inventory included in Annex I to UNFCCC as follows※:
The Conference of the Parties,
Recalling Article 4, paragraph 1, Article 10, paragraph 2, and Article 12,
paragraph 1, of the Convention;ー（Omitted)ー
1. Adopts the revised “Guidelines for the preparation of national communications byParties included in Annex I to the Convention, Part I: UNFCCC reporting guidelines
on annual greenhouse gas inventories” contained in annex I, the revised common
reporting format tables contained in annex II and the global warming potential
values contained in annex III;－（Omitted)ー4※ https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2013/cop19/eng/10a03.pdf

The UNFCCC Guidelines revised by Decision 24 at COP 19►The UNFCCC Guidelines, revised by Decision 24 at COP 19, which is attached as“Annex I” to the COP 19 report,※ states that in principle, the Parties shall use themethodologies provided in the IPCC GHG Inventories Guidelines, as follows:
Methodology
9. Annex I Parties shall use the methodologies provided in the 2006 IPCC Guidelines,
unless stated otherwise in the UNFCCC Annex I inventory reporting guidelines, and any
supplementary methodologies agreed by the COP, and other relevant COP decisions toestimate anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of GHGs notcontrolled by the Montreal Protocol.
10. Annex I Parties may use different methods (tiers) contained in the 2006 IPCC
Guidelines, prioritizing these methods in accordance with the 2006 IPCC Guidelines.
Annex I Parties may also use national methodologies which they consider better able toreflect their national situation, provided that these methodologies are compatible with the2006 IPCC Guidelines and are well documented and scientifically based.
5※ https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2013/cop19/eng/10a03.pdf

CCS in IPCC GHG Inventories Guidelines

https://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/2006gl/index.html
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CO2 Transfer and Storage in IPCC GHG Inventories Guidelines「Vol.1 General Guidance and Reporting」「Chapter 8 Reporting Guidance and Tables」► 8.5 of Vol.1 General Guidanceand Reporting」「Chapter 8Reporting Guidance andTABLE 8.2
CLASSIFICATION AND DEFINITION OF CATEGORIES OF EMISSIONS AND REMOVALS
CategoryNameTables」explains Table 8.2,
stating that “Table 8.2
introduces the classification

emissions and removals

cross-sectoral tables provided
in Annex 8A.2)”. Table 8.2
also categorizes and defines“CO2 transport and storage”
and “CO2 Injection andStorage,” as shown on theright:
796 GLs
Category
CodeGases

1C

CO2,

1C1

Transport
CO2This comprises fugitive emissions from the systems used to transport
CO2 from the source to the injection site.
of captured
These emissions may comprise losses due to fugitive equipment leaks,
venting and releases due to pipeline ruptures or other accidental
releases (e.g., temporary storage).

CO2,

1C1a

Pipelines

Fugitive emissions from the pipeline system used to transport CO2 tothe injection site.

CO2,

1C1b

Ships

Fugitive emissions from the ships used to transport CO2 to theinjection site.

CO2,

1C1c

Other (please Fugitive emissions from other systems used to transport CO2 to thespecify)
injection site and temporary storage

CO2,

1C2

Injection
Storage

Fugitive emissions from activities and equipment at the injection site
and andthose from the end containment once the CO2 is placed instorage.

CO2,

1C2aInjection

Fugitive emissions from activities and equipment at the injection site.

CO2,

1C2bStorage

Fugitive emissions from the end equipment once the CO2 is placed instorage.

CO2,

1C3

Other

Any other emissions from CCS not reported elsewhere.

CO2,(consistent with the sectoral,
sectoral background andand Definition

Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and storage (CCS) involves the captureof CO2 from anthropogenic sources, its transport to a storage location
Carbonand its long-term isolation from the atmosphere. Emissions associatedDioxide
CO2 transport, injection and storage are covered under category
Transport and with
1C. Emissions (and reductions) associated with CO2 capture should beStorage
reported under the IPCC Sector in which capture takes place (e.g. FuelCombustion or Industrial Activities).

and definition of categories
and subcategories ofCodeCO2 Capture in IPCC GHG Inventories Guidelines「Vol.2」「Chapter 2」► With regard to carbon capture,「2.3.4 Carbon dioxide capture」of ｢Vol.2」「Chapter 2」notes that “Because thisis an emerging technology, it requires plant-specific reporting at Tier 3. Plants, with capture and storage will
most probably meter the amount of gas removed by the gas stream and transferred to geological storage.
Capture efficiencies derived from the measured data can be compared with the values in Table 2.11 as averification cross-check. Under Tier 3, the CO2 emissions are therefore estimated from the fuel consumption
estimated as described in earlier sections of this chapter minus the metered amount removed,” and provides thefollowing Equation 2.7:

TREATMENT OF CO2 CAPTURE
Emissionss = Productions ­ Captures
Where:
SCaptures
Productions
Emissionss
8= Source category or subcategory where capture takes place= Amount captured= Estimated emissions, using these guidelines assuming no capture= Reported emission for the source category or sub-category

CO2 cross-border transport in IPCC GHG Inventories Guidelines「Vol.2 Energy」「Chapter 5 Carbon Dioxide Transport, Injection and Geological Storage」►「5.10 REPORTING AND DOCUMENTATION」of 「Vol.2 Energy」「Chapter 5 Carbon
Dioxide Transport, Injection and Geological Storage」sets forth treatments in the caseof CO2 being transported cross-border for CCS, as follows:
CO2 may be captured in one country, Country A, and exported for storage in a different
country, Country B.
Under this scenario, Country A should report the amount of CO2 captured, anyemissions from transport and/or temporary storage that takes place in Country A, andthe amount of CO2 exported to Country B.
Country B should report the amount of CO2 imported, any emissions from transport
and/or temporary storage (that takes place in Country B), and any emissions frominjection and geological storage sites.
9CO2 cross-border storage in IPCC GHG Inventories Guidelines「Vol.2 Energy」「Chapter 5 Carbon Dioxide Transport, Injection and Geological Storage」►「5.10 REPORTING AND DOCUMENTATION」of 「Vol.2 Energy」「Chapter 5 Carbon
Dioxide Transport, Injection and Geological Storage」sets forth treatments of CO2
cross-border storage and leakage as follows:
If CO2 is injected in one country, Country A, and travels from the storage site and leaks in adifferent country, Country B, Country A is responsible for reporting the emissions from thegeological storage site. If such leakage is anticipated based on site characterization andmodelling, Country A should make an arrangement with Country B to ensure thatappropriate standards for long-term storage and monitoring and/or estimation of emissions
are applied (relevant regulatory bodies may have existing arrangements to address crossborder issues with regard to groundwater protection and/or oil and gas recovery).
If more than one country utilizes a common storage site, the country where the geologicalstorage takes place is responsible for reporting emissions from that site. If the emissions
occur outside of that country, they are still responsible for reporting those emissions asdescribed above. In the case where a storage site occurs in more than one country, thecountries concerned should make an arrangement whereby each reports an agreed fractionof the total emissions.
10CO2 import and export in IPCC GHG Inventories Guidelines「Vol.2 Energy」「Chapter 5 Carbon Dioxide Transport, Injection and Geological Storage」►From the viewpoint of quality assurance and quality control of GHG Inventory, 「5.9INVENTORY QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL (QA/QC)」of ｢Vol.2 Energy」「Chapter 5 Carbon Dioxide Transport, Injection and Geological Storage」states asfollows:
Ideally, (Capture + Imports) = (Injection + Exports + Leakage)
If (Capture + Imports) < (Injection + Exports + Leakage) then there is need to checkthat:
Exports are not overestimated
Imports are not underestimatedData for CO2 injection does not include EOR operations not associated with storage
If (Capture + Imports) > (Injection + Exports + Leakage) then need to check that:
Exports are not underestimated
Imports are not overestimatedCO2 capture designated as ʻfor long-term storageʼ is actually going to other short11
term emissive uses (e.g., products, EOR without storage)

Nishimura & Asahi (Gaikokuho Kyodo Jigyo)
Otemon Tower, 1-1-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8124, Japanh.konno@nishimura.com