Efficient transportation of liquified cold CO2

Industry context/challenge

Transporting CO₂ beyond pipelines is becoming critical for the success of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects – especially when connecting remote emitters to storage sites. 

In cases where pipelines aren’t viable, ship and rail tanker solutions offer flexibility, but they come with technical challenges. Liquefied CO₂, cooled to around -50°C, places extreme demands on infrastructure. Standard carbon-steel pipes at terminals face corrosion and brittleness at these cryogenic temperatures, driving up costs and reducing reliability. As CCS scales rapidly to meet net-zero targets, the need for robust, alternative pipe designs that can withstand harsh conditions is more urgent than ever. 

Project overview

Using advanced thermoplastic composite engineering, Enoflex developed a Single Polymer Composite (SPC) pipe technology that eliminates issues like metallic corrosion and cryogenic brittleness. The pipes are manufactured in-house using a novel, patented process. Both the fibres and the binding material are made from the same commodity polyolefin thermoplastic; a design that is cost-effective and tough in cryogenic, low-temperature environments. Unlike other composite materials like carbon or glass fibres, Enoflex’s polyolefin fibres and binders are fully recyclable at the end of life. 

Enoflex SPC pipes offer a lightweight, easy-to-transport alternative to metallic options, reducing both project cost and carbon impact during manufacturing and installation compared to steel. 

Enoflex performance spans a wide range of applications making them suitable for liquefied CO₂ and also Liquid Natural Gas (LNG), Hydrogen, Ammonia and broader CCUS infrastructure. 

Industry value

Enoflex has scaled its team from 9 to 15 employees to meet growing demand. A Technology Development Agreement with Shell is currently qualifying SPC pipes for use in LNG regasification terminals as a cost-effective alternative to metal alloys. Building on this success, the current project focuses on qualifying the technology for CCS applications.