Alberta Backs Novel Carbon Capture on Natural Gas Compressors

SPOKANE, Wash. – February 12, 2026 – A groundbreaking project in the heart of Canada's energy sector is set to test a new generation of carbon capture technology, potentially charting a new course for decarbonizing the natural gas industry. CarbonQuest, a U.S.-based technology provider, has secured a contract to deploy its first-ever carbon capture system on natural gas compressor engines at a Tourmaline Oil facility in Alberta. The initiative represents a significant series of milestones: CarbonQuest's first project in Canada, its first application on challenging gas compressor emissions, and the first commercial integration of a novel, sponge-like adsorbent material designed to make carbon capture dramatically more efficient.

The project, located at the Tourmaline Banshee facility near Edson, Alberta, is a collaboration between CarbonQuest, Canadian partner Cielo Carbon Solutions, and New Zealand's Captivate Technology. It aims to demonstrate the viability of capturing CO2 directly from the exhaust of natural gas engines—a numerous and historically difficult-to-abate source of emissions in the energy sector.

A Technological Leap in Emissions Reduction

At the core of the project are two key innovations. The first is CarbonQuest's Distributed Carbon Capture System (DCCS™), a modular technology designed for on-site, medium-sized applications. Unlike massive, centralized carbon capture plants that require immense capital and long development timelines, distributed systems offer a more flexible and scalable approach. They can be deployed directly at the source of emissions, making them ideal for the geographically scattered infrastructure of the natural gas industry.

"Our distributed carbon capture technology for medium-sized applications is ideally suited for natural gas compressors found at gas processing facilities," said Shane Johnson, CEO of CarbonQuest. He noted that the project is "a great opportunity to expand our North American footprint."

The second, and perhaps more revolutionary, component is the integration of an advanced material known as a metal-organic framework (MOF). Developed by Captivate Technology, these MOFs are highly engineered, porous materials that act like molecular sponges, selectively sieving CO2 from exhaust streams. Their primary advantage over traditional liquid amine solvents lies in their potential for significantly lower energy consumption. The process of releasing the captured CO2 for storage—known as regeneration—is often the most energy-intensive part of carbon capture. MOFs can be regenerated with less energy, promising lower operational costs and a better overall carbon footprint for the capture process itself.

"This project tests our proprietary metal-organic framework (MOF) in a commercial setting, enabling us to demonstrate how advanced adsorbent materials can revolutionize carbon capture processes," explained Shane Telfer, Chief Executive Officer of Captivate Technology. "This is the first step in our cooperation with CarbonQuest to develop MOF-based carbon capture projects."

The Alberta Advantage: Public-Private Partnership Drives Innovation

The project's viability is significantly bolstered by strong government support. Of the $4,100,000 in project funding, half is provided by the Alberta government through its key innovation arms: Emissions Reductions Alberta (ERA) and the Natural Gas Innovation Fund (NGIF). This public investment underscores a broader provincial strategy to position Alberta as a leader in carbon management technology.

For Alberta, supporting such projects is a multi-faceted gambit. It helps the province's vital energy industry meet increasingly stringent climate targets, maintains its competitiveness in a global market that values lower-carbon products, and leverages its unique geological advantages for permanent CO2 storage. By de-risking innovative technologies, the government aims to accelerate their adoption and build a robust clean-tech ecosystem.

"We thank Emissions Reductions Alberta, the NGIF, and the government of Alberta for recognizing the importance of this project and stepping up with funding," said Johnathon Sipos, CEO of Cielo Carbon Solutions, the Canadian partner facilitating the project. "Sequestering carbon in Alberta is the right approach, one that promotes both economic prosperity with environmental stewardship, and we hope to see more CO2 injection wells developed in Canada."

Once captured, the CO2 will be transported via a short pipeline for permanent sequestration deep underground in one of Alberta’s well-characterized geological formations, a process governed by the province's rigorous regulatory framework for safety and permanence.

Decarbonizing Natural Gas: A Blueprint for a Hard-to-Abate Sector

For Tourmaline Oil, one of Canada's largest natural gas producers, the project is a tangible step in its corporate decarbonization journey. The company has set ambitious emission reduction targets and views carbon capture as a critical tool for achieving its long-term goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Natural gas compressors, essential for moving gas through pipelines, are a significant source of Scope 1 emissions that must be addressed.

"Now is the time to develop our natural gas assets and pursue Canada's natural gas opportunity," stated Scott Volk, Director of Emissions and Innovation at Tourmaline. He highlighted Canada's abundant supply of lower-carbon-intensity natural gas and noted that the company has been advancing its carbon capture initiatives since 2021, leading to the decision to pilot CarbonQuest's technology for its "practical natural gas focused solution."

This on-site approach provides a potential blueprint for the entire industry. If the technology proves both technically effective and economically viable, it could be replicated across hundreds of similar facilities in Canada and beyond, making a meaningful dent in the sector's overall emissions profile. The project's success could transform what was once considered an unavoidable operational emission into a manageable one, solidifying the role of natural gas as a transition fuel in a lower-carbon energy system.

The international collaboration between American, Canadian, and New Zealand firms, backed by government support and a major industry player, exemplifies the multi-stakeholder model required to tackle complex climate challenges. As the world looks for practical ways to decarbonize heavy industry, the lessons learned at a single gas facility in rural Alberta could have a far-reaching impact on the future of energy production.