The Isle of Wight Council has voted to “strongly” object to ExxonMobil’s Solent CO2 Pipeline at a full council meeting tonight (Wednesday, September 18).

The pipeline, which would run from ExxonMobil’s Fawley oil refinery near Southampton to a CO2 storage site under the English Channel, has raised significant concerns among Islanders.

During the meeting, council leader Phil Jordan presented his Leader’s Update Report, which emphasised the council’s concern regarding the project. 

“There is little detail available to answer the many questions that we are aware local residents have,” the report noted.

"The cabinet are concerned about the potential impact of this proposal, particularly in relation to environmental and economic impacts.”

The council expressed frustration that the project does not offer direct benefits to the Island or its communities.

Cllr Nick Stuart, for Brighstone, Calbourne, and Shalfleet, led the charge against the pipeline, urging his colleagues to oppose ExxonMobil’s plans. 

He warned that the project would leave a “motorway-sized scar” across the Island, making the case for rejecting the oil giant’s intentions to seek permission for construction.

Cllr Claire Critchison, for Chale, Niton and Shorwell, has actively campaigned alongside Cllr Stuart against the pipeline.

She stated the importance of the council taking a public stance on the issue.

 

Councillor and MP for IW West, Richard Quigley, also voiced his support for the opposition, stating that the issue transcended party politics. 

The full council voted unanimously in favour of Cllr Stuart’s motion, sending a clear message of strong opposition to the ExxonMobil project. 

The decision follows considerable public concern, with many Islanders worried about the environmental consequences of the pipeline and the lack of clear benefits to the local community.

If approved, the Solent CO2 Pipeline would involve an underground pipeline up to 33km long, transporting millions of tonnes of captured CO2 to a storage facility beneath the English Channel. 

The project is part of ExxonMobil’s carbon capture initiative, which aims to store greenhouse gases deep underground instead of releasing them into the atmosphere.

As the scheme is deemed a national infrastructure project, it only requires government say and does not need council approval.