World's First Offshore Post-Combustion Carbon Capture System Now Operating on Agogo FPSO

Offshore carbon capture has long been talked about as a future possibility. Now it's actually running.

Yinson Production, a Malaysia-based offshore energy company, has commissioned a carbon capture and storage (CCS) system aboard the Agogo floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) unit, making it the world's first post-combustion CO2 capture plant installed on an operating offshore facility. The milestone was achieved through a three-way collaboration between Yinson Production, oil and gas operator Azule Energy, and technology provider Carbon Circle AS.

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The Agogo FPSO is positioned as Angola's first carbon-neutral FPSO and sits at the center of the Agogo Integrated West Hub development. The asset is no small operation, capable of producing up to 120,000 barrels of oil per day and storing approximately 1.6 million barrels. Co-venturers on the project include Sonangol P&P and Sinopec International.

How the Capture System Works

The system uses CESAR1, an open-source amine-based solvent developed through years of academic research and international pilot testing. It's engineered to reduce the energy needed for regeneration while keeping absorption rates high, two qualities that matter a lot in the space-constrained, energy-sensitive world of offshore operations.

Getting it installed wasn't straightforward. Project partners had to work around limited deck space, added system complexity, and the constant pressure of keeping production running without interruption during commissioning. That they pulled it off is a real proof point for what cross-industry collaboration can do.

"For years, offshore carbon capture has been discussed as a possibility," Yinson Production noted in its announcement. "Today, it is running on a producing asset, under real operating conditions."

From Concept to Operating Asset

The Agogo FPSO has an interesting history. Originally built in 2009 as a very large crude carrier (VLCC), it was converted at Chinese shipyards before being redeployed. The vessel departed Shanghai in early 2025 with integrated emissions reduction capabilities already in place.

Yinson Production has framed this project as part of a broader push across its fleet, covering everything from energy efficiency upgrades to emissions-reducing technology. But this one carries extra weight, because it's the first time post-combustion capture has been proven in an actual offshore production environment.

A spokesperson for Yinson Production said the project "reflects that same mindset, taking practical steps that can make a difference," pointing to the company's lease and operate model as a key enabler for introducing new solutions safely on working vessels.

What It Means for the Industry

Offshore production has historically been one of the harder sectors to decarbonize. Fixed platforms and FPSOs face constraints that onshore facilities simply don't, and scaling carbon capture to fit those realities has been a persistent engineering challenge.

The Agogo commissioning doesn't solve everything, but it does close the gap between concept and reality. It shows that post-combustion CCS can be integrated into a working FPSO without halting production, and that's significant data for the rest of the industry to build on.

About Yinson Production

Yinson Production is the upstream oil and gas subsidiary of Yinson Holdings, specializing in FPSO leasing, operations, and integrated offshore solutions. The company has been expanding its low-carbon initiatives across its fleet as part of a broader decarbonization strategy.