at least 13,000 jobs could be created by storing carbon dioxide deep below the sea off the Scottish coast, a new report has claimed. a study by the Scottish Government said the Moray Firth could be the site of an emerging carbon capture and storage industry. Researchers said a rock formation, known as the Captain Sandstone buried half-a-mile beneath the Moray Firth could store at least 15 years and potentially a century s-worth of CO2 output from Scotland s power industry. Professor Eric Mackay, of Scottish Carbon Capture and Storage, said: The Captain Sandstone is just one of many rock formations filled with salt water in the North Sea. It could store massive amounts of CO2, helping the UK meet its targets for carbon emissions reduction. The research, funded by the Scottish Government and businesses within the energy sector, said carbon capture and storage could create 13,000 jobs in Scotland by 2020, and another 14,000 elsewhere in the UK. The report claimed the UK s share of worldwide carbon capture and storage business could be worth more than ?10 billion a year by 2025. Energy Minister Jim Mather yesterday unveiled the report Progressing Scotland s CO2 Storage Opportunities. He said it strengthened Scotland s position as the world s top location for the development of carbon capture and storage technology. He added: In depleted oil and gas fields and in its natural geology, the North Sea has an amazing carbon storage potential, the largest offshore storage capacity in Europe. Dr Richard Dixon, director of WWF Scotland, said: This report confirms Scotland is a great place to make this new technology work.