Statoil evaluating subsea carbon storage potential off Norway

July 3, 2017
Gassnova has tasked Statoil to assess the potential for developing subsurface carbon storage on the Norwegian continental shelf.

Offshore staff

STAVANGER, NorwayGassnova has tasked Statoil to assess the potential for developing subsurface carbon storage on the Norwegian continental shelf.

This would be the first storage site in the world receiving carbon dioxide (CO2) from several industrial sources. 

The project is part of the Norwegian authorities’ goal of developingfull-scale carbon capture and storage in Norway. It will capture CO2 from three onshore industrial facilities in eastern Norway, transporting it by ship from the capture area to a reception plant onshore the west coast.

On arrival, the CO2 will be pumped from the ship to tanks onshore, prior to heading through pipelines on the seabed to several injection wells east of the Troll field in the North Sea.

The location of the reception plant will be based on criteria including safety, costs, and flexibility for expansion. Gassnova was previously awarded the assignments for carbon capture and transportation in the project.

Statoil’s storage solution will have the potential to receive CO2 from both Norwegian and European emission sources and will require a new collaboration model with carbon capture from various industrial sources, carbon transportation by ships, and carbon storage 1,000-2000 m (3,281-6,562 ft) below the seabed.

In addition, this may herald the start of the world’s first CCS (carbon capture and storage) network across national borders, opening new business opportunities for Statoil, its partners, and Norwegian industry.

Results of studies conducted last year showed a carbon capture and storage chain in Norway would be technically feasible. The next phase will involve concept and pre-engineering studies to evaluate the possibilities in more detail, and to obtain accurate cost estimates toward a possible investment decision, likely to be taken by the Norwegian Parliament in 2019.

There are 21 full-scalecarbon capture and storage projects worldwide in the development or operations phase, among them Statoil’s CCS projects at Sleipner and Snøhvit in the North Sea and Barents Sea.

07/03/2017