Norway is at the forefront of pioneering carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies with its ambitious Longship project, aimed at establishing a comprehensive value chain for capturing and storing carbon dioxide.
The initiative is poised to position the North Sea as a pivotal North Sea CO2 storage hub, catering to various industries and countries across Europe. Energy Minister Terje Aasland emphasized the potential of the North Sea CO2 storage, touting it as a safe and permanent solution for CO2 storage, which could serve as a central depot for emissions-heavy industries looking to mitigate their environmental impact.
The Longship project represents a significant leap in Norway’s longstanding commitment to carbon management, leveraging nearly three decades of experience in carbon capture and reinjection in the Norwegian continental shelf. With the Sleipner and Snøhvit carbon management projects as precursors, Norway aims to demonstrate the viability and safety of North Sea CO2 storage. These projects have successfully separated, compressed, and reinjected carbon from gas production into seabed formations, showcasing the technical feasibility and environmental safety of such undertakings.
However, the journey of Norway’s CCS endeavors, including the Longship project, is not devoid of challenges. Critics and campaigners express concerns over the long-term risks and the potential environmental implications of indefinitely storing carbon under the seabed. Despite these concerns, the Norwegian government and participating entities like Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies, through the Northern Lights joint venture, are navigating these challenges with a focus on learning and improvement. They aim to address public acceptance risks and ensure the technical solidity of their solutions for North Sea CO2 storage.
The Longship project, valued at $2.6 billion, is designed to operate in phases with a vision to significantly enhance the capacity for carbon storage beneath the North Sea. Despite the high initial costs and the skepticism surrounding the project’s scale relative to Europe’s overall carbon emissions, Norway is determined to advance CCS technology. By showcasing the Longship and Northern Lights projects as benchmarks, Norway seeks to affirm the technical and financial viability of large-scale underground carbon storage. This initiative not only underscores Norway’s leadership in environmental stewardship but also its commitment to tackling climate emissions through innovative technology and international collaboration.
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/04/climate-change-norway-wants-to-store-carbon-under-the-north-sea.html