DNV, Equinor to use tech to mimic a CCS release

Norwegian standards and regulation firm DNV and energy major Equinor said November 17 they were developing a software package meant to increase the safety for carbon capture and storage (CCS).

The parties announced the start of the development of the so-called KFX CO2 simulation software to complement CCS technology. The companies said that CO₂ in liquid or in supercritical form, a phase between a liquid and a gas, is heavier than air and any release from pipelines, trucks or ships would likely collect in pits or other contours in the terrain.

“To ensure the highest safety standards, it is critical to have tools that simulate what actually happens if accidents occur,” the parties said. “This is used as a basis for design and to mitigate consequences in the event of accidental release.”

The software will simulate an accidental release of CO₂ by taking thermodynamics and terrain into account.

“The development project, funded by Equinor, will bring these detailed simulation capabilities to KFX CO2, supporting a new level of safety for handling captured CO₂”, says DNV’s project manager Kjell Erik Rian.

Norway already has a leadership position in CCS technology, with several major projects in the works. The government estimates that there is the capacity to store as much as 80bn metric tons of CO₂ in the Norwegian continental shelf.

Equinor has a partnership with DNV that runs for the next three years to further develop the software for safety issues related to CCS.