Gassco is responsible in this work for further studies on shipping CO₂ between capture locations in eastern Norway and west Norwegian storage sites.

The government is proposing to make available NKr360mn ($41.4mn) in its 2017 budget for the commitment to a full-scale project on CO₂ capture, transport and storage. Gassco and Gassnova submitted a feasibility study on CO₂ shipment by sea in July. Capture locations were Norcem in Brevik, Yara at Heroya and Klemetsrud EGE in Oslo.

“Our study showed that transporting CO₂ by ship is feasible, and we’re pleased that the government has chosen us to progress into the conceptual and pre-engineering phase,” said Gassco CEO Frode Leversund.

“We’ll continue working on the technical foundation and cost estimates, and then go out to the market to obtain specific bids from players in maritime CO₂ transport. “These tenders will form part of the basis for the government’s decision on investing in and realising the project.”

The government is planning to take a decision on investing in a CO₂ value chain in 2019, and at least one facility could be ready for operation in 2022. “Successful realisation of this project could provide the basis for handling much larger CO₂ volumes, and thereby make an important contribution to achieving the climate goals in the Paris agreement,” said Leversund.

Sleipner platform

(Credit: Statoil)

Norway is home to two major CCS projects, one of the world's largest at the Statoil-operated Sleipner field, and another in the Arctic at Snohvit.

Sleipner West gas has too much CO₂ which has to be extracted to meet customer requirements. Almost 1mn metric tons/yr are reinjected into a sandstone reservoir in Sleipner A. The CCS at Snohvit has been in operation since 2008 and has a CO₂ injection capacity of 0.7mn mt/yr. Both are pre-combustion-type CCS, extracting CO₂ direct from the gas stream. Statoil is also a partner in the Algerian In Salah gasfield, which also has CCS. 

William Powell