North Sea (Denmark) — On Nov 26, a distant dot on the horizon gradually transforms into the isolated Nini oil field on Europe’s rugged North Sea, as spotted from a helicopter. Once a site for fossil fuel extraction, this field is now stepping into a new role: the permanent storage of climate-altering carbon dioxide beneath the seabed.
In a process almost akin to reverse oil extraction, chemical giant INEOS intends to inject liquefied CO2 deep into depleted oil reservoirs, reaching depths of 1,800 meters beneath the seabed. The Associated Press gained rare access to the Siri platform, near the unmanned Nini field, marking the final phase of INEOS' carbon capture and storage initiative, dubbed Greensand Future.
Upon commencing commercial operations next year, the Greensand project is poised to become the European Union's first fully-operational offshore CO2 storage facility. While environmentalists acknowledge the role of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in combating climate change, they caution against industries using it as an excuse to postpone reducing emissions.
Future Plans — Mads Gade, CEO of INEOS Energy Europe, outlines plans to start by storing 400,000 tons (363,000 metric tons) of CO2 annually, with ambitions to scale up to 8 million tons (7.3 million metric tons) by 2030. “Denmark has the capability to store more than several centuries' worth of our own emissions,” Gade asserts. “We can establish an industry that supports Europe in storing considerable amounts of CO2 here.”
The Greensand project has already secured agreements with Danish biogas facilities to sequester their captured carbon emissions in the Nini field’s depleted reservoirs. In addition, a “CO2 terminal” is being constructed at the Port of Esbjerg on Denmark’s western Jutland peninsula, while a custom-built vessel, "Carbon Destroyer 1," is in the works in the Netherlands.
Climate Solution — Advocates of carbon capture technology describe it as a climate solution due to its ability to remove the leading greenhouse gas driver of climate change and confine it underground. They emphasize that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the foremost global climate science authority, recognizes the technology as a key tool against global warming.
The European Union aims to develop infrastructure to store at least 250 million tons (227 million metric tons) of CO2 annually by 2040, aligning with goals to achieve “net zero” emissions by 2050. Gade contends that carbon capture and storage are among the most effective methods for reducing emissions. "We don't want to deindustrialize Europe," he states. "Instead, we intend to utilize various tools to achieve decarbonization."
According to Denmark's geological survey, the Greensand sandstone rock is ideally suited for storing liquefied CO2. Approximately a third of the rock's volume consists of tiny cavities, according to Niels Schovsbo, senior researcher at the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland. “There are no adverse reactions between the reservoir and the injected CO2, and the overlying seal rock maintains sufficient pressure containment capacity, ensuring a secure storage site,” Schovsbo adds.
Limitations and Criticism — Despite the global presence of carbon capture facilities, the technology is not yet fully scalable, often relying on fossil fuels for its operations and capturing only a minute portion of worldwide emissions. While the Greensand project targets burying up to 8 million tons (7.3 million metric tons) of CO2 annually by 2030, the International Energy Agency reports that global CO2 emissions reached approximately 38 billion tons (34.5 billion metric tons) last year.
Environmental activists argue that CCS is being misused as a rationale for delaying significant emission reductions. Helene Hagel, head of climate and environmental policy at Greenpeace Denmark, suggests, “CCS could be reserved for the few sectors where emission reductions are truly challenging or impossible, but relying on CCS across all sectors detracts from necessary emission reductions.”
As INEOS ramps up its carbon storage endeavors, it also seeks to initiate development in another previously untapped North Sea oil field. “Minimizing the carbon footprint linked to energy imports versus domestic production is crucial to Europe’s transition,” asserts Gade, defending the company’s strategy. “Our efforts align with creating a sustainable transition for Europe.”
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