The world’s first cross-border CO2 transport and storage facility is completed and ready to receive and store CO2.

On 26 September the Norwegian Minister of Energy conducts the official opening of the Northern Lights CO2 transport and storage facility in Øygarden, near Bergen. The Northern Lights facility is a joint venture between Equinor, Shell and TotalEnergies.

“The completion of the Northern Lights facility marks an important milestone for the global development of a business model for carbon capture, transport and storage. It opens a value chain for decarbonisation of European industry and energy and shows the role we and our partners take in developing low carbon solutions in the energy transition,” says CEO Anders Opedal.

Large scale carbon capture, transport and storage (CCS) will play a key role in the energy transition as it offers a solution for large and hard-to-abate industrial emitters that need to decarbonise their processes.

The Northern Lights project is part of the Norwegian full-scale CCS project named Longship. The full-scale project includes capture of CO2 from industrial sources and shipping of liquid CO2 to the terminal in Øygarden. From there, the liquified CO2 will be transported by pipeline to the offshore storage location below the seabed in the North Sea, for safe and permanent storage.

“This project demonstrates what can be achieved when authorities and industry are working towards the same goal and co-invest to reduce risks. Equinor has several CO2 transport and storage developments in our portfolio as operator and partner. The established Northern Lights value chain and experience from the project will be valuable in maturing and scaling up future CCS projects,” says Opedal.

The first phase capacity of 1.5 million tons of CO2 per year is fully booked, and the joint venture owners continue to work on plans to increase the transport and storage capacity for the future.

Equinor and CCS

Equinor continues to work on a broad portfolio of CCS projects and license opportunities. We operate CCS at our Snøhvit and Sleipner fields on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. In Northwest Europe, the UK and the US we mature new capture, transport and storage projects onshore and offshore. Such new developments require continued collaboration between governments, industry, customers and regulators to enable large scale CCS solutions.

About Equinor

Equinor (OSE:EQNR, NYSE:EQNR), is an international energy company with a proud history. Formerly Statoil, we are 20,000 committed colleagues developing oil, gas, wind and solar energy in more than 30 countries worldwide. We’re the largest operator in Norway, among the world’s largest offshore operators, and a growing force in renewables. Driven by our Nordic urge to explore beyond the horizon, and our dedication to safety, equality and sustainability, we’re building a global business on our values and the energy needs of the future.

About TotalEnergies

TotalEnergies is a global integrated energy company that produces and markets energies: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables and electricity. Our more than 100,000 employees are committed to provide as many people as possible with energy that is more reliable, more affordable and more sustainable. Active in about 120 countries, TotalEnergies places sustainability at the heart of its strategy, its projects and its operations.

About Shell plc

Shell plc (FTSE: SHEL) (AMS: SHELL) (NYSE: SHEL) is incorporated in England and Wales, has its headquarters in London and is listed on the London, Amsterdam, and New York stock exchanges. Shell companies have operations in more than 70 countries and territories with businesses including oil and gas exploration and production; production and marketing of liquefied natural gas and gas to liquids; manufacturing, marketing and shipping of oil products and chemicals and renewable energy projects.