TotalEnergies, along with its partners Equinor and Shell, has announced the Final Investment Decision (FID) for the second phase of the Northern Lights development. This expansion will significantly enhance the project’s capacity, increasing its CO2 transport and storage capabilities from 1.5 million to more than 5 million tons per year by 2028.
TotalEnergies said the initial phase of the Northern Lights project is ready to receive CO2 from industrial sources. Operations are set to commence this summer, beginning with the transportation of CO2 by ship from Heidelberg Materials’ cement plant in Brevik, Norway. This CO2 will be permanently injected into a subsurface reservoir located 2,600 meters beneath the seabed off the coast of Oygarden in western Norway.
The second phase of this project represents an investment of NOK 7.5 billion, approximately $700 million, and builds upon the already established onshore and offshore infrastructure. The expansion will include additional onshore storage tanks, pumps, a jetty, injection wells, and specialized transport vessels. These elements are anticipated to be completed and operational by the latter half of 2028.
The decision to proceed with the second phase follows the signing of a long-term commercial agreement between Northern Lights and Stockholm Exergi, a Swedish district energy provider. This 15-year agreement ensures the cross-border transport and storage of 900,000 tons of biogenic CO2 emissions annually, starting in 2028.
Stockholm Exergi is the fifth company to collaborate with Northern Lights for CO2 transport and storage, joining Heidelberg Materials and Celsio in Norway, Yara in the Netherlands, and Ørsted in Denmark. Furthermore, Northern Lights is actively engaging in advanced discussions with several major European industrial clients to allocate the remaining storage capacity.
Nicolas Terraz, President of Exploration & Production at TotalEnergies, emphasized the significance of the Northern Lights Phase 2 expansion, describing it as a major milestone in the carbon capture and storage (CCS) sector. He highlighted that the project offers a tangible solution for hard-to-abate industrial emitters across Europe, enabling them to lower their carbon footprints and maintain long-term sustainability.
Tim Heijn, Managing Director of Northern Lights JV, underscored the commitment to expanding CO2 transport and storage services, viewing the investment decision as a crucial step toward building a commercially viable CCS market in Europe.
GreentechLead.com News Desk