Ineos-led consortium makes breakthrough in Carbon Capture and Storage
On Wednesday, March 8th, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark officially initiated a world-first with the safe injection of carbon dioxide into a depleted oil field reservoir in the Danish North Sea.
The event represents a major step for Project Greensand and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) capability in Denmark, demonstrating for the first time the feasibility of a cross-border value chain for CO2 to be safely and permanently stored in the INEOS-operated Nini field.
Material testing and selection
Project Greensand is a collaboration between 23 companies – led by INEOS and Wintershall Dea – with the aim of storing up to 8 million tons of CO2 per year by 2030.
Welltec’s role involves necessary material testing and selection.
“We’re incredibly proud to be part of this international collaboration in Project Greensand. The decision was made around a year and a half ago to establish a full-scale Test Flow Loop at Welltec’s facility in Esbjerg and begin with initial material testing, the results of which will play a significant role in CCS development,” said Lia Khasanova, Welltec’s Commercial Director for New Energy and Climate Technology.
"As we're progressing with the tests in collaboration with other project partners, we’re gaining an abundance of knowledge regarding the impact of CO2 on materials and equipment, and these learnings are of great value to the future of Project Greensand and the wider CCS industry."
“A big moment for Europe’s green transition”
The event to celebrate the achievement of the first carbon storage was held in Esbjerg, Denmark, and hosted by INEOS and Wintershall Dea, lead partners in the Project Greensand consortium.
Commenting on this significant achievement, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission said, “This is a big moment for Europe’s green transition, and for our clean tech industry. The first-ever full value chain, for carbon capture and storage in Europe. You are showing that it can be done. That we can grow our industry through innovation and competition, and at the same time, remove carbon emissions from the atmosphere, through ingenuity and cooperation. This is what Europe’s competitive sustainability is all about.”
The European Commission estimates that the EU will need to store up to 300 million tonnes of CO2 per year by 2050 to meet its climate goals.
Project Greensand
The variety of stakeholders in Project Greensand bring expertise and experience from Carbon Capture and Storage, business, academia, government, and start-ups. It is supported by the Danish state through the Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Program (EUDP). CCS is considered a key technology in reaching the Danish 2045 net zero target. The CO2 injected into the Nini field is stored at a depth of about 1,800 meters below the seabed and will be closely monitored.