Norway's Northern Lights project has successfully injected its first volumes of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the seabed of the North Sea, marking a significant advancement in carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. This achievement is a key component of the broader Longship project and demonstrates the growing viability of CCS for mitigating emissions from heavy industry.
The collaborative effort, involving energy giants Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies, saw CO2 captured from Heidelberg Materials' cement plant in Brevik, Norway. The captured carbon was liquefied, transported via specialized vessels to the Northern Lights terminal in Oygarden, near Bergen, and then injected 2,600 meters beneath the North Sea seabed into the Aurora reservoir.
Phase 1 of the Northern Lights project has an initial annual storage capacity of 1.5 million tons of CO2, which has already been fully secured by industrial clients. Northern Lights is recognized as the world's first open-access CO2 transportation and storage network, offering a tangible solution for hard-to-abate industries across Europe to reduce their carbon footprint. The project benefits from strong governmental support from Norway.
Looking ahead, Phase 2 of the project is set for expansion. A final investment decision was announced in March 2025 for this phase, which will increase the annual storage capacity to over 5 million tons of CO2 by 2028. This expansion will involve developing new onshore storage tanks, pumping systems, a quay, and additional injection wells and transport ships. The project has secured commercial agreements with several key industrial players, including Stockholm Exergi, Heidelberg Materials, Hafslund Celsio, Yara, and Orsted, underscoring its broad appeal and capacity to serve diverse industrial needs.