Study shows carbon capture and storage potential for North Sea ‘super basin’

The University of Aberdeen in Scotland has conducted a study to identify areas of a North Sea gas ‘super basin’ with the greatest potential for carbon capture and storage.

Research confirms that the Anglo-Polish Super Basin in the Southern North Sea has great potential as a carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) hub where industrial emissions can be stored in former gas fields and other geological formations.

The two-year study, funded by the Net Zero Technology Centre, was led by Professor John Underhill, director of the University’s Centre for Energy Transition.

Research findings highlighted the geological criteria that determine the areas with the greatest potential, as well as the need to assess non-geological risks. These risks include the potential for leaks along legacy wells and the need to avoid co-location conflicts with other stakeholders such as windfarm operators or the fishing industry.

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If used in this way, the basin could play a major role in helping European nations sequester carbon emissions and meet net zero targets while protecting industrial activity and prolonging the life of North Sea basin infrastructure.

Professor Underhill said: “The study highlights the areas where the best carbon stores are located and provides a basis to evaluate and rank sites.

“Perhaps just as importantly, it also demonstrates the urgent need for regulators and stakeholders to work together to resolve any issues that may arise from the co-location and overlap of technologies to avoid competition for the offshore real estate.

“The study also has global relevance and application, and the workflow we have used has already been adopted by other countries. We have also used it to undertake studies in other parts of the UK as well as in Malaysia, Egypt and Brazil.”

Dr Nick Richardson, head of exploration and new ventures at the North Sea Transition Authority suggests that this timely work will assist in the evaluation of storage sites and aid regulatory and marine planning bodies in identifying synergies between offshore activities.

Graeme Davies, Harbour Energy’s Project Director of Viking CCS commented on the research: "This leading independent academic study into the basin’s geology and structured approach to risk segment analysis provides a robust platform for the long-term development of CO2 storage opportunities and provides further insight into how we are well positioned to use our existing oil and gas sector’s skills, data and infrastructure to help develop the burgeoning CCS industry in the UK."

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The announcement of the research findings has coincided with news that the Viking and Acorn CCS projects have been awarded Track 2 status as part of the UK Government’s CCS cluster sequencing process.

The milestone will allow the projects to move into front-end engineering and design (FEED) and discussions over the terms of the economic licences, ahead of final investment decisions.

Viking has the potential to transport and store up to 10 million tonnes of CO2 annually by 2030.