Denmark Unveils Its First CO2 Storage Hub, Ready for Large-Scale Carbon Intake

The Project Greensand consortium has successfully submitted the final report for its CO2 storage pilot project, setting the stage for large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) in Denmark. Project Greensand made history on March 8, 2023, with the first-ever injection of CO2 in the North Sea, demonstrating that captured CO2 can be safely transported across borders and stored offshore. In the months following, the classification society DNV verified the safety of all aspects of the CO2 storage process within the closed Nini West reservoir, located 1,800 meters below the seabed.

Mads Gade, Country Manager at INEOS Denmark and Commercial Director at INEOS Energy, expressed confidence in the project's results. "We now have documented proof that CO2 can be stored safely and permanently in the North Sea subsoil. The CO2 behaves as expected at 1,800 meters beneath the seabed, providing a solid foundation for the next steps in advancing CCS in Denmark." This pilot phase completion marks a critical milestone for the 23 consortium partners involved, with INEOS, the lead partner, already applying for approval to develop Denmark's first large-scale CO2 storage facility in the North Sea.

The plan is to begin storing CO2 by the end of 2025 or early 2026, with an initial target of 400,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. By 2030, the project aims to scale up to store as much as 8 million tonnes of CO2 per year beneath the North Sea's seabed. The experience gained from Project Greensand will also contribute to ongoing research into the feasibility and safety of storing CO2 on land in Denmark, with the Gassum reservoir in Jutland being explored for this purpose.

Earlier this year, the Danish Minister for Climate, Energy, and Utilities awarded INEOS, Wintershall Dea (now Harbour Energy), and Nordsøfonden an exploration license for the Gassum reservoir. This exploration represents a potential expansion of Denmark’s CCS capabilities to onshore locations. Gade emphasized Denmark’s leadership in CCS, noting, "When we stored the first CO2 in the North Sea, Denmark moved to the forefront of CCS globally. Now, we are exploring the next steps, building on the invaluable experience gained from Project Greensand’s pilot phase."

One of the consortium's primary ambitions is for Greensand to become the first operational CO2 storage facility in the EU. The team is currently awaiting approval from Danish authorities to move forward with permanent storage. This approval is seen as a crucial next step, as Gade highlighted the significant economic and employment opportunities tied to Denmark's CCS leadership. If Denmark captures even 5% of Europe’s future CCS market, it could create up to 9,000 jobs and generate economic potential worth DKK 50 billion.

In 2022, the Danish Energy Agency granted INEOS E&P and Wintershall Dea the first permit for a CO2 storage project in Denmark as part of the Greensand Pilot Injection Project. By February 2023, the partners received a full-scale CO2 storage permit for the Danish North Sea, solidifying Denmark's role in advancing global CCS efforts.