NINI OIL FIELD – As you fly over the North Sea, one can spot the Nini oil field, a once-thriving spot for fossil fuels. Today, it’s being repurposed to fight climate change by storing carbon dioxide deep below the seabed.
Chemical giant INEOS plans to inject liquefied CO2 into this oil reservoir, nearly 1,800 meters (5,900 feet) underground. This process is part of INEOS’s ambitious project called Greensand Future, which aims to capture and store CO2 emissions. When it goes live next year, it will be the European Union’s first fully operational offshore CO2 storage site.
Experts say carbon capture and storage (CCS) has an important role in battling climate change. However, they warn it shouldn’t be an excuse for companies to keep polluting.
Future Plans
Mads Gade, head of INEOS Energy Europe, shares that the project will start by storing 400,000 tons (363,000 metric tons) of CO2 each year, with plans to ramp up to 8 million tons (7.3 million metric tons) by 2030. “Denmark could store more than 100 years’ worth of its emissions,” he said. This project also includes agreements with Danish biogas facilities to bury their captured carbon.
To facilitate this, a “CO2 terminal” is under construction at the Port of Esbjerg, along with a special ship called “Carbon Destroyer 1,” being built in the Netherlands.
A Beacon of Hope
Supporters of CCS highlight its benefits. It can significantly reduce CO2, the main greenhouse gas driving climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recognizes CCS as a critical tool in combating global warming. The EU aims to store 250 million tons (227 million metric tons) of CO2 every year by 2040 as part of its goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
Gade emphasizes the importance of finding ways to lower emissions without harming the economy. He stated, “We don’t want to deindustrialize Europe; we need options to decarbonize.”
Denmark’s geological survey finds that the sandstone in the Greensand project is ideal for storing CO2, with its tiny cavities and solid cap rock allowing safe storage without reactions that would compromise integrity.
Challenges Ahead
Yet, CCS isn’t without its critics. While numerous CCS facilities exist, they operate on a small scale and sometimes rely on fossil fuels for their activities. The International Energy Agency noted nearly 38 billion tons of CO2 emissions globally last year, whereas Greensand aims to store 8 million tons annually by 2030. Environmental advocates worry it may provide a convenient excuse for industries to delay making real changes to reduce emissions.
Helene Hagel from Greenpeace Denmark points out, “CCS should be used only where emissions are hard to cut; otherwise, society’s focus shifts to just capturing emissions instead of truly reducing them.”
As INEOS ramps up its initiatives, it is also exploring another oil field in the North Sea. Gade defends this direction, explaining that producing local energy has a lower carbon footprint compared to importing it.
The Greensand project is more than just a storage solution; it’s a step towards a sustainable future where businesses and environment can coexist.
For more insight on carbon capture and its implications, check out the IPCC report.
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Technology,Helene Hagel,Niels Schovsbo,World news,environment,Climate
