This covers developing regulations for and supervising the industry. Havtil’s role includes giving consent for injection wells, following up facilities and interfaces with other regulatory authorities, and participating in licence awards, on project management bodies and in international collaboration between regulators.
The goal is to make provision for secure CO2 management through regulations, guidelines and supervision in line with technological developments.
How is carbon capture and storage (CCS) conducted?
CCS involves removing CO2 emitted by industrial production/electricity generation and storing it permanently beneath the seabed to prevent its release to the air.
The process involves three stages.
- Capture: CO₂ is separated from other industrial emissions or natural gas.
- Transport: the CO₂ is liquefied by compression to simplify shipborne or pipeline transport.
- Storage: liquefied CO₂ is injected in a formation deep beneath the seabed for permanent secure retention. The formation is monitored to prevent leaks.
Norway has more than 25 years of experience with secure carbon storage on the Sleipner and Snøhvit fields. These are Europe’s only operational CO₂ management projects, and experience from them will be valuable for future developments.