CO2 safety regulation § 2

§ 2 Scope

The regulations apply to exploration for and exploitation of subsea reservoirs for storage of CO2 and transport of CO2 to such reservoirs in areas subject to Norwegian jurisdiction. The regulations also apply to transport of CO2 and exploitation of subsea reservoirs for the storage of CO2 in and outside the realm and the Norwegian continental shelf when it follows from international law or by agreement with a foreign state.
The regulations apply to equipment and systems for injection. This includes equipment and systems required for pipeline operation and maintenance, as well as equipment and systems for monitoring injection wells and emergency and safety systems associated with pipelines and injection wells, limited to the outlet of the CO2 well injection pipes.
Scientific research and exploration for subsea reservoirs for storage of CO2, and exploitation, transport and storage of CO2 in such reservoirs on the Norwegian continental shelf as part of the petroleum activities, are regulated by the Petroleum Act (Act of November 29, 1996, No. 72) with associated regulations.
The regulations do not apply to Svalbard.
Section last changed: 25 February 2020

About the scope in general
The regulations apply to safety and working environment for transport and injection of CO2 into submarine geological formations on the continental shelf.
The authority responsibility for handling CO2 on land at the catchment facilities and for any intermediate storage prior to transport by pipeline to landfill, is added to the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning. The Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority is responsible for transport in the pipeline from the upstream of the export pump and downstream to the outlet of the CO2 well injection pipe. The geographical boundary between the authorities' areas of responsibility will be specified in the cooperation agreement between the Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning and the Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority.
The transport and injection of CO2into subsea geological formations on the continental shelf has many similarities to the petroleum activities. This includes, among other things, activities related to drilling activity, development and injection of CO2 into geological formations, installation and operation of pipelines for CO2 and cessation of the storage site. The regulation of safety and working environment is thus based on the same principles that are used in the HSE regulations for the petroleum activities, adapted to the risk conditions represented by CO2 transport and injection.
Regulations relating to exploitation of subsea reservoirs on the continental shelf for storage of CO2 and relating to transportation of CO2 on the continental shelf facilitate a resource management system for transport and exploitation of subsea reservoirs on the continental shelf for injection and storage of CO2. The system is largely similar to that applicable to the petroleum activities. The requirements for safety in the regulations, in conjunction with these regulations, form a comprehensive regulatory regime for safety and working environment for CO2 transport and storage.
When transport and injection of CO2 are part of the petroleum activities, this is regulated by the petroleum legislation, including the HSE regulations for the petroleum activities.
The concept of safety in these regulations shall be understood in the same way as in the Petroleum Act. The regulations also include the working environment, which, according to the Working Environment Act, is a collective term for all factors in the work situation that can have an impact on the physical and mental health and welfare of employees. The content of the term is stated in Section 1-1 of the Working Environment Act. In addition to safety for health, for example as regards physical, chemical, biological and ergonomic factors, the term also includes psychological influences and welfare conditions. The most important working environment factors are mentioned in Chapter 4 of the Working Environment Act. See, in particular, Section 4-1 of the Working Environment Act, which requires a fully satisfactory working environment. For further discussion of this requirement, reference is made to Ot.prp. No. 3 (1975-76) (i.e. a proposition), Innst.O. No. 10 (1976-77) (i.e. a recommendation) and Ot.prp. No. 49 (2004-05) (i.e. a proposition).

Pipelines
The regulations apply to pipeline systems that are covered by Regulations relating to storage and transport of CO2 on the shelf.
Domestic pipeline systems for CO2 distribution do not fall within the scope of these regulations.