Solutions for transport and storage of carbon dioxide captured at Kårstø and Mongstad are to be developed by Gassco in cooperation with Gassnova SF and the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate.

Under mandate from the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy on 24 April, the company will seek to establish the basis for an investment decision on carbon transport and storage.

NOK 28 million has been provided to fund the project, which has been described as highly significant for Gassco by chief executive Brian Bjordal.

• We have long experience in designing gas pipelines, and possess the leading-edge expertise required by such a project, he notes.We're a leader for developing carbon transport solutions. This is a vote of confidence in us by the ministry, and shows that our expertise is in demand.

Due to be completed by 1 September next year, the latest commission moves the carbon transport and storage project into a new and important phase marked by extensive design work.

The goal is to help achieve the government's target of establishing full-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) solutions at Kårstø and Mongstad.

Together with Gassnova and the NPD, Gassco is already in the process of establishing a basis for making a choice of carbon transport and storage solution.

These assessments are due to be completed by 1 December and will take account of costs, reservoir conditions and technological risk.

According to the ministry, it will be important to establish effective coordination with the projects assessing carbon capture facilities for the Kårstø gas-fired power station and the combined heat and power station under construction at Mongstad.

Gassco's mandate also covers preparation of a plan for clarifying how the transport and deposition solution should be operated and used.

This work will form the basis for establishing the rights and duties of the various participants, and thereby also clarify aspects relating to ownership and operatorship.

The ministry also wants Gassco to see whether a commercial and technical basis exists for transporting carbon dioxide from other emission sources via possible pipelines from Kårstø and Mongstad.

Gassco is now preparing agreements with seven industrial companies on studies to assess carbon transport from each company's facilities to collection points at Kårstø and Mongstad.

All the carbon dioxide would then be piped offshore and injected for long-term storage into geological formations on the Norwegian continental shelf. The seven companies are Fortum, Haugaland Kraft, Industrikraft Midt-Norge, Industrikraft Møre, Naturkraft, Pohjolan Voima Oy and Sargas.

These studies will determine whether a basis exists for continuing work on solutions with larger transport capacity when the project moves into the design phase in December.

• Carbon transport and storage solutions involve substantial costs, and joint solutions are expected to provided major synergies, Mr Bjordal notes.

-The work we're doing now will show whether the industry is ready to take advantage of these potential benefits. -Joint solutions are expected to provided major synergies, says Mr Bjordal.

Tags: Gassco, Gassnova SF