TotalEnergies, Equinor, and Shell Launch Northern Lights CO2 Storage Project in Norway

TotalEnergies, Equinor, and Shell have successfully launched the Northern Lights CO2 storage project in Norway, marking a significant step in carbon capture and storage technology. The initial phase has a storage capacity of 1.5 million tonnes of CO2 annually, fully booked by customers across Norway and Europe. A second phase will expand storage capacity to over 5 million tonnes of CO2 per year by 2028. The project aims to aid in reducing industrial emissions across Europe.

TotalEnergies, Equinor, and Shell have successfully launched the Northern Lights CO2 storage project in Norway, marking a significant milestone in carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. The initial phase of the project, which began operations in July 2025, has a storage capacity of 1.5 million tonnes of CO2 annually, fully booked by customers across Norway and Europe [1]. The project aims to aid in reducing industrial emissions across the continent by providing a scalable solution for CO2 transport and storage.

The Northern Lights project, located off the coast of Øygarden in western Norway, is the world's first cross-border CO2 transport and storage infrastructure. It involves transporting liquefied CO2 from capture sites to an onshore receiving terminal in western Norway, before transporting it by pipeline for permanent storage in a reservoir 2,600 meters under the seabed [2]. The project is a collaborative effort, with each partner owning an equal share of the venture.

The first phase of the project, which has been fully commissioned, can store up to 1.5 million tonnes of CO2 per year. Operations began in the summer of 2025, with the first delivery of CO2 by ship from the Heidelberg Materials cement plant in Brevik, Norway [3]. The CO2 was injected into the reservoir, off the coast of Øygarden, for permanent storage.

The second phase of the project, which will increase the project's transport and storage capacity to more than 5 million tonnes of CO2 per year by 2028, is already in progress. This expansion is enabled by a grant from the Connecting Europe Facility for Energy (CEF Energy) funding scheme, an EU program that supports the development of cross-border energy infrastructure [1].

The development of CO2 transport and storage services is one of the essential levers for reducing emissions and represents a realistic decarbonization solution for European industry. The Northern Lights project has developed a strong customer base in Norway and continental Europe, with already five industrial customers: Hafslund Celsio and Heidelberg Materials in Norway, Yara in the Netherlands, Ørsted in Denmark, and Stockholm Exergi in Sweden [3].

The successful launch of the Northern Lights project demonstrates the viability of carbon capture, transport, and storage as a scalable industry. The project is expected to play a crucial role in helping Europe achieve its climate goals by providing a tangible way to reduce CO2 emissions from hard-to-abate sectors [1].

References:

[1] https://totalenergies.com/company/projects/carbon-capture-and-storage/northern-lights-norway
[2] https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Northern-Lights-Project-Achieves-Major-Carbon-Storage-Milestone.html
[3] https://www.marketwatch.com/story/norway-first-co-2-storage-in-northern-lights-751f86cd