Denmark’s First CO2 Storage Facility Now Operational
Denmark’s North Sea subsoil now hosts a safe and efficient CO2 storage facility, thanks to Project Greensand. The 23 partners have successfully completed the pilot phase, demonstrating the project’s viability and readiness.
The thorough technical verification ensures that the stored CO2 remains safely and permanently in the closed Nini West reservoir 1,800 meters below the North Sea seabed. The results of Project Greensand have been verified by DNV, a world-leading provider of risk, verification, and standardization services, confirming the project’s success.
“We now have documentation that we have a well-functioning storage for CO2 in the North Sea subsoil, where large amounts of CO2 that would otherwise have been emitted into the atmosphere can be safely and permanently stored," commented Mads Gade, Country Manager at Ineos Denmark and Commercial Director at Ineos Energy, the leading partner behind Project Greensand. "That confidence gives us a solid foundation to take the next steps that will be crucial for CCS in Denmark.”
Project Greensand, the first in the world to demonstrate cross-border CO2 transport and offshore storage, marked its success on March 8, 2023, in Esbjerg. The project, supported by EUDP, has provided valuable experience to Danish and international companies, enhancing their role in the future CCS market in Europe.
With the pilot phase of Project Greensand completed and verified, Denmark is set to advance its CCS development. Ineos, leading the project, has applied for approval for Denmark’s first large-scale CO2 storage facility, aiming to start by late 2025 or early 2026, with plans to store up to 8 million tons of CO2 annually by 2030. Concurrently, efforts are underway to explore safe onshore CO2 storage in Jutland. The project’s success could create up to 9,000 jobs and support EU climate goals, leveraging Denmark’s expertise in CCS.
