The Northern Lights project transports captured and liquefied CO2 from industrial sites by ship to an onshore terminal at Øygarden, Norway. From there, a pipeline delivers the CO2 to the Aurora reservoir, located 2,600 meters beneath the North Sea seabed. Phase 2 will expand the project’s capacity from 1.5 million to at least 5 million tons of CO2 annually, including a new jetty, additional storage tanks, increased pump capacity at Øygarden, and two additional offshore injection wells, bringing the total to four.
SLB OneSubsea’s contract includes supplying two new satellite subsea CO2 injection systems and related tie-in equipment, with work underway and initial deliveries scheduled for 2026. This follows the company’s delivery of two subsea injection systems for the project’s first phase in 2023. Mads Hjelmeland, SLB OneSubsea CEO, stated: “Equinor’s enduring commitment to subsea standardization is now yielding substantial benefits across new offshore value chains, including CO2 storage. By utilizing standardized components, we achieve reduced risk and economies of scale, which enhance both traditional and innovative subsea projects.”
On March 27, Northern Lights joint venture partners Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies finalized the investment decision for the Phase 2 expansion. In May, all necessary permits were secured to begin CO2 injection and storage in the Aurora CCS license. Phase 1, now complete and fully booked, is set to start operations in the second half of 2025, receiving CO2 from industrial customers.
Equinor previously awarded contracts to Subsea7 for a 5-kilometer CO2 pipeline and related installation work, and to Aker Solutions for the EPC of the onshore facilities at Øygarden. The Northern Lights project supports Europe’s transition to sustainable energy by advancing CO2 storage capabilities, contributing to reduced emissions and fostering innovative solutions for environmental management.
