The UK has taken a first step in its carbon capture and storage (CCS) efforts with the launch of a CO2 injection test into a depleted gas reservoir in the Southern North Sea.
Led by Perenco UK in partnership with Carbon Catalyst and Harbour Energy, the test is part of the Poseidon CCS project, which aims to store up to 40 million tonnes of CO2 per year by 2029. The test will provide critical data on using depleted reservoirs for permanent CO2 storage.
“This is a key moment, not only for Perenco and the wider Project Poseidon Joint Venture, but also for the UK’s decarbonisation ambitions,” said Jo White, General Manager at Perenco UK. “If successful, the project could be a significant store for CO2 in the future.”
The test follows preparatory work, including a workover of a former gas production well, now configured for CO2 injection. The ERDA rig, operated by Petrodec, is the first in the UK to secure an approved safety case for CO2 injection support.
The Poseidon project received a carbon storage licence from the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) and is part of the UK’s broader CCS push, backed by £22bn (27.4bn) in government funding for Track 1 clusters.
The project is one of several CCS initiatives by the UK. Other projects, such as Acorn CCS in Scotland and HyNet in Northwest England, are also advancing to develop large-scale carbon storage sites.
Why gas fields?
With depleted gas fields now being explored as a long-term CO2 storage option, the Poseidon test should provide insights into feasibility. Using such existing offshore infrastructure could cut costs and accelerate deployment compared with developing entirely new storage sites.
Norway’s Sleipner project, which has successfully stored CO2 in the North Sea since 1996, is often cited as a model for similar projects in the UK.
