Aquaterra Energy gets platform repurposing job for CCS project in North Sea

The UK-headquartered offshore energy engineering solutions provider Aquaterra Energy has been awarded a platform repurposing contract by INEOS, as part of a CO2 storage project in the Danish sector of the North Sea.

The Danish Energy Agency granted the first-ever permit for a CO2 storage project in Denmark at the end of 2022 to INEOS E&P and Wintershall Dea for the Greensand Pilot Injection Project. In February 2023, the partners received the first full-scale CO2 storage permit for the Danish North Sea. Come March 8, INEOS and Wintershall Dea marked a major milestone and a world first, thanks to the first-ever injection of CO2 in the North Sea as part of Project Greensand. A few months later, DNV verified the safety of all aspects of the project’s CO2 storage in the North Sea.

Aquaterra Energy has now been hired to support the life extension of the Nini offshore platform for CO2 injection until 2045 as part of the Project Greensand CCS development, offshore Denmark. This deal was awarded through a competitive tender. The UK player will deploy its expertise in offshore platform structural analysis, brownfield engineering, and asset life extension to determine the viability of the structure and guide the implementation of any necessary modifications.

Commenting on the new deal, James Larnder, Managing Director of Aquaterra Energy, remarked: “Project Greensand stands at the forefront of CCS deployment, so this also marks a pivotal moment in our own CCS journey. A key part of Aquaterra Energy’s growth strategy has been leveraging our deep oil and gas expertise to fast-track new offshore energy initiatives and Greensand represents an ideal opportunity for us to continue this. We’re excited about the prospects of further supporting the CCS sector, especially as innovative projects like Greensand come online.”

The Nini platform represents the initial project stage and will serve as the basis for the adaptations of further nearby platforms, in later phases of the project. Greensand is the most mature CO2 storage project in Demark, which aims to store up to 1.5 million tonnes of CO2 per year by 2025, making it a key project in meeting the International Energy Agency’s sustainable development scenario goal of 5,635 megatons of CO2 stored globally per year by 2050, according to Aquaterra.

After the CO2 has been captured from European emitters and transported to the platform located in the North Sea, it will then be sent underground via the existing offshore platform to be stored permanently in a sandstone reservoir 1,800 meters below the seabed. 

Anne Haase, Renewables Director at Aquaterra Energy, highlighted: “CCS is set to be a game-changer in the global transition to net zero. Over the past few years, we’ve been honing our skills and knowledge to really make a mark in the sector.

“This project is a fantastic opportunity for us to combine our rich offshore heritage and energy expertise to facilitate large-scale CO2 storage. Being a part of Project Greensand is really exciting – it’s an ambitious project leading the charge in implementing CCS at the speed and scale we need.”

In April 2023, Aquaterra Energy expanded its riser and connector portfolio with the addition of a completions and workover system that would support CCS developments. The firm won a subsea riser contract with BP for a development project located offshore Trinidad and Tobago in May 2023.

The following month, Aquaterra Energy, in partnership with TPMC, got a contract with an undisclosed Abu Dhabi-based operator to provide offshore riser equipment and services for the decommissioning of eight wells, in 80 meters of water depth offshore Abu Dhabi by 2028.