Geotechnical site survey conducted for Horisont Energi’s Barents Blue ammonia project

The consulting engineering company Multiconsult has completed a geotechnical survey campaign at Markoppneset, Hammerfest, Norway for Horisont Energi and the Barents Blue ammonia project.

Horisont Energy has selected Markoppneset in Repparfjorden as the most promising location for the Barents Blue ammonia project. The geotechnical site and nearshore investigations confirm the site selection and the feasibility.

Multiconsult carried out extensive geotechnical onshore and nearshore soil investigations during the winter of 2021/2022, in addition to seabed mapping nearshore. It also conducted geotechnical design studies of the site. The result from the work remains positive, thus confirming that the area is fully suitable for the Barents Blue plant.

“The Multiconsult geotechnical mapping of the Markoppneset site demonstrates that we are on track with the development of Barents Blue. This gives us the assurances we need regarding the quality of the factory site,” says Horisont Energi CEO Bjørgulf Haukelidsæter Eidesen.

AThe plant needs a large area of approximately 400.000 square meters. Markoppneset is a suitable location for this purpose, according to the civil studies performed by Multiconsult. The location also has solid access road and airport connections both to Alta and Hammerfest. The area’s proximity also allows for the needed technical infrastructure and suitable freshwater sources.

Repparfjorden is sheltered, while at the same time providing sufficient space for maneuvering, anchoring and waiting for efficient product handling. Year-round safe marine operations have been demonstrated at the Snøhvit LNG facility for more than a decade.

Optimization of site preparation involves management of soil and rock materials on a large scale. The excavated soil materials must be moved, while all excavated rock will be reused on-site.

The plant concept at Markoppneset includes cavern storage of liquid ammonia. The site is well suited for such storage. Following the findings in the site surveys, further optimisation studies are planned for cavern storage in the next phase.

The Barents Blue project’s concept is to use natural gas from the Barents Sea to produce ammonia. It promises to provide Europe’s first large-scale clean ammonia production, located in Finnmark in Northern Norway. The project is a cooperation between Horisont Energi, Equinor, and Vår Energi.

The plant will specifically produce ammonia from water, renewable energy, and natural gas, with CO2 being captured and permanently stored in an offshore reservoir called Polaris.

Ammonia is both a major industrial gas and a potent energy carrier due to its high hydrogen content which can be used as a fuel directly.