Microsoft to back Northern Lights CCS project

The Northern Lights Joint Venture and SLB have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Microsoft to optimize integrated cloud-based workflows for the operation of Northern Lights, one of the first CO2 transport and storage providers for cross-border carbon capture and storage (CCS).

In the initial phases of the collaboration, SLB will extend its digital CCS workflows and numerical simulation systems on its Delfi digital platform, which was deployed to streamline the subsurface workflows of Northern Lights in 2022.

Microsoft will deploy and extend its Microsoft Azure platform to ensure scalable cloud services that support Northern Lights’ business and the SLB digital CCS workflows.

The two companies are collaborating on the development of an Azure-compliant open-source data platform that will serve as the digital infrastructure for Northern Lights.

“Microsoft is thrilled to partner closely with SLB and Northern Lights to drive tangible CO2 reductions at scale in 2024 and beyond. We are confident this lighthouse project can help accelerate the CCS industry and the digital infrastructure that is needed to reach global climate goals,” said Sverre Brandsberg Dahl, Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft Energy and Resources Industry.

The Northern Lights Joint Venture was established by Equinor, TotalEnergies and Shell to accelerate the decarbonization of industry. The development of the transport and storage facilities is on schedule and Northern Lights will be ready to receive and store CO2 from industrial emitters in 2024.

The first phase has a storage capacity of 1.5 million metric tonnes of CO2 per year and the company has already entered into commercial transport and storage agreements with Yara and Ørsted.

To remind, the CCS project was recently awarded €131 million under the European Commission’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) funding scheme.

“Digital workflows are a key component to successfully managing CO2 through the end-to-end value chain, from capture point to permanent storage. Northern Lights is very pleased to partner with industry leading tech companies, SLB and Microsoft, on the development of digital CCS solutions,” said Børre Jacobsen, Managing Director of Northern Lights.