New DNV specification targets risk reduction in CCUS projects

Norway-based classification society DNV has rolled out a new service specification aimed at verifying and certifying carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) facilities to help “de-risk” related projects as the carbon capture momentum accelerates.

As disclosed, the DNV-SE-0696 specification represents a “structured” methodology that could reduce uncertainty and mitigate risks linked to CCUS projects across the design, construction, and operation processes.

According to DNV, the specification covers CCUS subsystems such as carbon dioxide capture and dehydration systems, compression and liquefaction units, emergency shutdown and relief, safety assessments and hurdles, material selection, as well as injection sites.

It was noted that the DNV-SE-0696 supports onshore and offshore applications, including hybrid projects (for example, blue hydrogen with CCUS).

The trajectory of carbon capture, utilization and storage initiatives have been holding a steady upward course, with a projection that this sector could grow from 41 MtCO2 per year today to 1,300 MtCO2 annually in 2050, the Norwegian organization has said.

Moreover, as per DNV’s new “Energy Transition Outlook: CCS to 2050” study, carbon capture and storage (CCS) could grow fourfold by 2030. Cumulative investments are also anticipated to spike, reaching $80 billion by the end of the decade. Nonetheless, the report stressed that worldwide economic instability and budgetary pressures pose a ‘serious risk’ to CCS deployment.

Additionally, while carbon capture from natural gas production is expected to persist, DNV revealed that its share could decline from 34% in 2030 to just 6% of total capture by 2050— falling ‘well below’ the levels needed to achieve any net-zero scenario.

Due to this, representatives from the Oslo-headquartered classification society have once again highlighted that the maritime industry necessitates a ‘standardized’ verification process that could facilitate both regulatory compliance and investor confidence.

Sharing thoughts on the recent development, Lucy Craig, Senior Vice President, Growth, Innovation & Digitalization, Energy Systems at DNV, underscored that CCUS was “no longer a niche technology” but rather a “decarbonization imperative”.

Jamie Burrows, Global Segment Lead CCUS, Energy Systems at DNV, added that the “successful scaling” of CCUS projects hinged on early deployment.

Onboard carbon capture and storage (OCCS) technology has shown ‘huge’ potential in decarbonizing the shipping industry, but an array of issues persist, according to numerous maritime organizations, beyond DNV.

A study by Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI), the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) and Stena Bulk that was published in October last year, for instance, spotlighted the opportunities but also the challenges that need to be tackled within this landscape.

Lynn Loo, CEO of GCDM, shared at the time that the need to balance the tension between maximising CO2 capture rates while maintaining commercially acceptable CapEx and OpEx is one of the most pressing matters. Other concerns related to OCCS include additional costs due to fuel penalties, amine solvent replenishment, manpower, maintenance, and offloading services.

In May 2025, the GCDM revealed—after completing an analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the costs associated with OCCS across the entire carbon value chain—that the use of conventional MEA-based onboard carbon capture and storage systems can lead to a well-to-wake (WtW) GHG emission reduction of 29% for an HFO-fueled ship and that replacing HFO with bio-LNG or biodiesel can result in an emission cut from 69-121%, respectively.

The organization additionally noted that fixing the captured CO2 in concrete can increase GHG emissions savings from 29% to 60% by partially displacing the need for carbon-intensive cement in applications ashore.