The concept of CO₂ injection into underground wells in the Atlas project located in the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) was introduced by Aker BP and Höegh Evi. This project is designed to store CO₂ through marine transport vessels and has a total storage capacity permit of 150 million tons.
Details of the Atlas Project
The Atlas project aims to inject up to 6 million tons of CO₂ per year in its initial phase, with the possibility of further expansion in the future. Aker BP plans to begin the first injection around 2031 and continue operations for over 25 years. This project is designed to help reduce the decarbonization of European industries whose CO₂ emissions are not easily avoidable.
Direct Marine Injection Concept
The developed concept by Aker BP includes the use of CO₂ transport vessels operated by Höegh Evi to transfer liquid CO₂ to the storage site. This method does not require new onshore facilities, border pipelines, or permanent offshore structures, providing a scalable and flexible storage pathway. The goal of this concept is to connect multiple European industrial clusters to high-quality storage in the Norwegian continental shelf.
The DNV assessment included the marine infrastructure needed to transfer CO₂ from the ship and inject it into the reservoir. DNV identified the main technical challenges and uncertainties of this concept and deemed them manageable at this stage of development. This assessment indicates that the concept is feasible within the reviewed scope.
The Atlas project received EXL011 approval from the Norwegian Ministry of Energy in September 2024, and Aker BP with 80% and ORLEN with 20% are collaborating as the project operator. This project is listed in the European Commission's second list of projects of common interest, and in October 2026, Aker BP and Höegh Evi received €223 million from the European Union Innovation Fund to support the Atlas CO₂ transport and storage network.
The direct marine injection concept may also be utilized in another CO₂ storage permit named EXL005 Poseidon, which is managed by Aker BP.
