Mapping of the CO₂ storage potential in the Nordic region

The concept of utilising available pore space in deep saline sandstone aquifers for storage of CO2 was recognised in the late 1980s. In 1996, the first commercial CO2 storage project began with injection into sandstones of the Utsira Formation in Norway. The formation is located above the Sleipner Formation from where the Sleipner field produces natural gas. The project was initiated due to a high CO2 content of the natural gas, which was subjected to a Norwegian offshore carbon tax. The natural gas is produced on the Sleipner platform where the CO2 is separated, captured and reinjected from a neighbouring platform. The potential for using the technology to reduce CO2 emissions from large stationary point sources initiated many research projects aimed at mapping areas with potential CO2 storage capacity around the world.