Danish Oilfield Technically Cleared for CCS
Independent certification body DNV GL has approved the use of the depleted Nini oilfield off Denmark as a storage site for CO2 (CCS). It can take 450,000 metric tons/yr for a decade starting in 2025 if all goes to plan, Maersk Drilling said November 25, pointing out that, as in other similar projects, a value chain in this immature industry is needed to attract investments.
Nini West was operated by petrochemicals company Ineos (53%) with partner Wintershall Dea, a major German independent producer. Maersk Drilling has joined as partner in the newly christened Project Greensand.
The Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) acts as research partner to the project and is in the process of performing laboratory experiments of core material from the actual Nini West reservoir.
Maersk Drilling expects that Project Greensand will provide important learnings about how offshore drilling rigs and capabilities can be used to repurpose existing oil wells for CO2 injection and handle well modifications during the injection period.
As part of the next phase of validation, Maersk Drilling will be applying DNV GL’s certification scopes for suitability of the CO2 injection well design and well construction process.
Wintershall Dea said it has been "producing from the relevant oil fields in Denmark for decades and already has a high level of knowledge of the reservoir characteristics. The Greensand project will further advance Wintershall Dea’s understanding of CCS projects, thus, we are pleased to see the positive outcome of the study which states that there are no showstoppers for futher investigating the storage of CO2."