Northern Lights partners with NORSAR for CO2 storage monitoring

Northern Lights has signed an agreement with NORSAR, an independent research foundation, to monitor the Aurora CO₂ storage reservoir in the North Sea. This initiative will enhance commercial opportunities for Northern Lights and Norway while marking the beginning of international exports of both storage capacity and Norwegian-developed technology.

“Norway has a leading position in carbon management and has, over many years, worked to develop carbon capture and storage as a cost-effective climate measure in an international perspective. The agreement between NORSAR and Northern Lights provides a cost-effective solution for monitoring CO2 storage with technology developed in Norway, which can be exported to other countries” says Minister of Energy Terje Aasland.

“Leveraging decades of expertise in CO₂ storage on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, Northern Lights will provide Norwegian and European industry with safe and permanent CO₂ storage within the Aurora CO₂ storage reservoir. Continuous monitoring of CO₂ injection and seismic activity will support safe and permanent storage and reliable operations” says Northern Lights Managing Director Tim Heijn.

NORSAR will establish and operate a permanent monitoring station near Bergen, using cutting-edge technology to detect and analyse seismic activity related to CO₂ injection in the Aurora reservoir. This data will support Northern Lights in maintaining operational integrity and ensure safe injection and permanent storage of more than 100 million tonnes of CO₂.

“Commercial CO₂ storage is a new business area with immense potential for Norway. It is crucial to build trust from day one. This monitoring will also reassure authorities and the public that the storage site maintains its integrity throughout both the injection and long-term storage phases,” says NORSAR CEO Anne Strømmen Lycke.