- Greensand will become the EU’s first operational offshore CO₂ storage site.
- Denmark plans to scale CO₂ storage to eight million tonnes by 2030.
Denmark is preparing to activate the North Sea CO₂ storage project, marking a significant milestone in European climate action. The North Sea CO₂ storage project aims to store substantial volumes of captured carbon beneath the seabed. The plan revitalises depleted oil fields and provides a robust pathway for long-term emissions reduction.
A helicopter journey across the North Sea shows the remote Nini oil field rising from the horizon. The field, once a source of fossil fuels, now stands ready for a very different purpose. INEOS plans to inject liquefied carbon dioxide deep into the empty reservoirs, almost reversing the original extraction process. The CO₂ will sit 1,800 metres beneath the seabed in secure sandstone formations.
The Siri platform will serve as the final operational point for the Greensand Future project. When commercial operations begin next year, Greensand will become the first fully functioning offshore CO₂ storage site within the European Union. Environmental groups accept that carbon capture and storage can play a role, and they continue to warn industries not to use it as an excuse to avoid emissions cuts.
Mads Gade, Chief Executive of INEOS Energy Europe, states that operations will commence with an annual capacity of 400,000 tonnes. The company expects to increase this to eight million tonnes by 2030. Gade notes that Denmark can store several centuries of its own emissions, and he believes the country can also support Europe.
Furthermore, Greensand has signed agreements with Danish biogas producers. These facilities will send captured emissions for storage in the Nini field. A new CO₂ terminal is under construction at the Port of Esbjerg, and a dedicated transport vessel is being built in the Netherlands.
Scientists say the Greensand reservoir is ideal for long-term storage. The sandstone contains numerous tiny cavities that can securely hold injected CO₂. Researchers confirm that the sealing rock above the reservoir can withstand the added pressure.
However, experts warn that global capture levels remain minimal. Many facilities consume large amounts of energy, and the technology still accounts for only a small share of the worldwide emissions. Campaigners argue that industries must continue cutting emissions at the source instead of relying solely on storage.
INEOS maintains that storage remains essential during the transition. The company also intends to develop another North Sea oil field, and Gade argues that regional production has a lower environmental impact compared to imports.