World's First Subsurface Carbon Storage Facility Launched Under the North Sea

Norway has launched the world's first subsurface carbon storage facility under the North Sea. This was announced on Facebook by Levon Azizyan, director of the Hydro-Meteorology and Monitoring Center.

The Arctic Lights project is the first commercial CO₂ storage facility in Europe. Carbon dioxide captured from industrial sites is compressed and transported by sea to a terminal in Norway. It is then sent via a subsea pipeline at a depth of approximately 2.6 kilometers to the Aurora subsurface storage facility located on the seabed of the North Sea. This facility has a capacity of up to 1.5 million tons of CO₂ per year and is already fully utilized by clients.

By the end of 2025, carbon dioxide will be supplied from Norway and injected into the subsurface storage. Next year, gas will also be supplied from Denmark and the Netherlands. Starting in 2028, the capacity is planned to be increased to 5 million tons. This will significantly reduce carbon emissions from heavy industries and support global efforts in combating climate change.