French-Norwegian cooperation on the capture and storage of
CO2

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A number of project proposals were defined after a two-day
seminar held in Oslo on 22-23 November attended by Norwegian
and French experts on CO2 capture and geological storage (CCS).

The methods of approach may be different in Norway and France
but the goals are the same; a significant and urgent reduction
in climate gas emissions. Norways goal is to reduce
these by 30 per cent by 2020, while France, like the rest of
the EU, is aiming for a 20 per cent reduction by 2020. By 2050,
Norway intends to be climate neutral, while France aims to
reduce its emissions to a quarter of their current level.

New joint project initiatives

The most important proposals are:

- The launch of a forum to discuss the suitability of various
CO2 capture technologies

- A possible EU project to look into transporting CO2 from
Normandy to the North Sea for storage

- Various forms of cooperation between large scale
demonstration projects in France and Norway

- Mutual participation in projects to develop technology or
industry standards

- A common research seminar to discuss CO2 to be arranged by
IFP and NTNU in the spring of 2008.

A lot of research work is being carried out in both Norway and
France, ranging from basic research to full-scale demonstration
projects, and more projects are in the pipeline. StatoilHydro
has 11 years experience with CO2 storage on the Sleipner
field in the North Sea. A test facility for CO2 capture
technologies will be built at the Mongstad gas power plant in
western Norway and be in operation in 2010 to which Alstom will
provide a capture plant. Gaz de France has experience from the
K12-B CO2 injection project in the North Sea.

Total has been running a CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage)
program since 2001:

We will acquire new experience when we in 2008 start
pumping CO2 into an empty gas reservoir in Lacq in South West
France. 150 000 Tonnes of CO2 will be pumped into the reservoir
during a period of two years, explained Totals
Project Director Nicolas Aimard.

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Liv Monica Stubholt in
the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy underlined that
we must implement several measures at the same time in order to
reduce climate emissions. CCS is one of the most important
measures, together with improving energy efficiency and the
generation of renewable energy.

The challenge facing CCS is that no full-scale facility
has yet been built yet. Financing will be a key factor for
carrying out the Mongstad project as quickly as is
necessary, Stubholt said, referring to
StatoilHydros test facility for CO2 capture in 2010 and
the plans for full CO2 capture at Mongstad from 2014.

Successful event

Businesses, research institutions and universities in both
countries have shown great interest in the seminar.

Instead of a traditional conference attended by
professional experts, we chose to arrange a seminar where
everyone had an opportunity to actively contribute to
discussions on needs and ideas. The framework was the highly
topical challenges involved in global climate change and the
two countries politicies and strategies regarding
research and technology development, says Ståle
Selmer-Olsen from DNV and chairman of the French-Norwegian
Foundation.

Ive wanted this seminar since I became ambassador
two years ago. Norway and France have cooperated in the oil and
gas sector for a long time, says Frances
ambassador to Norway, Chantal Poiret. This cooperation will be
even closer now that Total and StatoilHydro have been chosen by
Russias Gazprom to be involved in the development of the
Stokhman field.

This was demanding but the results exceeded our
expectations. New positive contacts were forged between experts
and a number of specific proposals regarding possible joint
projects were put forward. Weve already received a lot
of positive feedback and are convinced that the seminar and
proposals will be followed up, says Selmer-Olsen on
behalf of the organising committee.

The seminar was held in Alstom Norways office premises
in Oslo and was organised by the French embassy in Norway in
cooperation with Alstom, Det Norske Veritas (DNV), the Research
Council of Norway, the French-Norwegian Foundation (FNS) and
Total, with support from StatoilHydro and Gaz de France (GdF).

For further information, please contact:

Ståle Selmer-Olsen, tel: +47 675 794 81, +47 920 24 649

E-mail:
staale.selmer-olsen@dnv.com

French-Norwegian cooperation on the capture and storage of CO2

Press Contacts

French-Norwegian cooperation on the capture and storage of
CO2