The energy sector is going through a vital transformation phase as it seeks to run operations more efficiently and effectively and, ultimately, reduce its carbon footprint to deliver its net-zero ambitions.
There have been significant steps in the right direction and there was positivity on display at the Offshore Northern Seas (ONS) exhibition, where more than 60,000 people from over 1,000 companies and 82 countries got together to talk about sustainable energy and the many pathways to net-zero.
It was particularly pleasing that there was plenty of discussion about the role carbon capture and storage (CCS) can play in significantly lowering the volume of CO2 emissions generated during oil and gas operations.
This marks real progress. CCS was an ambition for energy sector growth at the previous ONS four years ago; now it’s happening and it’s part of the sustainability conversation. And, with the UN setting out its Global Roadmap to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, the momentum behind CCS has accelerated.
This is how CCS works: by capturing CO2 before it is released into the atmosphere, it can be stored elsewhere. The stored CO2 can then be stored in the ground or reused again and again, whether it’s for building materials or oil recovery, and this drastically reduces emissions.
CCS is deeply attractive to the industry for two key reasons: it shows that sustainability and profits can go hand in hand, and with companies increasingly having to demonstrate their net-zero objectives at boardroom level, failing to embrace CCS means they will get left behind by their competitors. It becomes the license to operate in many countries.
So, with a little help from new technologies, CCS can be a vital part of creating a better future. Crucially, it can secure vast energy resources for Europe, while simultaneously helping companies to make money and reach sustainability targets.
It’s win-win.
How we can reuse oil and gas technology for CCS innovation
There is a technology race in the energy sector. This has created an innovative environment, which can only be a good thing for reaching net-zero targets. Together with Kongsberg Digital, we are constantly looking to support our customers with next-generation software, technology, and tools. We can base this on existing technology from oil and gas production and can turn it into CCS technology – we are not starting from scratch.
When designing and building oil fields, companies should ensure they are consuming as few resources as possible. For example, about 10% of the steel in the US is for the energy sector and, globally, 8% of the CO2 footprint is generated from the steel industry. Oil pipelines and infrastructure tend to be built with high-quality steel, so mapping out how they can reduce the consumption of steel in the build and operation is a significant step in the right direction. Kongsberg Digital’s LedaFlow is a software-based solution that companies can use to ensure field design and operation are optimised to create a low environmental footprint. This is the same we need to do to deliver affordable CCS.
Only by advancing technology solutions can we achieve net-zero, which is why we are driving forward simulation technology. Simulation lets companies analyse potential outcomes before committing to building anything; billion-dollar investment decisions are based on accurate simulator technology.
LedaFlow allows us to consider the characteristics of unprocessed production flows, called multiphase flow. We can use variables such as different chemicals and materials in order to analyse energy consumption in production use and reduce inadvertent flaring, which in turn reduces costs, brings down emissions, and enables the continuous pipeline flow of unprocessed oil and gas over greater distances.
Now, following public funding for LedaFlow earlier this year from the CLIMIT Programme, we are aiming to expand industry capabilities for the transportation pipeline and injection of CO2 into the ground into saline aquifers and depleted oil and gas reservoirs.
