A milestone in Vestland as Norway’s first CO₂ storage is put into operation

The inaugural injection of CO₂ occurred at 10:30 AM Tuesday this week, as gas captured from Heidelberg’s cement plant in Brevik was pumped down a 100-kilometre pipeline to the Aurora reservoir, nestled 2,600 metres beneath the seabed in Øygarden in Vestland. Northern Lights is now capturing 80 tonnes of CO₂ per hour—equivalent to about 700,000 tonnes annually, if operated continuously.

Key role in energy transition

Large scale carbon capture, transport and storage (CCS) will play a key role in the energy transition as it offers a solution for large and hard-to-abate industrial emitters that need to decarbonise their processes.

The first phase capacity of 1.5 million tons of CO₂ per year is fully booked, and the joint venture owners continue to work on plans to increase the transport and storage capacity for the future. Hence, already before the official opening, Northern Lights started preparing for further growth. The facility is undergoing scale-up initiatives through a NOK 7.5 billion investment, boosting its storage capacity from 1.5 to 5 million tonnes of CO₂ per year. The expansion follows a new storage agreement with Stockholm Exergi, linked to its sizable biomass power station.

By early 2026, the plan is to take delivery of two more ships to better facilitate CO₂ transport, including volumes from Heidelberg (approximately 400,000 tonnes annually), Ørsted in Denmark, and Yara in the Netherlands.

Important cooperation

At the opening, The Norwegian Minster of Energy Terje emphasised the strategic importance of public–private collaboration and government risk-sharing in the early stages of such innovation, dismissing criticism that the project represents wasteful public spending.

- This project demonstrates what can be achieved when authorities and industry are working towards the same goal and co-invest to reduce risks. Equinor has several CO₂ transport and storage developments in our portfolio as operator and partner. The established Northern Lights value chain and experience from the project will be valuable in maturing and scaling up future CCS projects, said Opedal at the opening.

The Northern Lights facility is co-owned by energy companies Equinor, TotalEnergies and Shell. The operation is a demonstration of Vestland’s capacity to host globally significant green industrial innovation, all while anchoring local economic transformation and climate stewardship. Photo: Torstein Lund Eik, Equinor.

Vestland: A green industry catalysis

Vestland stands at the heart of a pioneering climate solution, reinforcing Norway’s reputation as a leader in industrial decarbonisation.

In a regional context, the Northern Lights project sets a precedent for partnering industrial emitters—like cement, energy and waste operators—in decarbonisation efforts. Vestland benefits not only geopolitically, but also economically, through the development of new facilities and associated services

Øygarden kommune, with close to 40 000 inhabitants, stretches across a chain of islands off Bergen’s west coast.  This coastal and island-based geography positions Øygarden as a significant area for both traditional fishing and modern energy sectors, especially offshore oil and gas. Oil and gas have been an important part of the economy for 50 years and is now promoting a transition to green and sustainable industries. 

Key facts:

• The Northern Lights facility consists of a receiving terminal, injection pipeline and subsea installations and is a parthership between Equinor, TotalEnergies and Shell.
• Captured and liquefied CO₂ at the customers sites is transported by ship to the onshore receiving terminal at Øygarden. From the terminal, CO₂ is transported by pipeline for storage in a reservoir 2.600 meters under the seabed in the North Sea.
• The Northern Lights project created ripple effects in 2023 of 1.7 bn NOK in deliveries, over 900 man-years and 1.3 bn NOK in value creation.