World’s First Commercial CO₂ Storage Site Launches in Norway

Norway has opened the world’s first commercial carbon storage service, with the Northern Lights consortium — led by Equinor, Shell and TotalEnergies — injecting CO₂ beneath the North Sea seabed.

Captured emissions are liquefied, shipped to the Oygarden terminal, and piped 2.6km underground for permanent storage. The first injection came from Heidelberg Materials’ cement plant in Brevik.

Northern Lights, largely state-funded, has signed three contracts in Europe and can store 1.5 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, with capacity projected to rise to five million tonnes by 2030.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is used for industrial applications like producing fertilizers and synthetic fuels, as well as in the food and beverage industry for carbonation and food preservation.

It also serves as a coolant (dry ice), a fire extinguisher, a medical gas, and in greenhouses to boost plant growth.

Furthermore, it's used for welding, metal fabrication, and to enhance oil recovery, with future applications in construction materials and other innovative processes.