NSTA reports find offshore pipeline reuse could support UK carbon storage projects
Why this news matters
- Pipeline transportation is a critical link in the CCS value chain, connecting offshore carbon capture projects with permanent storage sites beneath the seabed.
- The ability to safely repurpose existing offshore oil and gas infrastructure could lower costs and accelerate development of large-scale carbon storage networks in the UK Continental Shelf.
Britain’s North Sea Transition Authority has published two new reports that address potential issues with transporting carbon dioxide (CO2) through offshore pipelines.
Newbuild CO2 pipeline requirements assessed
One of the NSTA-commissioned studies - Penspen’s “Capability Gap Analysis for Newbuild Offshore CO2 Pipeline Transportation Systems” investigated the properties of purpose-built new pipelines.
Penspen assessed contaminant management, fracture control, long-distance subsea tiebacks, metering, flow modelling and other considerations.
While the report identified no significant hardware concerns, the authors did highlight the limited experience of large-scale offshore CO2 pipelines globally. So design assumptions tend to rely heavily on experience with hydrocarbon pipelines, supported by modeling and testing.
Detailed requirements for CCS pipeline systems – including system integration, validation, and alignment across technical, commercial and regulatory interfaces - must be addressed to establish industry best practice and enable successful large-scale deployment of new CCS infrastructure in the UK, the NSTA said.
Existing offshore pipelines may offer reuse opportunities
The second report, “Offshore Carbon Dioxide pipeline repurposing potential in the UKCS,” authored by DNV, considered the potential for repurposing existing offshore hydrocarbon pipelines and associated equipment for CO2 transport.
Among the report’s conclusions:
- Repurposing offshore hydrocarbon infrastructure is technically feasible and cost efficient compared to new build pipeline systems
- The condition of existing infrastructure needs to be assessed for use in this new role
- Running ductile fracture (relevant to dense phase CO2 pipelines) – is a critical to determining repurposing suitability
The report found that in general, it appears some existing pipelines could be repurposed for either dense phase or gas phase operation. But if neither appears feasible, a new pipeline would be needed.
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About the Author
Jeremy Beckman
Staff Writer / Editor, Europe
Jeremy Beckman has been Editor Europe, Offshore since 1992. Prior to joining Offshore he was a freelance journalist for eight years, working for a variety of electronics, computing and scientific journals in the UK. He regularly writes news columns on trends and events both in the NW Europe offshore region and globally. He also writes features on developments and technology in exploration and production.