Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP) has announced financial close for the UK's first carbon capture and storage (CCS) project.
TotalEnergies, holding a 10% share in NEP, will contribute to storing up to four million tonnes of CO₂ annually. The infrastructure will serve three projects in Teesside, featuring a CO₂ network and offshore pipeline.
The NEP infrastructure will initially support NZT Power, H2Teesside and Teesside Hydrogen CO₂ Capture projects.
TotalEnergies senior vice-president new business – carbon neutrality Arnaud Le Foll said: “We are very pleased to be a part of this significant moment in the development of the UK’s CCS [carbon capture and storage] industry. NEP is a frontrunner project and we look forward to transporting and permanently storing CO₂ from one of the UK’s largest industrial regions.
“Our stake in NEP contributes to TotalEnergies’ objective to develop significant CO₂ storage capacities in the North Sea, where we can leverage our expertise in operations and geosciences.”
The project infrastructure includes an onshore CO₂-gathering network, compression facilities and a 145km offshore pipeline. This pipeline connects to subsea injection facilities in the Endurance saline aquifer, located approximately 1,000m below the seabed.
Construction is expected to commence by mid-2025, with the first CO₂ storage anticipated in 2028.
This timeline marks a significant step in the UK's efforts to reduce carbon emissions and transition to cleaner energy sources.
Northern Endurance Partnership director Chris Daykin said: “This is a landmark moment in the development of CCUS [carbon capture, utilisation and storage] infrastructure and the UK’s ambition to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. With joint backing from shareholders and the UK Government, Northern Endurance Partnership is entering its execution phase ahead of start-up expected in 2028.”
Earlier this year, TechnipFMC and Saipem were selected to supply and install an all-electric subsea system featuring manifolds, umbilicals and pipes for the CCS project.
