Perenco has successful concluded the UK’s first Carbon Dioxide (CO2) injection test for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). The test involved the injection of CO2 into a depleted natural gas reservoir in the UK’s Southern North Sea, marking a major milestone for Project Poseidon and the UK’s broader decarbonisation strategy. 

Petrodec’s ERDA, the first rig in the UK to have achieved an approved safety case for CO2 injection support, has now sailed away from the Leman 27H platform. This marks the end of the test which was carried out by the Project Poseidon Joint Venture, comprising Perenco UK, Carbon Catalyst Ltd, and Harbour Energy. 

The Poseidon injection test delivered to plan with a total of 15 injection cycles performed into the Leman gas field, mobilising 11 CO2 offshore batch refills. The operational programme was performed in a timely and safe manner, without injection issues and, importantly, with the acquisition of an exceptional dataset. 

This operation proves not only that Carbon Storage can be a reality for depleted fields of the Southern North Sea, but also that it is possible to widely reuse petroleum production infrastructure to unlock cost effective projects. 

The injection test marked a successful collaboration across a number of organisations from the energy, CCS and service sectors, coordinated by the Perenco UK – Petrodec – Dixstone backbone. Perenco is hopeful that this project will strengthen confidence in the CCS industry by progressing the regulatory path and contributing to setting the technical standard for future UK CCS projects. 

Armel Simondin, CEO, Perenco, commented: “This test has met our expectations, both in terms of technical execution and the quality of data gathered. These insights are instrumental as we move to the next phase of developing the Poseidon Project. The successful test highlights the role our industry can play in the UK’s decarbonisation efforts. The Perenco CCS team and our joint venture partners are now fully focused on interpreting the results and converting new insights into an evidence-based development plan for Project Poseidon.”