Carbon Catalyst Limited (CCL) announces the commencement of the Poseidon CO2 injection test on Monday, 10th February. This groundbreaking operation, the first of its kind in UK waters, marks a significant milestone for both the UK and the Poseidon Joint Venture (PJV). CCL would like to express its gratitude to the PJV operator, Perenco UK, for achieving this key landmark.

The Poseidon injection test utilises Petrodec’s Erda rig, specially equipped for the injection of CO2 into the H compartment of the Leman depleted gas field in the UK Southern North Sea. This operation follows the successful recompletion of the H27 well in August 2024.

Following a successful injection test, the PJV will progress towards a Final Investment Decision (FID) in 2027, and first commercial CO2 injection for permanent storage in 2029. It is anticipated that Poseidon will target an initial annual injection capacity of 1.5 million tonnes of CO2, scaling up to an ultimate annual injection rate of 40 million tonnes. Given this, and the potential 1 billion tonnes storage capacity, Poseidon is set to become one of the largest Carbon Capture & Storage projects in Northwest Europe.

Nick Terrell, Executive Director at Carbon Catalyst, commented:
“CCL is delighted to announce the start of CO2 injection at Poseidon. This project has the potential to play a very significant role in decarbonising both the UK and Continental European economies. As such, reaching this milestone is an extremely positive step in derisking the project and advancing it towards commercial viability.”

The Poseidon Project

Delivering a Carbon Capture and Underground Storage project, with an initial injection capacity of 1.5Mtpa, rising to an ultimate capacity of 40Mtpa, commencing in 2029.

In the North Sea Transition Authority’s (NSTA’s) first competitive Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) licence round, Perenco UK and partner Carbon Catalyst Ltd (CCL) were awarded a licence to progress The Poseidon Project, a carbon storage project in the Leman gas field. Leman is the largest reservoir complex in the UKCS, located in the Southern North Sea sector of the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) and offers a mixture of depleted gas reservoirs and saline aquifers in which to permanently store recovered CO2. Ultimate storage capacity, utilising both the BC9 aquifer and the various depleted reservoirs is ~1000Mt. 

The field is connected to the PUK Bacton Terminal, which will receive and process CO2 offshore.

The project, which has the potential to significantly decarbonise the East Anglia, Greater London and the Southeast of England, is due to come online by 2029. Initial CO2 injection rates will be circa 1.5 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa), ramping up to ~10Mtpa by 2034, and with further geological potential to peak up to ~40Mtpa, over a 40-year period.

Perenco UK currently operate one of the largest portfolios of gas assets within the UKCS and are ideally placed to leverage the existing infrastructure and capability to deliver a world class CCS operation.

The project will immediately move into further detailed appraisal of the storage sites and commence work, with our mid-stream and up-stream partners, to bring the selected concept to an on-time and on-budget delivery.

KeyFacts Energy: Carbon Catalyst   l   KeyFacts Energy: Carbon Capture news