Eight companies submitted applications to the Norwegian Ministry of Energy showing interest in securing potential CO2 storage areas on the Norwegian shelf.
The ministry is processing applications and plans to award exploration licenses in second-half 2024.
The companies submitting applications were Aker BP ASA, Equinor Low Carbon Solutions AS, Lime Petroleum AS, Northern Lights JV DA, OMV (Norge) AS, PGNiG Upstream Norway AS, Vår Energi ASA, and Wintershall Dea Norge AS.
Estimates show the Norwegian Continental Shelf has a theoretical storage capacity of 80 billion tonnes of CO2, corresponding to around 1,600 years of Norwegian CO2 emissions at current levels, according to the ministry.