Future climate solutions, e.g. carbon capture and storage (CCS)/decommissioning of offshore oil and gas installations

The ocean contains multifaceted, productive ecosystems and provides ecosystem services such as fish, habitats, genetic resources, and renewable energy – each of which plays a crucial role in regulating the climate and mitigating global warming by absorbing excess heat and carbon dioxide. We will contribute to future climate solutions by focusing on the possible environmental consequences of CO₂ storage at sea and possible/alternative solutions for decommissioning oil and gas installations.

There is a need to identify possible risks of using CO₂ storage (CCS) in the marine area, including CO₂capture, storage and transport to the sea, to be able to identify if these activities can be carried out in an environmentally responsible manner.

Decommissioning of oil and gas installations in the North Sea needs to be carried out in the most environmentally responsible way, including:

• Safe methods of removal of wells and pipelines, including disposal of materials.
• Understanding the marine environment impacts of removal operations.
• Developing long-term monitoring methods for the marine environment near offshore infrastructure for adaptive management of environmental impacts.
• Exploration of alternative uses of offshore infrastructure resulting in environmentally responsible use of sea areas.