CO2 Highway Europe
Global benchmark for carbon storage
CO2 Highway Europe
With several European partners Equinor aims to create a large-scale, international infrastructure for the transport and storage of carbon: CO2 Highway Europe. Once up and running, the Norwegian multinational’s project will act as a global benchmark for the international transport and storage of carbon, with a focus on safety, costs and public support. Witteveen+Bos is providing integrated design and consultancy services: from permits to the pre-FEED design of the landfall points, ensuring that the roadmap from concept to completion is feasible.
Beating heart
The beating heart of the CO2 Highway Europe is a 1,000-kilometre pipeline that transports carbon from Zeebrugge (Belgium) and Dunkirk (France) to Smeaheia, a depleted gas field off the Norwegian coast.
The project is linked to carbon export terminals in both port cities and includes a margin to allow for future expansion into the Netherlands and beyond. The initial capacity in 2030 will be 18 million tonnes of carbon per year and can later be expanded to 27 million tonnes.
Integrated approach
Witteveen+Bos has formed an integrated team to handle engineering, environmental matters and permits for the project. Our task is twofold: we are responsible for the permit review for the Dutch section of the pipeline, and we are designing the landfall points in Belgium and France (pre-FEED).
In the design work for the landfall sites in Belgium and France, we are considering two methods: a Micro Tunnel and HDD (Horizontal Directional Drilling). Both methods have economic and environmental advantages and disadvantages which we have mapped out.
Best method
To arrive at a design that is as appealing as possible to both client and environment, we carefully weigh up all these pros and cons.
For example, at both landfall sites, we are assessing the impact on existing infrastructure, the surrounding N2000 area, local residents, recreational areas, and so on. Based on these criteria and the total costs, we will select the most suitable method.
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