A major study by the University of Aberdeen has assessed the practicalities of co-locating offshore wind, carbon capture and storage (CCS) and oil and gas projects in UK waters.
With offshore wind and CCS critical to helping the UK reduce emissions, enhance energy security and create new jobs and with oil and gas activity continuing for some years ahead, the report offers timely insights for developers, regulators and operators with an interest in what is an increasingly busy seabed on a multi-energy UK Continental Shelf.
Commissioned by The Crown Estate and Crown Estate Scotland on behalf of the Offshore Wind and Carbon Capture and Storage Co-location Forum, the report focuses on the East Irish Sea and the Outer Moray Firth, areas where co-location issues have the potential to arise.
The 300-page Project Colocate report sets out a series of key findings. The challenges presented by colocation are investigated:
- Monitoring of CCS sites is technically challenging near wind farms: Conventional seismic surveys are generally incompatible with accepted turbine layouts. While other technologies may offer partial solutions, ocean floor seismic can offer a practical alternative as costs reduce.
- Drilling and maintenance access is limited: The spacing of wind turbines could restrict access by drilling rigs for CCS well remediation, if needed. Helicopter access also requires consideration.
- Cross-sector co-ordination is required: Legacy oil and gas wells will need to be fully decommissioned before CCS begins. Future oil and gas wells should avoid production from the same reservoirs being used for carbon storage.
The report also identifies how careful planning and collaboration can assist in the delivery of UK climate goals and in minimising delays:
- Co-location opportunities: Sharing of environmental baseline, site survey and pressure data and joint vessel mobilisations can provide cost-efficiencies for all.
- Proactive planning: While the creation of new overlaps should ideally be avoided, technical workarounds can assure monitoring where project overlaps already exist.
- Integrated regulatory coordination: There is an opportunity for increased alignment and coordination across the leasing and licensing frameworks for offshore wind, CCS and oil and gas to minimise future conflicts and delays.
“Offshore wind and CCS are vital elements in decarbonising the UK’s energy systems to reduce emissions. Repurposing offshore waters brings spatial challenges as multiple stakeholders share the sea floor, where wind and carbon storage projects are located close to each other and to oil and gas production,” said principal researcher Professor John Underhill, Director of the Centre for Energy Transition and Professor of Geoscience at the University of Aberdeen.
“Our study shows the crucial importance of early communication, coordinated operations and adapting monitoring methods to mitigate colocation risks. As new infrastructure leads to offshore waters becoming busier, integrated planning and regulatory alignment will be key to ensuring project viability and accelerating the UK’s decarbonisation. Ultimately, co-location between wind, carbon stores and oil and gas operations is possible but not preferable due to the issues it presents for monitoring subsurface stores, insurance, indemnity, access and costs.”
Adrian Topham, Senior Technology Manager, CCS & Hydrogen at The Crown Estate, said: “The necessary role of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in decarbonising hard to abate industries and supporting the UK’s net zero targets is well-known. As we look out at an increasingly busy seaspace towards 2050, opportunities for the co-location of different sectors – in this case CCS and offshore wind, which is a vital component of our clean energy transition – must be explored and presented.
“This study has shown the challenges of co-locating these two important sectors but also identified the opportunities which exist to make it work. Proactive and holistic planning will be paramount to success, and our collaborative Marine Delivery Routemap tool will be key in these efforts to dynamically model and map potential seabed scenarios over coming decades.”
Jamie Hart, Development Manager, Gas Storage (CCS & Hydrogen), at Crown Estate Scotland, said: “This report will further boost the important work being undertaken by the Colocation Forum, providing valuable insights into the practical challenges and opportunities of co-locating offshore wind and CCS infrastructure. As offshore wind activity around Scotland progresses, these findings will help ensure that CCS deployment is planned in a careful and coordinated way to deliver a secure, decarbonised energy future and unlock sustainable economic opportunities and skilled jobs for Scotland and the wider UK.
“Crown Estate Scotland is committed to working collaboratively with CCS and offshore wind developers, regulators and stakeholders to optimise the use of our seabed, enabling both offshore wind and CCS sectors to thrive together in delivering the transition to a secure, low-carbon future.”
Project Colocate was commissioned by The Offshore Wind and CCS Colocation Forum, chaired by The Crown Estate. The report presents the independent findings of University of Aberdeen researchers Dr Nigel Platt, Dr Sam Head and Professor John Underhill at the University’s Centre for Energy Transition and Interdisciplinary Institute.