CEORS (CO2 Enhanced Oil Recovery & Storage) is a Gemini Centre, a collaboration between NTNU, SINTEF (and UiO). The Centre started up in September 2020.

Innovative, proactive and environmental-friendly CO2 management

The vision for CEORS Gemini Centre is to be an internationally leading center for CO2 management, focusing on storage and enhanced recovery, where knowledge, education and research help to maximize the utilization of oil and gas resources and at the same time contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from industry and power production.

In Norway, a demonstration project for CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) from industrial emissions is now under development. It is a Norwegian ambition to demonstrate full-scale CCS technology that can be further developed into cost-effective technology internationally. The demonstration project will be an important first step, but in order to make a significant contribution to reducing CO2 emissions in Europe, more projects with a combined capacity of hundred times the size of this first CCS project must be put into operation. This must happen within the next 20-30 years. CO2 can also be an important contribution to enhanced oil recovery, providing energy with low net CO2 emissions. 

The field of reservoir technology will be very central for CO2 management. Training of professionals for the task will be important. A strong environment for education and research in reservoir technology under the auspices of NTNU / SINTEF will support the task and will be noticed both nationally and internationally. The Centre aims to make visible the already existing collaboration between NTNU and SINTEF, and to develop the collaboration further. 

In addition to the academic reasons, there is political rationale for enhanced collaboration. Ambitious climate targets have been set for the Norwegian oil and gas industry. Greenhouse gas emissions in connection with production will be reduced to net zero in 2050. This should preferably take place at the same time as the good recovery rate from Norwegian oil and gas fields is maintained. The Norwegian continental shelf is well suited for CO2 storage and Norway already has extensive experience in this area. Investment in research and development must be continued if we are to maintain production and increase the recovery rates and reduce costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
 

With the centre, we want to build larger professional environments to contribute to the development in the use of CO2 for enhanced oil recovery and for safe and efficient geological storage. The center will contribute to achieving some of the UN's sustainability goals, in particular, Climate action. The goal of the center is to strengthen collaboration between the professional groups in SINTEF and NTNU to:

• Support industry and authorities in expanding CO2 storage capacity on the Norwegian Continental Shelf and elsewhere in Europe
• Support the oil and gas industry with studies for efficient implementation of CO2-Enhanced Oil Recovery for the best possible utilization of remaining resources in aging fields
• Educate future professionals for the tasks. This also includes the transfer of knowledge from an established oil and gas industry to new research questions and subject areas at a time when applications for traditional petroleum studies are declining. This knowledge will continue to be in demand in connection with CCS development
• Inform the society about the possibilities of CO2 storage and EOR.