From Offshore to Onshore: Lessons from a CO₂ Storage Exploration Project in Denmark
By Jan Ivar Tistel, Vice President of Well Management at Odfjell Technology
For a team more accustomed to offshore drilling operations, stepping onto a full-scale land rig in Denmark offered a different perspective on a familiar challenge.
Members of our Well Management team recently travelled to Denmark to visit the drilling operation for the Greenstore CO₂ storage project where our long-standing partner Ross Energy planned the exploration well and is now conducting operations.
We’re involved in a number of onshore drilling projects across continental Europe, but seeing a full-scale land rig in operation was a new experience for our Norwegian-based team.
From offshore to onshore
When it came to the well itself, however, there was plenty of familiar territory.
The design of a CO₂ exploration well has many similarities with a conventional oil and gas well, although there are some differences in areas such as metallurgy and cement design.
The objective of this well is to establish whether the geology is suitable for storing CO₂, which requires a reservoir with good porosity and permeability, combined with a solid cap rock to provide a seal. Depending on the method used for injection, casing and cement design may also need to change, as CO₂ can be corrosive under certain conditions.
It was above ground where some of the biggest differences became apparent.
Unlike an offshore operation, where a semi-submersible or jack-up rig can move onto location, establishing an onshore drilling site takes considerable groundwork. Access to roads, water infrastructure and the rig site itself all need to be considered before drilling even gets underway.
The project also continues after drilling is complete. Once the rig has been demobilised, the site needs to be restored – in this case, returning the area to agricultural land.
The importance of local presence
Seeing the operation first-hand highlighted the importance of local presence. While well planning can be carried out remotely, establishing and preparing the site requires support on the ground.
The visit also reinforced how directly Odfjell Technology’s experience from oil and gas drilling apply to CO₂ storage. This expertise is particularly valuable for developers relying on contractors for support across multiple stages of a project, from well planning through to execution.
Working smarter
We have a long-standing relationship with Ross Energy – our teams have shared resources on projects in Norway and Denmark – and it’s a partnership we expect to continue as new opportunities emerge.
In addition to the rig visit, our teams held a workshop focused on digitalisation and working smarter. They identified four key areas where digital solutions may help reducing engineering time during well planning in future.
The visit also provided valuable time together in person. With team members based across different locations, some hadn’t seen each other face-to-face for more than a year.
It was a great opportunity to reconnect, share ideas and discuss how the team can work more efficiently across locations.
