- Pioneering CCS Infrastructure: Equinor and partners have approved Final Investment Decisions for two UK carbon capture and storage projects, aiming for operation by 2028.
- Decarbonization Goals: Projects will cut industrial emissions, initially storing 4 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, scaling to 23 million tonnes by 2035.
- Economic Boost: The £4 billion investment will create thousands of jobs and support supply chains in the UK’s northeast.
Equinor, alongside bp and TotalEnergies, has taken a major step forward in decarbonizing the UK’s industrial regions with the approval of the Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP) and Net Zero Teesside Power (NZT Power). These projects represent the UK’s first large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) initiatives, critical for achieving the nation’s net-zero goals.
Transforming the East Coast Cluster
NEP will provide carbon dioxide transportation and storage for the East Coast Cluster, a UK government-selected CCS cluster. The project includes:
- A CO₂ gathering network.
- Onshore compression facilities.
- A 145km offshore pipeline to inject captured CO₂ into the Endurance saline aquifer, located 1,000 meters below the seabed.
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The project expects to store up to 4 million tonnes of CO₂ annually by 2028, scaling to 23 million tonnes by 2035. Construction begins in mid-2025.
“This is a major milestone,” said Irene Rummelhoff, EVP at Equinor.
“This demonstrates how the industry, alongside the UK Government, has progressed a business model to decarbonize the most carbon-intensive region in the UK.”
Net Zero Teesside Power
NZT Power will be the first-of-its-kind gas-fired power plant with carbon capture in the UK.
- Capacity to generate 742 MW of low-carbon power—enough for 1 million UK homes.
- Capture of up to 2 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, transported for storage by NEP.
“This step will help decarbonize the UK’s industrial heartlands while providing jobs and supply chain opportunities,” said Alex Grant, UK Country Manager at Equinor.
Economic and Climate Impact
The projects, backed by a £4 billion investment, will deliver:
- Thousands of construction jobs.
- Long-term economic benefits for northeast England.
- Critical decarbonization infrastructure supporting industrial regions.
These efforts align with Equinor’s corporate ambition to:
- Cut operated emissions by 50% by 2030.
- Allocate 50% of capital investments to low-carbon and renewable technologies.
Alex Grant added:
“This is a major step for both Equinor and the UK, helping to achieve net-zero ambitions while transitioning from traditional energy to low-carbon options such as CCS and hydrogen.”
A Broader Vision
Equinor’s projects are part of the UK’s larger climate strategy, which includes the development of the Humber Carbon Capture Pipeline (HCCP). This infrastructure will transport CO₂ from future CCS initiatives in the Humber region, further supporting decarbonization efforts.
Building on its 40-year legacy as a leading UK energy provider, Equinor is also a partner in Dogger Bank, set to be the world’s largest offshore windfarm upon completion. Together, these initiatives position Equinor as a driving force in sustainable energy transformation.
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