Dutch Fugro has been selected to deliver integrated marine survey and inspection services for Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP), the UK’s first offshore carbon capture and storage (CCS) project.
Developed some 75 kilometers east of Flamborough Head, the NEP project will comprise an onshore CO2 gathering network, compression facilities and a 145-kilometer offshore pipeline connected to subsea injection facilities in the Endurance saline aquifer located around 1,000 meters below the North Sea seabed.
The contract was awarded by Saipem, which is leading the engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) of the offshore pipeline and associated infrastructure for NEP, an incorporated joint venture between BP, Equinor and TotalEnergies.
Fugro will perform nearshore and offshore survey and inspection operations to support pipeline installation, from landfall through to connection with existing offshore infrastructure. Nearshore works will focus on pre-lay surveys from the tunnel exit, extending several kilometres offshore, along with installation monitoring as the pipeline is pulled out to sea to confirm it is being laid as designed and to identify any unexpected seabed changes early.
Further offshore, the company will provide surveys, installation support and verification along the pipeline route, including at third-party pipeline and cable crossings.
“As the UK’s first major carbon capture and storage project, NEP’s work marks an important milestone for the energy transition, and we’re thrilled to be part of it,” said Mike Duncan , Fugro’s Director of Marine Asset Integrity in Europe and Africa. “By working closely with Saipem across nearshore and offshore environments, from early surveys through to installation, we support informed decision‑making that helps Saipem manage risk across a technically complex route.”
Storage at the site is expected to start in 2028, making it the first operational CCS project in the UK. The initial phase is expected to see up to 100 million tons of CO2 stored in the Endurance aquifer over a 25-year period.