Shearwater to perform survey for Eni’s carbon storage project

Shearwater GeoServices has won a contract with Eni to deliver a 3D multiple technology integrated geophysical survey for carbon storage in Liverpool Bay in the UK, including an option for a second survey.

The first survey is over the Hamilton and North Hamilton fields, while the optional survey would be over the Lennox field.

Activities will include both bathymetric and 3D seismic surveys to give high-resolution imaging of the overburden, as well as very high-resolution data for analysis of the seabed and shallow geology.

A specialized shallow water seismic node crew will be utilized for operations in the shallow water areas.

The surveys will be led by the 92-meter long seismic acquisition vessel SW Bly, with each expected to take just under one month to complete.

“We are delighted to conduct this survey work for Eni, advancing UK carbon storage by deploying towed streamer, shallow water node, and very high-resolution methods,” said Irene Waage Basili, CEO of Shearwater. “Seismic surveys provide a safe non-invasive method for appraising CO2 storage sites, and monitoring storage integrity throughout their life.”

Eni UK secured a CO2 appraisal and storage license in Liverpool Bay in October 2020 to develop a CO2 storage site.

A year later, the HyNet North West Cluster was selected by the UK Government as one of two priority projects (Track 1 projects) out of five competing in the CCUS Cluster Sequencing Process.

The company intends to reuse and repurpose depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs and associated infrastructure to permanently store CO2 emissions captured from the pre-existing local “hard to abate” industries and the future production sites of low carbon hydrogen in the industrial district of North West England and North Wales.

At the beginning of the year, Eni signed 19 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for carbon, capture & storage within the HyNet North West project.

Once operational, the project will provide important support to the UK’s decarbonization process by contributing 100% to the 10 million tons per year of CO2 storage capacity and 80% to the 5 GW of low carbon hydrogen Government’s UK-wide targets set for 2030.