Expro comes onboard first Dutch offshore CCS project

U.S.-headquartered energy services provider Expro has won a contract to supply tubular running services (TRS) for the first offshore carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in the Netherlands. 

The contract covers the recompletion and conversion of legacy offshore gas production wells into CO2 injection wells, decommissioning of shallow wells, and drilling of platform slot recovery wells.

Expro said it would deliver the contract using its non-marking TRS technology, specifically designed to run corrosion-resistant alloy (CRA) tubular. In a highly corrosive CO2 environment, this will maximize the longevity of the pipe and help address the challenges of providing long-term well integrity assurance, the company noted.

“Securing this contract for this major CCS project highlights Expro’s advanced technical expertise in deploying CRA tubulars. The specific technologies being used throughout the project are proven in the oil and gas sector and it is fantastic to see these capabilities helping to unlock the potential of the CCS sector,” said Iain Farley, Regional Vice President for Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa at Expro.

The first large-scale Dutch CCS project, known as Porthos (Port of Rotterdam CO2 Transport Hub and Offshore Storage), is designed to transport CO2 captured from industry through the Port of Rotterdam to depleted gas fields in the North Sea, approximately 20 kilometers off the coast, where it will be permanently stored at a depth of more than 3 kilometers beneath the seabed.

The final investment decision (FID) was reached in October 2023. Allseas has been tasked with constructing the subsea pipeline for the Porthos CO2 storage project, MAN Energy Solutions to deliver three integrally-geared compressor trains, and KCI is in charge of engineering the modification of the TAQA-owned P18-A platform, transforming the facility into a platform for permanent offshore CO2 storage.

Developed by a joint venture of EBN, Gasunie, and the Port of Rotterdam Authority, the project is expected to enable the Rotterdam port industry to emit about 10% less CO2 and contribute to CO2 reductions of around 17% for the industry in 2030.

Offshore pipeline construction and work on the platform are scheduled to kick off in 2025, with Porthos not expected to be put into operation before 2026.