Northern Lights – a landmark CCS project in Europe

Northern Lights is one of the most advanced carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects in Europe and a cornerstone of industrial decarbonization. The initiative is developed by a consortium of Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies and represents the world’s first cross-border CO₂ transport and permanent storage infrastructure operating at commercial scale. The project reached a key operational milestone in August 2025, when the first CO₂ was successfully injected and permanently stored beneath the North Sea seabed.

The Northern Lights system is based on an integrated chain for carbon capture, transport, and permanent storage. CO₂ is captured at industrial facilities, then purified, compressed, and liquefied for maritime transport. It is shipped to the receiving terminal in Øygarden, Norway, where it is temporarily stored in 12 cryogenic tanks built during the first phase of the project. From there, it is transported via offshore pipeline to storage sites in the North Sea, where it is injected into geological formations located approximately 2,600 meters beneath the seabed for permanent storage.

The project plays an important role in reducing CO₂ emissions in Europe, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors. The technology prevents emissions from entering the atmosphere, enables significant reductions in industrial carbon footprints, and supports the development of a European carbon management infrastructure. CCS does not replace renewable energy sources but acts as a complementary solution for sectors where decarbonization is technologically challenging. 

A key example of this industrial integration is the cement plant in Brevik, which represents one of the first large-scale applications of CCS in the European cement industry. Cement production is inherently CO₂-intensive due to both energy consumption and chemical processes in clinker production. By connecting the facility to the Northern Lights value chain, the project demonstrates how existing heavy industry can be integrated into a shared CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure, significantly reducing process-related emissions and serving as a reference model for future CCS deployment in similar sectors.

YABIMO participated in the project, supporting both fabrication and installation/quality inspection activities in Spain, at the shipyard in Avilés, Asturias. YABIMO executed inspection works and quality control.

In the Brevik, which serves as the central hub of the Northern Lights infrastructure, YABIMO specialists supported installation activities on site. At that time, works were carried out for Beerenberg, with YABIMO providing Industrial Insulators and Insulation Foreman responsible for insulation works and on-site supervision of installation processes. Currently, YABIMO continues its involvement in the region for Bilfinger, supplying scaffolders supporting ongoing maintenance and installation activities within the project infrastructure.

Our specialists were involved in quality control, insulation supervision, and installation support during critical stages of the infrastructure development, contributing to the execution of complex industrial works within the project.

The first phase of Northern Lights delivered a fully operational infrastructure for CO₂ reception, transport, and injection, marking a major milestone in the commercial deployment of CCS technology in Europe. 

Northern Lights forms the backbone of an emerging European CO₂ value chain, enabling industries such as cement, steel, and chemicals to significantly reduce emissions without building dedicated storage infrastructure. For the engineering and construction sector, it represents a reference project highlighting the growing importance of offshore engineering, industrial installation, insulation works, and advanced quality control in the global energy transition.