Aker BP joins Nordic CCS push

Independent oil and gas firm targets European emitters after securing Norwegian storage exploration licence

Independent oil and gas company Aker BP has joined the race to provide offshore CO₂ storage to northwest Europe’s industrial emitters by securing an exploration licence on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Norway’s Ministry of Petroleum and Energy has offered Aker BP and the Nordic arm of Austrian oil and gas producer OMV a licence to explore for storage capacity in the eastern section of the southern North Sea. Aker BP holds 60pc of the licence and will be the operator, with OMV holding the remaining share. The two companies have signed a collaboration agreement to potentially develop projects under the licence, which comes with a requirement to make a “drill or drop decision” by 2025. “This