Innovations

The Launch Stores project is dedicated to overcoming the technical challenges of injecting liquid CO₂ economically and sustainably into depleted offshore gas fields through innovative solutions.

One such solution is friction-controlled dual-phase (FCDP) CO₂ injection, a breakthrough technology that will enable the stable injection needed. Although widely recognised as the leading approach for CO₂ storage in depleted hydrocarbon fields, this concept will be implemented on an industrial scale for the first time.

In addition, the Launch Stores project will demonstrate both process and business case innovations that are crucial for establishing the Aramis transport infrastructure as the first open-access, multi-CO₂ emitter, multi-store system in Europe.

Read the EU Innovation Fund factsheet on this project

Friction-Controlled Dual-Phase Injection

When high-pressure, dense CO₂ is injected into a depleted reservoir, the CO₂ pressure in the well must drop from high pressure at the top of the well to low pressure at reservoir depth. This pressure drop causes a phase transition from liquid to gas, which, if unmitigated, can lead to extreme cooling (Joule-Thomson effect), potentially hindering injection.

These risks are mitigated using an innovative friction-controlled dual-phase technique, which keeps CO₂ in a liquid state longer, ensuring a gradual and controlled phase transition along the length of the well.

Flexibility

With the FCDP technology, the Launch Stores can increase flexibility to deal with supply and demand challenges. This will contribute to the creation of an open CCS market. The technology will enable transport and storage of CO₂ over large distances in depleted offshore hydrocarbon fields, expanding storage options beyond aquifer and near-shore solutions. As a result, CO₂ storage can be scaled up more quickly, unlocking additional CCS storage sites and storage capacity under the North Sea and across Europe.

Load Balancing

Aramis is a first-of-its-kind project in many ways. It is designed to transport large volumes of CO₂ over long distances. This can only be done efficiently when the CO₂ is in a dense state. Furthermore, dense phase injection into a depleted field requires specialised expertise and technical design to overcome the cold injection challenge.

Through technical collaboration between Shell and TotalEnergies, the wells have been designed to control wellbore pressure and temperature, thus mitigating the risks of cold injection. This maximises the operating envelopes of the wells and contributes to high system availability. By using two storage sites with multiple injection wells, the CO₂ supply can be distributed across many wells, allowing greater flexibility in handling fluctuations.