Aramis Launch Stores participates in IF Knowledge Sharing Workshop “CCS”

On October 16, 2025, the Aramis Launch Stores team participated in the European Commission’s Innovation Fund (IF) Knowledge Sharing Workshop on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), held in Brussels. This closed-door event, hosted by DG CLIMA and CINEA, brought together leading Industrial Carbon Management (ICM) projects to exchange insights on two critical enablers of financial close: permitting and contracting.

Spotlight on value chain contracting

For our team, the afternoon session – Part II: ICM Value Chain Contracting – was especially valuable. As one of the IF-supported projects actively shaping the future of CO₂ storage in Europe, we welcomed the opportunity to engage in open, Chatham House-rule discussions with fellow project developers and Commission representatives.

During the session, Lex Backer, Senior Deal Lead CCS at Shell, delivered a presentation on the Aramis Launch Stores project. He shared insights into the project’s approach to commercial contracting across the CO₂ capture, transport, and storage value chain. He primarily described how the value chain parties depend on each other and the commercial challenges that arise when one party is temporarily unable to fulfill its role in the value chain.

Sharing and learning across the CCS ecosystem

The Aramis Launch Stores project, a collaboration between TotalEnergies and Shell, is developing two offshore CO₂ storage sites in the Dutch North Sea. With a combined capacity of 5 million tonnes per annum, these “launch stores” are a cornerstone of the broader Aramis CCS value chain, which aims to transport and store up to 22 Mtpa of CO₂ from hard-to-abate industries across Northwest Europe. 

Participating in this workshop allowed us to share our own contracting experiences and challenges, while also learning from peers navigating similar paths. Topics such as standardization, regulatory alignment, and the role of financial institutions were discussed in depth.

Looking ahead

As we move toward financial close and final investment decisions, the insights gained from this workshop will inform our ongoing work with partners, regulators, and financiers. We thank the European Commission for facilitating this important exchange and look forward to continued collaboration across the CCS community.