One of Norway’s Most Important Industrial Climate Initiatives

Longship is a national investment with global significance – demonstrating how government, industry, and the research community can work together to realise future solutions.

From Vision to Reality

Longship’s story is deeply tied to the development of Gassnova. This year marks twenty years since Gassnova was established as the state’s enterprise for CO₂ management, founded in response to an energy supply crisis, the gas-fired power plants at Kårstø and Mongstad, and growing concern over their emissions. There was also a growing recognition that continued fossil energy use without carbon capture would be incompatible with international climate obligations.

Gassnova was given a clear mandate: to develop, demonstrate and mature CCS technology to reduce costs and risks, allowing private actors to take the lead in the future. For years, Gassnova and the Research Council of Norway supported technological development through the CLIMIT programme, closely monitoring both national and international pilot projects. Yet one thing was missing: a full-scale demonstration facility covering the entire value chain from capture to storage. With Longship, that missing piece became a reality.

Within the Longship project, Gassnova represents the government’s interests during planning, construction and operations. The enterprise also holds an additional responsibility: to ensure lessons from the project are shared widely. Together with the Ministry of Energy and the industrial partners, Gassnova’s efforts have helped make Longship an international reference project for CCS.

The development of CCS technologies also has a strong foundation at Mongstad. The Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM) is one of the world’s leading CO₂ capture test facilities. TCM was established with support from the Norwegian state, Equinor, Shell and TotalEnergies. For more than a decade, the centre has delivered crucial insight into efficiency, safety, and cost drivers in the capture process. These insights were a key part of the technology choices made in Longship.

The Parliamentary Decision

In 2021, the Norwegian Parliament voted to finance Longship with broad political support. It was clear that the state would need to shoulder a substantial share of the cost. This was not just a technological undertaking—it was a strategically important climate measure.

Longship was structured as a value chain comprising three main elements: Brevik CCS, operated by Heidelberg Materials; Oslo CCS, led by Hafslund Celsio; and Northern Lights, a joint transport and storage company established by Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies. The state entered into separate agreements with Heidelberg Materials and the Northern Lights joint venture for investment and operations. Oslo CCS received its support later in the process.

Three Major Projects

The Northern Lights project has been a breakthrough. In Øygarden, a fully developed reception terminal with port infrastructure and CO₂ tanks has been completed. It will receive liquid CO₂ from the capture plants and inject it into subsea reservoirs beneath the North Sea. With Northern Lights, the infrastructure is in place for future growth and for exporting CO₂ storage services to Europe. Recently, the Ministry of Energy approved Phase 2 of the project, which will increase the transport and storage capacity from 1.5 million to at least 5 million tonnes of CO₂ per year. This phase involves expanding the onshore facilities at Øygarden and increasing the number of offshore injection wells from two to four.

In Brevik, Heidelberg Materials has built the world’s first carbon capture plant at an operating cement facility. It will capture 400,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually from cement production. The plant is fully integrated into the daily operations of the factory and provides valuable knowledge on safety, energy optimisation, and full-scale operations.

Oslo CCS plans to capture 400,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually from the waste-to-energy plant at Klemetsrud. This project sends an important signal to major cities around the world: that even urban emission sources can eliminate their CO₂ and contribute to net-zero targets. All three projects have faced different technical and financial challenges. That is, in fact, the essence of a demonstration project. Risks must be identified, addressed and reduced so that future players will face lower thresholds for investing in CCS.

Collaboration Makes Longship Possible

Longship is defined by a close and structured collaboration between industry, government, and academia—a typically Norwegian model that has proven resilient in climate work. Industry’s willingness to invest, the state’s capacity to provide support, and the role of researchers in analysing and documenting the process are the cornerstones of Longship. In addition, Norway’s highly skilled technology environments have followed the project closely with a research-oriented focus.

Longship as a Global Learning Arena

Longship is more than a Norwegian industrial project. It is a demonstration project for the world. For Europe, it is a real climate project that enables emissions cuts in heavy industry. This makes Longship unique.

Combined with the test results and experience from TCM, Norway has developed a CCS value chain that is not only operational but also exportable. Together, Longship and TCM represent a unique platform for further international learning and cooperation.

From a global perspective, Longship demonstrates that CCS is a real and available climate measure. Reducing emissions in heavy industry, energy, and waste incineration cannot be solved through electrification or hydrogen alone. CCS will be an essential part of the climate toolbox – and Longship proves that it is achievable.

Gassnova has published a number of technical and regulatory learning reports. These reports are open and accessible to all future CCS projects, both in Norway and internationally.

What Now?

Longship is operational. The real work can begin. Several European industrial companies have already signed agreements with Northern Lights to deliver CO₂ to the Øygarden terminal. With advantages in geology, technology and political experience, Norway is now playing a global role in the development of CO₂ storage – just as it once did in the development of oil and gas in the 1970s.

Longship is more than a project. It is a roadmap. It is the proof that industrialised countries can take climate commitments seriously without dismantling their own industries. With Longship, Norway takes on an important role in helping the world reach its climate goals. According to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, CCS projects like Longship are essential for achieving global emission reductions.

The Longship has set sail.