Aker Solutions' Carbon Capture And Storage Technology Gets DNV GL Approval

Aker Solutions' technology for a full-scale demonstration project in Norway to remove carbon emissions at a cement plant has been approved as qualified by DNV GL, the technical advisor to the oil and gas industry.

Gassnova, the Norwegian state's agency for implementation of carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects, initiated the project which will apply carbon capture technology developed by Aker Solutions at Norcem’s cement plant in Brevik, Norway.

Globally, the cement industry accounts for 5-7 percent of total CO2 emissions from all industries and sectors. Aker Solutions' post-combustion technology is intended to capture and liquefy 400,000 metric tons per year of the released carbon dioxide at the Norcem plant. Once the technology is applied this will contribute to Norway's target of becoming a low-emission society by 2050.

DNV GL engaged with Norcem and Aker Solutions to verify the application of DNV GL's recommended practices DNVGL-RP-A203 "Technology Qualification" and DNVGL-RP-J201 "Qualification procedures for carbon dioxide capture technology" at the plant.

Novel elements of Aker Solutions’ carbon capture technology and potential technological risks were evaluated and mitigation identified. Documentation was reviewed to provide a better understanding of the technology and the specific application and conditions at Norcem's plant.

"Carbon capture, and subsequent storage, is currently the only technology that can achieve significant reductions in CO2 emissions from industrial processes," said Arve Johan Kalleklev, Regional Manager, Norway and Eurasia, DNV GL – Oil & Gas. "Carbon capture can play a vital part in decarbonizing our planet. DNV GL's qualification review of Aker Solutions’ technology is a great example of how we engage to enable implementation of this crucial technology."

As a result of the qualification procedure review, DNV GL issued a 'Statement of Qualified Technology' for Aker Solutions' carbon capture and heat recovery technology, applicable for the conditions at Norcem’s cement plant in Brevik.

"Aker Solutions has tested its technology at Norcem Brevik for 18 months and their world-class expertise, systematic work and the promising results from the pilot testing give us confidence that realization of the full-scale capture plant will be successful," said Per Brevik, Director Sustainability and Alternative Fuels in HeidelbergCement Northern Europe. "Based on the third-party technology qualification professionally executed by DNV GL, we trust that the project risk related to novel technology elements is low."

The Norcem Brevik carbon capture plant forms part of Europe’s first industrial demonstration of CO2 capture, transport and storage. The captured CO2 is to be transported and injected into a CO2 storage site offshore Norway, developed by the Equinor-headed Northern Lights consortium.

"The extensive experience and systematic qualification procedures from DNV GL have been a great support for our engineers in our technology development," said Oscar Graff, vice president and head of CCUS at Aker Solutions. "The procedure is an excellent tool to identify risk elements and to propose how to solve them. To get a statement of qualified technology from DNV GL, as a recognized third party, has high value for Aker Solutions and our clients."