Centre for Sustainable Subsurface Resources (CSSR)

A large portion of Norway’s climate emissions are from petroleum activity on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). Climate scientists agree that petroleum will play an important role on the path to a zero-emissions society. Decarbonization of offshore activities can also help achieve Norway’s climate goals. Electrification of the NCS by clean energy is a complex and novel problem that requires innovation to ensure the benefits outweigh the socioeconomic costs. In the long-term, the petroleum sector's unique position in geo-energy resources can also be leveraged in the green transition.   The Centre for Sustainable Subsurface Resources (CSSR) will provide needed research to meet the challenges and explore promising opportunities of reservoir operations in a zero-emissions future. Intermittency of renewable power and the transition to H2/CO2 storage place new demands on how petroleum reservoirs are understood and managed. CSSR will perform research within three focus areas.    (1) Subsurface understanding for energy-efficient and effective operations. Research will determine if energy stability is always required, or energy use can be reduced during periods of energy shortage by allowing for cyclical fluctuations in the reservoir. Developing the subsurface for energy storage will also be explored as part of the total zero-emissions energy solution.   (2) Digitalization for science-based decision making in the green transition. Research will re-examine the software and algorithms in regular use for reservoir management and seek new updates to make them faster and better suited for a supply-driven and highly variable energy system.  (3) Ensure long-term value for the petroleum industry in the energy transition. Research will improve screening of depleted fields for re-use as H2/CO2 storage. Knowledge will be integrated for realistic field cases to demonstrate how CSSR research contributes to a viable business model under zero-emissions scenarios.