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Fugro Supports Development of Equinor’s Major European CO₂ Highway

Fugro has embarked on a pivotal ground investigation project for Equinor’s ambitious CO₂ highway, a planned 1,000-kilometer pipeline connecting mainland Europe to Norway. Set to transport captured CO₂ from industrial hubs to secure storage on the Norwegian continental shelf, this project aims to revolutionize carbon capture and storage (CCS) efforts across northwestern Europe.

The pipeline, expected to go operational by 2030, is a cornerstone for large-scale decarbonization in European industry. With a project of this magnitude, ensuring precise and reliable geo-data is critical. Poor ground data could lead to design flaws, delays, and escalated costs. To mitigate these risks, Equinor entrusted Fugro with acquiring high-quality ground investigation data to reduce uncertainty and enable swift risk assessments.

Key to this operation is WaveWalker, Fugro’s innovative jack-up platform tailored for shallow water conditions. Positioned off Zeebrugge, Belgium, this liveaboard platform ensures smooth execution in challenging winter conditions. Its design minimizes weather-related disruptions, as its legs are securely anchored to the seabed, reducing wave interference. Additionally, the liveaboard setup eliminates time lost to crew transfers, bolstering both safety and operational efficiency.

Before beginning the site works, Fugro carried out an unexploded ordnance (UXO) survey to clear the area for WaveWalker’s deployment. Once safety was confirmed, the team initiated geotechnical borehole drilling, high-quality sampling, and cone penetration testing (CPT). These investigations are critical to evaluating ground conditions for both the pipeline’s landfall and its burial under the Scheur ship channel, ensuring secure and efficient installation.

This operation builds on Fugro’s successful marine geotechnical campaigns earlier this year. In August, the Fugro Galaxy conducted CPT and Vibrocore sampling along the proposed pipeline route, while the Fugro Meridian completed the deep-water sections. These efforts laid the groundwork for the current nearshore investigations.

Matthew Chappell, Fugro’s Regional Nearshore Service Line Director for Europe and Africa, emphasized the significance of this project: “This is a fantastic opportunity for our Fugro teams across Europe to deliver critical data acquisition works for Equinor, especially within the pioneering CCUS sector, which aligns with our mission to help create a safe and liveable world.”

Starting from CO₂ hubs in Zeebrugge, Belgium, and Dunkirk, France, the pipeline will connect to storage sites beneath the Norwegian seabed. Fugro’s contributions are integral to advancing the project toward a final investment decision, bringing Europe one step closer to large-scale carbon storage solutions.

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