Creating confidence in the geology and injection storage simulation modelling allowing the Northern Lights Carbon Capture project to go ahead

• The Norwegian government signed the Paris agreement in 2015
• The first full-scale Carbon Capture Storage demonstration project in Norway was successfully realised in the Northern Lights project in 2020
• The government initiative was sponsored via GassNova, with newly-formed Northern Lights consortium was the uncertainty in their geological and injection/storage simulation models; preventing them from drafting a viable development plan for submission to authorities for the first Norwegian Carbon Capture licence: EL001
• The consortium was required to regularly update parliament, government agents, directorates and the project sponsor: GassNova during the planning phases
• Environmental Preservation Organisations were given oversight once the project entered critical drilling and testing operational phases - with reporting intervals shifting to a daily basis; increasing the focus required by the team to perform under considerable scrutiny
• Expro was chosen as the trusted service provider for the Well Test, Fluids, Subsea and Drill Stem Testing (DST/Tubing Conveyed Perforating (TCP) operations - owing to their long-standing track record and collaboration with consortium members on the NCS and internationally, with over 47 years' experience

• Expro designed a combined DST and electric submersible pump (ESP) tool string, with flexibility to allow for mid-project changes to address the evolving design criteria
• The provision of Expro's ExACT tool was critical to enabling use of the third party ESP pump selected for the project, being the only combined tester and multi circulation valve in the industry controlled by absolute pressure
• Expro Fluids' leading accredited onshore oil-in-water measurement capability was applied in calibrating offshore instruments, to ensure critical "no oil to sea" criteria for the project was achieved
• Heavy well test equipment required modification to fit the limited space available on the rig; and planning schedules and specialist crews required agility to adapt to dynamic operations
• The complexity of the DST string and interface with multiple third party providers increased planning, logistics and equipment handling challenges. These were seamlessly managed by Expro as a fully integrated team across all provided services: DST/TCP, Subsea, Well Test and Fluids, to deliver impeccable planning and operational performance
• The window for start date of Expro's installation was shifting target; driven by dynamic winter conditions and the drilling and logging progress on this unprecedented well
• Drilling commenced late November 2019, and the DST operations were completed in March 2020

• All data gathering objectives for the well were met.  The client received the dynamic DST data, (near wellbore formation and fluid identification, quantification of gas-in-water solution, information on heterogeneities confirming reservoir connectivity, flowing/injectivity data) required to enable creation of geological and injection/storage simulation modelling for subsequent future operations
• The integrated Expro Testing Operation on well 31/5-7 Eos was the first carbon capture well in Norway, under the Northern lights project
• Following this successful operation, Equinor was able to formulate, confirm and submit their development plans to the government authorities: on-schedule for further parliamentary review of their Northern Light Phase 1 progress plan for commercialisation of carbon capture as a new business

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