Uchenna Izundu
International Editor

LONDON, Sept. 5 -- The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) and Gassnova SF, Norway's state company that handles carbon capture and storage (CCS), have commissioned a seismic survey to see if Troll field in the North Sea can accommodate carbon dioxide from the industrial plants at Mongstad and Karsto.

The 3D seismic survey will focus on whether the Johansen formation at Troll can permanently store large volumes of CO₂ and where the CO₂ injection wells should be drilled. The Johansen formation is 2,500 m below the Troll oil and gas reservoirs and is south of the Troll area.

StatoilHydro will shoot the survey later in September using the Ramform Challenger vessel. Processing and interpretation of the 3D seismic data will probably be completed early in 2009.

Odd Magne Mathiassen, NPD research coordinator, said: "Finding the optimal placement of injection wells is important to ensure that the carbon dioxide can be stored and that it will remain in the reservoir in the future."