Dutch Porthos project prepares North Sea gas wells for CO2 injection

Image courtesy of Porthos CO2 Transport and Storage C.V.

Four former gas production wells in the North Sea have been successfully converted into CO2 injection wells, marking a major technical milestone for the Netherlands’ Porthos carbon capture and storage (CCS) project.

The wells, located on the P18-A offshore platform around 12 miles off the Dutch coast, are now ready to begin injecting captured CO2 once final platform modifications are completed. First injection is expected to start in autumn.

Porthos (short for the Port of Rotterdam CO2 Transport Hub and Offshore Storage) is set to become the first large-scale CO2 transport and storage project realized in the European Union, and the first offshore CCS project in the Netherlands. 

The system will transport CO2 captured from industrial facilities in the Port of Rotterdam to depleted gas fields beneath the North Sea, where it will be permanently stored more than two miles below the seabed.

From gas production to permanent storage

The well conversions were carried out using the Valaris123 jack-up drilling rig, with TAQA acting as main contractor. 

Each well underwent a multi-step process to ensure long-term integrity and safety. Reservoirs were first isolated with deep plugs to prevent gas migration, before wells were filled with liquid and cleaned. Existing piping was removed, inspected and reused where possible.

Ultrasonic inspections were conducted to assess the condition of steel and cement, after which new pipes, equipment and production valves were installed to support CO2 injection.

In parallel, three additional wells were permanently sealed and decommissioned. Importantly, the storage reservoirs themselves were left untouched during the process.

With offshore and onshore construction continuing, Porthos remains on track to initiate CO2 injection later this year, advancing the Netherlands’ role in scaling industrial CCS and repurposing legacy fossil fuel infrastructure for long-term emissions reduction.

source: carbon herald

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