DNV’s joint industry project to enhance understanding of CO2 pipeline operations advances

In the UK, DNV is advancing Skylark, a joint industry project to enhance its understanding of carbon dioxide (CO₂) pipeline operations ensuring regulators and operators globally have access to the highest quality of information to make their decisions. Developed in collaboration with the UK Health and Safety Executive Science Division (HSE SD), University of Arkansas, Ricardo’s UK National Chemical Emergency Centre, the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS), and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), this three-year initiative comes as carbon capture and storage (CCS) networks must expand dramatically to meet climate goals.

Early engagement has been strong, including a well-attended 2024 workshop at DNV’s Spadeadam facility, which showcased prototype testing equipment and preliminary dispersion models.

The project aligns with DNV’s Energy Transition Outlook 2024 report, which forecasts that CO₂ pipelines will need to grow from 9,500 km today to over 200,000 km by 2050 to support industrial decarbonization. Skylark will provide essential safety insights through advanced modeling, real-world testing, and emergency response analysis to enable this expansion.

A key focus is understanding CO₂ behaviour during pipeline incidents, including dispersion patterns under different terrain and weather conditions. Large-scale experiments at DNV’s Spadeadam Research and Testing Centre will study crater formation and dispersion, while wind tunnel testing at the University of Arkansas will complement field studies. Emergency response protocols will also be tested in real-world scenarios with first responders. These insights will help operators enhance safety measures and regulators strengthen frameworks as CCS deployment accelerates.