In 2025, Allseas will begin developing the work which has been agreed between them and Porthos and the first tasks will include installation, burial and commissioning of a 16-inch CCS pipeline. This pipeline will connect a compressor station located at Maasvlakte, and the P18-A platform, which is situated an approximate 20 km offshore.

The use for this pipeline will be to enable Porthos and their partners who include EBN, Gasuine and the Port of Rotterdam Authority to transport Co2 from industrial sites within and around the port area and carry this Co2 to empty gas fields located in the Dutch North Sea. This is the location, 4 km below the seabed, where the captured Co2 will be held and stored permanently.

The task of laying the pipes will be performed by Allseas’ S-lay vessel Lorelay, who will have construction aid from Oceanic. The benefits of Allseas’ having these vessels is that they will have the advantage of being able to lay the piping and position it correctly, precisely and safely within the busy waters, which is essential as Rotterdam is one of the largest ports in Europe.

The plan for this project is to be operational by 2026, with the aim of reducing the Netherlands Co2 emissions by an approximate 2%. This will be achieved through the pipeline transporting an estimated 2.5 million tons of Co2 annually over a 15-year period to the North Sea storage location. Furthermore, the importance of this project has been recognised by the EU and they have decided to name this collaboration a “Project of Common Interest” in meeting climate targets. The project has been awarded 102 million euros by the EU to help the project accelerate its development.

Allseas Chief Executive, Pieter Heerema, commented, “We are delighted that the Porthos partnership recognised Allseas’ offshore installation capability as being key to the success of this landmark project. Back in the mid-1980s, as the world’s first pipelay vessel operating fully on dynamic positioning, Lorelay installed some of the earliest gas and oil pipelines in the Dutch North Sea. The fact that almost four decades later, the same vessel will install the first carbon capture pipeline is a testament to our ongoing innovation and continuous improvement of our vessels’ capabilities.”