Friday 18 September 2026 INEOS is hosting the “First Carbon Chain” event. The event marks the commissioning of Greensand as the EU’s first commercial offshore CO2 storage site and the establishment of the EU’s first complete value chain for the capture, transport and storage of CO2. INEOS is the operator of the Greensand Future project, while Harbour Energy and Nordsøfonden are partners in the project.
“Today is a big day. For Nordsøfonden and our partners, for Denmark and for the EU. The commissioning of Greensand marks the starting point for the future of CO2 storage in Denmark. Greensand shows that it is possible to develop CO2 storage technology into a viable business model, and that CCS has the potential to become an entirely new green industry in Denmark,” says Flemming Horn Nielsen, CEO of Nordsøfonden.
In spring 2023, Greensand completed an EU-supported pilot project, during which CO2 was stored in the Danish subsurface for the first time. In preparation for the commercial commissioning of Greensand Future today, a number of major projects have been completed since the investment decision in December 2024. Many of these were first-of-their-kind projects. The platform at the Nini field, a depleted oil field, has been modified to enable the injection of CO2. The Carbon Destroyer 1 was built in the Netherlands and further modified in Esbjerg, and CO2 receiving facilities and a temporary CO2 storage facility have been established at the Port of Esbjerg.
With the Greensand Future project, the Greensand partners expect to be able to offer storage of up to 400,000 tonnes of CO2 per year in the project’s first phase. The intention is then to scale up the project over the following years. The ambition is to expand the capacity of the Greensand storage site as the customer base grows.
Nordsøfonden and CO2 storage in Denmark
Nordsøfonden participates on behalf of the Danish state in all licences for CO2 storage in Denmark, as a starting point with a 20% share. Denmark currently has a total of seven licences – three onshore and four offshore. Nordsøfonden’s participation means that the state bears part of the investments in the projects, and that, over time, the state will also receive a share of the revenues from future CO2 storage sites.
Nordsøfonden therefore plays a unique role in the Danish CCS landscape. Through its participation in all licences, Nordsøfonden is building extensive knowledge of the Danish subsurface and of the challenges and solutions involved in developing and operating these projects.
“CCS can make an important contribution to reducing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere as we transition our energy systems. This requires courage, teamwork and collaboration across the entire value chain and across borders. I believe that today should give us courage and hope for the future,” Flemming Horn Nielsen concludes.
See an overview of CO2 storage licences here: CO2 storage licences in Denmark
