Sharing CCS datasets with R&D communities across the globe

This is a joint project between SINTEF, the University of Illinois, Equinor and the IEAGHG.

A digital platform featuring quality-assured datasets

CO₂ DataShare will allow users access to documented datasets with the specific aim of supporting research and development. During this first phase, the project has targeted carbon storage data but proposes to explore the possibility of sharing data from other stages of the CCS value chain. It is anticipated that data sharing from pilot, demonstration and industry projects will strengthen the R&D communities’ ability to develop new knowledge and technology and thus, help upcoming full-scale projects to reduce their costs, improve efficiency and be even safer.

The platform is not intended to be a repository for large amounts of data, but rather a tool for supporting targeted research. The project serves as a meeting point for international knowledge exchange and cooperation, enabling dialogue through user fora and webinars. A code is used to identify each dataset (Digital Object Identifier, DOI), making it easy to refer to data and for other researchers to find and use datasets.

Grethe Tangen, the project manager at SINTEF, emphasises that a major milestone of the project is the implementation of the digital framework for sharing data from CCS projects. So far, the project has published datasets from the Sleipner and the Smeaheia CO₂ storage projects. A dataset from the Illinois Basin – Decatur Project in the United States will be published in the near future. The project has also demonstrated that there is significant interest in data sharing. Over 330 different organisations from more than 50 countries have downloaded data from the site.

‘My predecessor, Svein Eggen, was a major proponent of this project and was instrumental in getting it started,’ says Kari-Lise Rørvik, Senior Advisor at Gassnova. It is especially gratifying that Gassnova has contributed with own data from the work on the Smeaheia CO₂ storage prospect. We are very interested in the outcomes of this project, and it aligns perfectly with what Gassnova should bring to the table – sharing our knowledge,’ she continues.

Strengthening international cooperation

CO2DataShare started as a joint initiative between Norwegian and American stakeholders from industry, research, and public authorities to ensure standard procedures for data processing, efficient data exchange, and quality-assured data usage. The project has been a success, and further developments are now possible.

‘We are currently in dialogue with Accelerating CCS Technologies (ACT) about the possibility of using CO₂ DataShare to share data from research projects. 17 February we are organising a workshop with representatives from the different ACT projects to explore this,’ Grethe Tangen concludes.