A Norwegian Perspective on CO2

Norway enjoys a unique position as a major oil and natural gas (NG) exporter. In 2001 it was responsible for exporting 4.2% of global oil consumed, while also developing natural gas reserves equivalent to one-quarter of total future European supplies. Annual export of natural gas to the European market was 57 billion cubic metres (bcm)—about 12% of total European gas consumption—and this is expected to reach 80 bcm by 2005. However the annual domestic consumption is presently less than 4 bcm.

The Norwegian offshore Oil & Gas industry is currently responsible for one-quarter of total national CO2 emissions with more than 10 mtCO2/yr in 2001 of which 75% was produced using single-cycle gas turbines for power generations and compressors for export pipeline activities. Much of the increased activity has occurred since 1990 and is therefore not included in the Kyoto baseline for emission reductions in the period 2008 – 2012. Primarily for this reason Norway has been allocated a 1% increase in GHG-emissions, but this still represents 11 mtCO2/yr reduction for the Kyoto-I period.

Norway has also historically been self sufficient with respect to electricity from hydroelectric generating capacity. However with limited scope for major new investment and a steadily growing consumption of 1 – 2 % per annum, there is an uneasy dependence upon having to access imported electricity in years with lower than average rainfall. Nor is there any real over-capacity to commercially consider hydro-electrification from shore to the platforms that are closest to the coast.

For these reasons the Norwegian political debate has during the past decade frequently focussed on natural-gas power generation, CO2-capture, and since 1998 the use of CO2 for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). To date the climax was probably in March 2000 when the centre-coalition government was removed from office and became the worlds first government ever to fall on account of its policy on global warming.

(Last updated 05.01.04)

Below you will find two papers that were originally presented at the Fifth International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Technologies, Cairns, Australia in Sept 2000.