Altera Infrastructure announced that the STARFISH project, a part of Altera Infrastructure’s broader Stella Maris CCS initiative, has been awarded up to EUR 225 million in grant funding by the European Union (EU) Innovation Fund.

The STARFISH (or Sequestration Technology And Reservoir: Floating Injection and Storage in Havstjerne) project, developed in partnership with Harbour Energy, will provide a first-of-its-kind, large-scale solution for CO₂ sequestration using shared, flexible offshore infrastructure.

The STARFISH project focuses on an open-access CO₂ storage concept that allows captured emissions from multiple sources to be safely stored in the Havstjerne reservoir, located 100 km southwest of Egersund, Norway. In 2023, the project partners were awarded an exploration license for the reservoir, and Phase 1 of the project is expected to enable the storage of 42.75 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent (CO₂-eq) over the first 10 years. This effort is projected to avoid 42 million tonnes of CO₂-eq emissions, with a relative greenhouse gas (GHG) avoidance potential of 98%.

Duncan Donaldson, Acting CEO of Altera Infrastructure, commented: "This funding award is a significant validation of our innovative Stella Maris CCS approach to CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure. As we work towards achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement, CCS projects like STARFISH are essential for safely and permanently storing captured CO₂. We are honored that the EU Innovation Fund recognizes our commitment to advancing Europe's industrial carbon management capabilities and grateful for this significant funding award, which is invaluable in helping to develop and construct the critical STARFISH project infrastructure."

STARFISH is the first offshore CO₂ storage project designed to transport liquid CO₂ via purpose-built ships directly to an offshore reservoir. This approach allows for a streamlined, cost-efficient process. The project will feature a specially designed injection unit capable of directly receiving large volumes of liquid CO₂ from transport vessels for secure and permanent storage.

The initiative aligns with the European Commission's goal of achieving 50 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of storage capacity by 2030. The STARFISH project represents a major step in creating a scalable and reliable storage solution that can accommodate existing and future CO₂ capture projects across Europe.

The funding is subject to the successful conclusion of the Grant Agreement Preparation process. The aim is to finalize this process by Q1 2025, following necessary checks and reviews.