In an important milestone for Shell and the 200km Aramis offshore transportation pipeline, the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate has granted Shell a permit for CO₂ storage in the K14-FA and K14-FC depleted gas fields under the North Sea.

Aramis, a cooperation between Energie Beheer Nederland (EBN), Gasunie, Shell, and TotalEnergies, has Project of Common Interest status, and is one of five projects selected to contribute to the construction and development of a multifaceted, EU-wide CCS infrastructure. Together, the projects will support the transport of nearly 35 million tonnes of CO₂ per year from industrial emitters towards permanent geological storage.

The Aramis pipeline alone will have a 22mtpa capacity once operational, linking Rotterdam’s Maasvlakte industrial area to designated CO₂ storage sites and forming a central link in the broader Aramis value chain.

Writing on LinkedIn, Shell spokesperson Paul Vledder said this is the first CO₂ storage site connected to Aramis to receive a storage permit, enabling Shell, together with their storage partners EBN, Rockrose, and ONE-Dyas, to take the next steps toward a final investment decision in 2027.

Mr Vledder said following the public consultation period, no objections were submitted, making this decision final. The permit is underpinned by extensive safety, environmental, and technical assessments by the State Supervision of Mines and other independent experts, confirming that risks are minimal and manageable.

In an associated story, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between EBN, Eni Netherlands CCUS, Gasunie, Open Grid Europe (OGE), Shell, and TotalEnergies EP Nederland. The parties describe this as an important milestone in the construction of the Delta Rhine Corridor, a yet-to-be-constructed underground pipeline network for the transport of CO₂ and other substances.

In the coming months, the signatories of the agreement will consult on the technical coordination of the Delta Rhine Corridor and Aramis.