A partnership between Norwegian research institute SINTEF and French engineering company Geniwind is set to make long-term monitoring of offshore CO2 storage sites significantly more affordable and practical.
The idea took shape after SINTEF’s Pierre Cerasi met Geniwind at a conference in Bergen, where the French firm presented an autonomous seabed monitoring concept developed for offshore wind. Cerasi immediately saw the potential to repurpose the technology for carbon storage.
Backed by a CLIMIT Demo grant, the two organizations launched a concept development project with a total budget of only NOK 300,000 (~$30,000).
Completed in March 2025, the project explored how to reduce the cost and complexity of monitoring carbon stored beneath the seabed — a process currently dominated by expensive seismic campaigns.
By placing sensors and fiber-optic cables more than 100 meters (328 ft) below the seabed, Cerasi and his team found they can avoid surface noise and reflections while also simplifying the installation process through basic mechanical drilling techniques.
Their proposed solution features shallow wells hammered into the seabed — no rigs required — equipped with fiber optics to measure pressure, temperature, and ground movement.
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Autonomous underwater vehicles retrieve data from the wells and nearby sensor nodes, offering a low-impact, scalable way to keep tabs on stored CO2.
Cost has been a central focus. By identifying the optimal depth that balances data quality with affordability, and by using existing sensor technology, the system avoids the need for expensive custom development.
Drawing insights from projects like Shell’s Quest in Canada, the team concluded that much of the monitoring could be achieved with simpler, cheaper tools — an insight critical to scaling CCS globally.
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The next step is to expand the project through international partnerships. SINTEF is already part of a broader French-led initiative and is exploring bilateral support programs between Norway and France.
With past experience in cross-border projects like SNOWPACCS, the team is well-positioned to scale the concept.
By combining fiber optics, autonomous drones, and modular sensors, SINTEF and Geniwind are pointing toward a new generation of CO2 monitoring — one that could make large-scale carbon storage more feasible and cost-effective for the long haul.
