As climate commitments deepen and industrial decarbonisation becomes more urgent, offshore carbon capture and storage (CCS) is steadily moving from a niche solution into a core component of national energy strategies. By capturing carbon dioxide from power generation, gas processing and heavy industry and storing it permanently beneath the seabed, offshore CCS addresses emissions that cannot be eliminated through renewables or electrification alone. For coastal, energy-producing regions such as the Gulf, its relevance is becoming increasingly pronounced.
Offshore CCS is not an experimental technology. It has operated safely for nearly three decades, beginning in 1996 with the Sleipner CCS Project in Norway. Operated by Equinor, the project captures around one million tonnes of CO₂ annually from natural gas processing and injects it into a deep saline aquifer beneath the North Sea. Long-term monitoring has shown stable containment and no leakage, making Sleipner one of the most cited CCS references globally. This experience was reinforced in 2008 by Norway’s Snøhvit CCS Project, which transports CO₂ from an onshore LNG facility for offshore storage beneath the Barents Sea. Together, these projects have stored more than 25 million tonnes of CO₂ and helped establish regulatory and technical confidence in offshore storage.
Momentum has accelerated over the past decade as net-zero targets have hardened and policymakers have recognised that sectors such as cement, steel, refining and gas-based hydrogen cannot decarbonise without CCS. According to the Global CCS Institute, more than 30 CCS facilities are currently operating worldwide, capturing around 50 million tonnes of CO₂ per year, with over 300 additional projects in development. Offshore storage plays a growing role in this pipeline, particularly through shared hub models in Europe and North America.
This global shift carries clear implications for the Gulf Cooperation Council. GCC economies combine energy-intensive industries with extensive coastlines, offshore infrastructure and deep subsurface geology, conditions well suited to offshore CCS. Depleted oil and gas reservoirs and deep saline aquifers beneath regional seas offer long-term storage potential, while existing offshore platforms, pipelines and subsurface expertise can reduce costs and accelerate deployment. Offshore storage also avoids many of the land-use and public acceptance challenges associated with onshore projects.
For Oman, offshore CCS aligns closely with its net-zero by 2050 commitment and broader energy transition strategy. Natural gas, LNG exports, refining and petrochemicals will remain economically significant even as renewable capacity expands. Offshore CCS provides a practical pathway to reduce emissions from these sectors while preserving their role in the economy. Oman’s offshore geology, particularly in the Arabian Sea, is considered promising, and the country’s long experience in enhanced oil recovery and reservoir management provides a strong technical foundation for carbon storage.
There is also a strategic link between offshore CCS and hydrogen development. As Oman positions itself as a future exporter of low-carbon hydrogen, CCS could support blue hydrogen production in the medium term while green hydrogen capacity scales up, helping the Sultanate access emerging markets while managing emissions.
Challenges remain, notably high upfront investment and the need for clear regulatory frameworks, but international experience shows costs fall as projects scale and infrastructure is shared. From its early success in the North Sea to its growing relevance in the Gulf, offshore CCS has moved from proof of concept to strategic infrastructure, offering Oman and the wider region a pragmatic tool for balancing climate ambition with industrial resilience.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
