Horisont Energi announced that the Barents Blue project has accomplished key milestones during the last few months to develop the ammonia factory in Hammerfest, Norway. Most of the technical studies for the concept phase have been submitted to the project, and Horisont Energi received political approval before Christmas for an agreement with the municipality of Hammerfest for an option to use the site at Markoppneset, and a public hearing for the zoning plan has been carried out.

As the operator of the ammonia facility in the Barents Blue project, Horisont Energi has had a number of technical studies related to the design of the factory performed. This includes two large concept studies in which the factory has been specified by Saipem and Technip Engines, in cooperation with the Danish technology company Haldor Topsoe. In addition, Multiconsult has completed a study for the necessary infrastructure and preparation of the site. A study of the gas pipeline for the transport of purchased natural gas to Markoppneset and the transport of CO₂ to the Polaris reservoir has been provided by Subsea 7. An evaluation of the various alternatives is now carried out in order to make a final concept decision. Meanwhile, the FEED studies are being prepared for the next phase of the project, which will lead to a final investment decision.

On 9 December 2021, Hammerfest municipality decided to grant Horisont Energi (Barents Blue ammonia factory) an option on parts of Hammerfest municipality’s Markopp property, corresponding to around 75 acres. The option means that a contract will be signed with the municipality after the zoning plan has been finally adopted and before the construction of the site is commenced.

The zoning plan is an important step for the Barents Blue project, and final approval of the regulations must be completed before the preparation of the site begins. Horisont Energi notified that the zoning process would start and initiated a public hearing of the proposed zoning plan of the industrial area at Markoppneset on 21 December 2021. All inputs from the hearing have now been received, and a total of 20 consultation inputs were received. Horisont Energi have reviewed the input with our partners and conduct a thorough process to maintain the project’s further progress.

These are all important milestones for Horisont Energi, leading to the establishment of the factory. At Markoppneset, the factory will produce blue ammonia from blue hydrogen, produced from clean water and natural gas with CO₂ capture at record high levels, in synthesis with nitrogen separated from air. In the production process, CO₂ will be captured and transported for permanent storage in the Polaris carbon storage facility off the coast of Finnmark, Norway. Polaris is set to become the second commercial CO₂ storage facility on the Norwegian shelf.

Barents Blue is a cooperation project with Equinor and Vår Energi.