In the EU-funded research and innovation project COREu, technologies for the capture, storage (carbon capture and storage, CCS), transport and use of CO₂ (carbon capture and utilization, CCU) are being tested and further developed under practical conditions.
The main objective is to build a resilient infrastructure for safe CO₂ storage in Europe and thus make an important contribution to achieving the European climate neutrality targets. The project brings together 43 partner institutions from various European countries and is supported by the Horizon Europe funding program.
COREu is dedicated to both technical and regulatory issues along the CCS value chain and is working to establish a transnational network that connects CO₂ sources with suitable storage sites. A particular focus is on collecting and analyzing environmental data to serve as a basis for safe and sustainable CO₂ storage.
A central element of the project is several field studies in different regions of Europe. The aim of these surveys is to collect environmental and geodata in order to create the conditions for reliable and effective CO₂ storage.
Comprehensive environmental studies prior to CO₂ injection in the Prinos oil field
Two extensive sampling campaigns have already been carried out in Prinos, Greece, to document in detail the natural physico-chemical and biological conditions of the marine environment above the Prinos oil field prior to the planned CO₂ injection. The investigations are being carried out with the support of the research vessel “Filia” from the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR). Particular attention is being paid to analyzing the physico-chemical properties of the seawater as well as various biological indicators.
An international team of researchers is accompanying the studies. As part of the CCS project, environmental DNA (e-DNA) is also being used in Prinos to precisely record the region's biodiversity.
Europe-wide environmental measurements strengthen research into CO₂ storage
"As part of COREu, research groups from all over Europe are collecting samples from the area above the future injection site as well as from other areas of the Gulf of Kavala. This is crucial to understand the natural variability of the site. CO₂-related chemistry changes naturally through biological processes influenced by seasons, temperature, light and water mixing. In order to safely monitor the site after CO₂ injection, we need to know the natural CO₂ concentrations and biological systems," explained Dr. Stan Beaubien from Sapienza University in Rome, a member of the research team.
In addition to the studies in Greece, environmental measurements are also being carried out in other European regions. In South Moravia (Czech Republic), for example, a field campaign was carried out to analyze soil air and measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs) above a depleted oil and gas field. In Poland, a comprehensive monitoring plan for CCS scenarios in the Baltic Sea is being implemented, supplemented by long-term measurements of CO₂ levels in soil air. In Ukraine, geochemical baseline data was collected during two field campaigns in the summer of 2024, which will serve as a reference for future monitoring measures for CO₂ storage facilities.
As part of the project, the Steinbeis Europa Zentrum is responsible for managing the “Communication, Dissemination & Exploitation” work package. In doing so, it promotes the Europe-wide networking of relevant stakeholders and supports the dissemination of project results.
With COREu, the consortium is pursuing the goal of advancing the scientific and technical development of CO₂ storage in Europe. The field campaigns carried out and planned provide an important data basis for the safe construction of future CCS infrastructures and thus contribute to a sustainable, low-carbon future.
