Energy services provider Expro (NYSE: XPRO) has won a pivotal contract to deliver integrated well testing services for the Northern Endurance Partnership’s (NEP) carbon capture and storage (CCS) project offshore the UK — a major milestone in the nation’s drive to decarbonise heavy industry.
This award comes on the heels of the UK Regulator, the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA), issuing the country’s first-ever carbon storage permit in December 2024 to NEP for the Endurance reservoir, located off the North-East Coast of England.
Expro’s role will be critical in appraising two wells in the Endurance reservoir to determine their suitability for future CCS operations.
The Endurance reservoir, with a storage capacity of up to 450 million tonnes of CO₂, is central to the UK government’s CCS ambitions, targeting the storage of 20-30 million tonnes of CO₂ annually by 2030, and over 50 million tonnes per year by 2035.
The reservoir will serve as the cornerstone of the East Coast Cluster field development plan, which aims to transport and store emissions from the Teesside and Humber industrial clusters.
Expro will deploy its expertise in well testing, fluid sampling and analysis, and subsea operations.
To deliver a fully integrated CCS appraisal solution, Expro has selected Baker Hughes to supply electrical submersible pumps (ESP), and Metrol Technology for drill stem testing (DST), downhole data acquisition, and wireless telemetry services.
The contract is expected to safeguard and potentially expand local jobs in North-East Scotland, with Expro’s well test team operating from its Aberdeen regional centre of excellence.
The company has also committed to prioritising UK-based suppliers, reinforcing the national energy supply chain and supporting regional economic development.
Expro brings over 20 years of global CCS project experience, including its work on Norway’s Northern Lights project, and more than 50 years of supporting the North Sea energy sector.
NEP itself is a joint venture between bp, TotalEnergies, and Equinor, established in 2020 as the East Coast Cluster’s CO₂ transportation and storage provider.
Iain Farley, Regional Vice President for Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa at Expro, commented: “Our success in securing this contract for the Northern Endurance Partnership demonstrates Expro’s ability to use our reservoir appraisal and well test capabilities, that have traditionally been used for the development of oil and gas reservoirs, to help kick-off the carbon storage industry in the UK.
“This contract win builds on the success of the integrated well testing services that Expro has also provided to Equinor for the Northern Lights CCS project in Norway.
“It also demonstrates our commitment to the UK’s CCS program and the opportunities it is expected to create for local employment, economies, and supply chains.”
The Endurance project is seen as a catalyst for the UK’s CCS sector, blending traditional energy expertise with the country’s ambitious climate targets and providing a template for future decarbonisation efforts.
