Sonardyne Takes Charge of Passive Seismic Monitoring for UK’s First CCS Site

(Credit: Sonardyne)

Sonardyne will provide passive seismic monitoring services for the Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP) at the Endurance carbon storage site in the U.K. North Sea, expanding its role at the country’s first carbon capture and storage (CCS) project.

The added scope builds on Sonardyne’s existing contract to deliver environmental monitoring at Endurance. The company will adapt, deploy and operate advanced ocean bottom seismometers (OBSs) manufactured by Germany’s KUM. The units will be installed on the seabed above the Endurance reservoir, about 75 km off the Yorkshire coast.

NEP will transport CO2 captured from emitters in Teesside and the Humber, known collectively as the East Coast Cluster, to Endurance and neighboring sites. The initial phase of the project envisages storing up to 100 million tonnes of CO₂ over 25 years, contributing to decarbonization in one of the UK’s most emissions-intensive industrial regions.

“NEP is continuing to lead the UK's journey to net zero through its development of carbon capture and storage at the Endurance site. Our collaboration with Sonardyne plays a critical role in ensuring carbon is stored safely and securely,” said Michael McGhie, Technical Manager at NEP.

Sonardyne said the passive seismic monitoring will generate baseline data ahead of operations, with potential continuation into the injection phase to provide long-term subsurface surveillance. Storage operations at Endurance are expected to start in 2028, which would make it the UK’s first operational CCS project.

The OBS monitoring program is expected to begin in summer 2026, with the first seismic data delivered to NEP in 2027 to help characterize natural seismic activity in the region.

“Being trusted to deliver passive seismic monitoring, in addition to environmental monitoring, for the UK’s first CCS project is an honour and highlights Sonardyne’s technical leadership in subsea environmental monitoring,” added Stephen Auld, Business Development Manager for Custom Projects at Sonardyne.