Overview

SAFE-C contributes to the safe and efficient deployment of offshore CO₂ storage in the North Sea by improving seismic monitoring, data analysis and communication between seismological agencies. The project addresses not only scientific and technical challenges, but also the need for clear, reliable and timely information for a wide range of stakeholders.
By strengthening both monitoring capabilities and communication frameworks, SAFE-C supports informed decision-making, risk management and public trust in CO₂ storage technologies.

Why This Matters

Large-scale deployment of CO₂ storage is essential for achieving climate targets. However, ensuring the long-term safety and integrity of storage sites is critical for both operational success and societal acceptance.

• Seismic monitoring plays a key role in:
• Detecting and interpreting subsurface changes 
• Identifying potential risks related to injection-induced seismicity 
• Supporting safe operation and regulatory compliance 
• Distinguishing between natural and injection-induced seismicity with high confidence

Both injection-induced and natural seismicity can pose risks to CO₂ storage integrity. Injection-induced seismic events may affect the caprock and potentially create pathways for fluid migration. At the same time, natural earthquakes occurring on faults near storage sites can have similar effects.
For this reason, it is essential to detect seismic events as completely as possible and to determine their locations and characteristics with low uncertainty. A reliable understanding of background seismicity provides the basis for distinguishing between natural and induced events and for assessing their potential impact on storage integrity. SAFE-C improves these capabilities by providing more accurate, consistent and timely seismic information across the North Sea region.

Key Stakeholder Groups

SAFE-C engages with a broad range of stakeholders, each with specific needs:

• Industry and CCS operators
  Require reliable, real-time information to support safe and efficient operations.
• Regulators and policymakers
  Need robust scientific evidence and clear guidance to develop and implement regulatory frameworks.
• Seismological agencies and research institutions
  Benefit from improved data access, harmonised methodologies and collaborative frameworks.
• Scientific community
  Gains access to new data, methods and interdisciplinary research opportunities.
• Public and civil society
  Require clear, transparent and accessible information about the safety and environmental impact of CO₂ storage.

Communication and Coordination

A central element of SAFE-C is the development of improved communication strategies and coordination mechanisms. This includes:

• Establishing consistent and robust procedures for sharing seismic information between countries 
• Developing recommendations for coordination and communication between scientists, operators and authorities 
• Supporting rapid and reliable information exchange in the case of significant seismic events 

By aligning communication practices, SAFE-C helps ensure that stakeholders receive consistent and trustworthy information.

Supporting Safe and Scalable CO₂ Storage

By combining improved monitoring, advanced data analysis and effective communication, SAFE-C contributes to:

• Increased confidence in the safety of CO₂ storage operations 
• More efficient and cost-effective monitoring strategies 
• Enhanced public trust and acceptance 

While SAFE-C focuses on the North Sea, its outcomes are relevant far beyond this region. Many parts of the world rely on data from multiple seismological agencies operating across national borders, often using different methodologies and standards. The harmonised workflows and coordination approaches developed in SAFE-C provide a framework that can be applied in other regions where consistent and coordinated seismic monitoring is required across national boundaries.
In addition, the methods developed in SAFE-C are not limited to CO₂ storage. They can be applied to a wide range of contexts involving both natural and induced seismicity, including other subsurface energy applications. This makes SAFE-C a contribution not only to regional monitoring in the North Sea, but to the broader advancement of seismological monitoring and risk assessment.