The technology qualification programme (TQP) invited companies that had carbon capture technology for flue gas sources to participate. Contracts with five companies offering different technologies were signed in November 2011: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries LTD, ALSTOM Carbon Capture GmbH, Siemens AG, Aker Clean Carbon AS and Huaneng-CERI Powerspan Joint Venture.
 
Statoil, which is the CCM project manager, has together with Gassnova reached the first milestone of the technology qualification programme in line with signed agreements. Statoil has decided to continue the TQP process for all chosen vendors given all conditions in the program are being fulfilled.
 
 “The chosen companies have demonstrated and documented their progress in the first phase of the technology qualification programme,” says Kai Bj. Lima, vice president of the CCM full-scale project. “In the next programme phase these companies will perform a 1000 + 2000 hour performance test at an approved verification plant. In addition, the suppliers must document their emission data for the capture chemical.”
 
The purpose of the technology qualification programme is to qualify at least one technology and to prove that it can be used for full-scale carbon capture at Mongstad.

When the technology qualification programme is completed, it will be followed by a separate and independent qualification process for the FEED phase.