The Centre for Sustainable Subsurface Resources is a national research centre dedicated to providing new subsurface knowledge and digital solutions to drastically reduce Norway’s offshore emissions.
Subsurface research is essential for enabling the energy transition on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). At CSSR we work to rethink and reimagine how we use the subsurface.

Fifty per cent of the NCS fields are expected to be fully electric by 2030. Eliminating offshore emissions will bring important climate benefits, but connecting platforms to renewable energy alters the offshore energy landscape in fundamental ways. Industry will be challenged by this new way of powering operations.
Find out more about the benefits for CSSR industry sponsors.
CSSR vision
At CSSR, we work towards understanding how operators best can implement clean energy sources based on each asset’s unique underground situation. We also explore new ways of using the subsurface to store clean energy. CSSR will help leverage the knowledge and investments connected to old hydrocarbon reservoirs to repurpose these fields for large-scale carbon storage. CSSR researchers are also doing experimental studies on the temporary storage of clean hydrogen in underground reservoirs.

CSSR is a long-term research centre of high international standard. We will carry out multidisciplinary subsurface research, probing geology, physics, chemistry, and mathematics to find the answers. We will provide new knowledge and harness the power of data to help manage reservoirs and find new ways to use the subsurface in greener, more sustainable ways.
CSSR provides top-notch subsurface research to ease the transition to zero-emissions operations on the Norwegian continental shelf.
-Sarah Gasda, CSSR Centre Director
Read more about CSSR’s research strategy and focus areas. The 2022 Annual Report is also available for download.
Added Value for Industry and Society
CSSR research is expected to have wide-ranging, long-term impacts across multiple sectors, for example:
- Propose strategies and solutions to enable the best total clean-energy solution for individual fields and tie-backs.
- Spur cross-sector offshore technology development to enable large-scale subsurface energy storage.
- Unlock new opportunities in carbon storage to generate value streams in sustainable resources.
- Enable a fair and just energy transition to reduce energy consumption on the NCS and increase availability of renewable energy for society and other business sectors.
