Consulting Stories: Ola Ingvald Wågsand

Optimistic problem solver

Interest in the Northern Lights project is substantial. Ola Ingvald Wågsand serves as the Commissioning and Start-up Manager for this pioneering CO2 storage project on the Norwegian continental shelf.

Northern Lights is a joint venture between Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies. The project is a central part of the Norwegian government's "Langskip" initiative, a full-scale CO2 management project that includes the capture, transport, and storage of CO2 from industry. "At the Northern Lights project in Øygarden, CO2 will be temporarily stored in tanks before being transported through pipelines to the continental shelf, where it will be stored beneath the seabed," Wågsand explains. Currently, the facility has the capacity to store 1.5 million tons of CO2 per year, but the pipeline system is designed for 5 million tons. The goal is to increase capacity through expansion phases and  by attracting a growing client base.

High interest

Wågsand, a consultant at Omega 365 Consulting, brings extensive experience from various project roles. Since 2008, he has worked with companies like Statoil, ConocoPhillips, Westcon, and now Equinor. The current phase of the Northern Lights project is crucial to its success.

“We are in an exciting testing phase here. However, it’s challenging to fully complete the tests   without liquid CO2, which responds to both pressure and temperature,” Wågsand explains. 

The project has attracted significant attention, including international interest. 

“There is substantial interest in the project, with around 8000 visitors from all over the world so far. Equinor has previously stored CO2 in wells, but this is the first facility to be opened for commercial agreements and external clients. This is an industrial facility that ideally should run independently." The first shipments of liquid CO2 are expected in the middle off 2025, and Wågsand  hopeful the project will be on schedule to receive them. 

“We certainly want to meet our targets, especially with so many people closely following our progress,” he says. Terje Aarekol, Department Manager at Omega 365 Consulting, speaks highly of Wågsand. “He does an excellent job. He receives great feedback and is skilled with both people and systems. We are fortunate at Omega 365 to have so many talented and, not least, positive people working with our clients.”

Enjoys challenges

The Northern Lights project is  a significant financial undertaking. In December 2023, the project received good news in the form of €131 million in funding from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the EU's decarbonization project for 2030. As Commissioning and Start-up Manager, Wågsand is responsible for the project's testing phases and must have a thorough technical understanding of the entire process. “ you are constantly learning new things and gaining a deeper understanding of how everything works. That’s something I really appreciate,” says Wågsand, who originally trained as an automation engineer. He emphasizes the importance of good communication between suppliers and those working in the field. “Communication is everything. It’s essential that people talk to each other.  But you also need to know what to ask to make the collaboration productive.”

Wågsand’s contract for the project runs until the end of the year, and his next steps are currently uncertain. However, this does not faze the Omega 365 consultant.

The freelance consultant life

Wågsand enjoys the consultant lifestyle, especially as long as there is work available.

“Omega 365 has been in the industry for a long time and has such an extensive network that it’s unlikely the work will dry up. As a consultant, you have more freedom than in a permanent position, and you can have more say in where you want to work.” Wågsand is based in Stavanger with his family and three children. For him, jobs that require extensive travel and extended stays abroad are out of the question. Instead, he values what he describes as "simple, safe, and good" communication with Omega 365. “For me, it’s reassuring to return to an employer where I know everything works well.”

 When asked if he has a dream project, Wågsand says,

“It would be to be part of a brand-new platform. That’s something I’ve always dreamed of. That said, I get absorbed in any project, no matter how important or large it is, and the job becomes exciting regardless.” 

 At home, there’s also a project in full swing—renovating his house. 

“That takes up quite a bit of time too. It’s an old house, so I haven’t made it easy on myself. There’s no need for many other hobbies, at least,” he says, laughing.