CO2 Storage – the technical and commercial challenges - a Panel Discussion

CO2 Storage – the technical and commercial challenges

Ahead of the SPE Aberdeen “CO2 Storage” conference on 31 September and 1 October in Aberdeen – come and hear about the key issues facing CO2 storage today at an SPE Panel Dicussion on 24^th September 2025.

We are delighted to welcome Peter Ablard as our keynote speaker to consider whether the CCS hype is over – and whether reality is at last setting in for the C CS market. He will outline Equinor’s ambitions in CCS and what they signal for the future.

Our other panellists will dive into the technical issue that are emerging as CO2 storage projects move from early hype to commercial delivery. Jo Bagguley of the NSTA will provide the unique regulators perspective. Mark Lakos from RFDyne and Reza Sanaee from Axis will provide insights into how very technical details can impact your understanding of CO2 storage volumes.

It promises to be a lively discussion on an activity that is finally emerging from all the talk and is starting to happen.

Our speakers:

Peter Ablard:

Peter heads up Equinor’s Subsurface Low Carbon Solutions team across Europe. His team works to access acreage and progress major capital projects in both core and emerging regions, supporting Equinor’s ambition to be a leader in the energy transition.

With almost two decades of experience in the oil, gas, and CCS sectors, Peter has held a range of technical and leadership roles within several major operators. Prior to his current position, Peter led Equinor’s UK subsurface team. He has also served as Discipline Leader for Geology and Petrophysics, and contributed as a geoscientist across CCS, gas, light oil, and heavy oil developments.

Peter brings a deep understanding of subsurface systems, a commitment to technical excellence, and a passion for enabling low-carbon energy solutions through innovation and collaboration.

Mark Lakos:

Mark is a senior reservoir engineer with 8 years of experience in the exploration and production sector, having worked with both operators and service companies across diverse projects in Europe and Africa, onshore and offshore.

Mark's work has covered a broad range of technical areas, including field development and production optimization. This year, he participated in a research project on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and co-authored a related paper. In addition to his engineering background, he is a CFA charter-holder, enabling him to bridge technical and financial perspectives in the energy industry.

Dr Jo Bagguley:

Head of Pre-licensing & Storage, NSTA

Jo has been working in the energy sector for more than 25 years, working for several oil and gas operating companies before joining the NSTA in March 2016. The majority of her career in the private sector has been spent in exploration but Jo also spent several years working on producing fields in both onshore and offshore roles.

Within the NSTA, Jo is in the New Ventures Directorate and leads a technical subsurface team which has responsibility for the evaluation of future licensing opportunities for both the petroleum and carbon storage sectors. Jo is a geologist having studied at Durham and Aberdeen universities before gaining a PhD in seismic sequence stratigraphy at Oxford Brookes University.

Reza Sanaee:

Reza is a principal geomechanics engineer at Axis Well Technology. He is chartered engineer, and Fellow of IoM3 and HEA. He is also the strategic advisor for Energy at IoM3 since Jan 2023. He used to lead the global CCUS technical community of COWI in 2023-2025. He has worked with major operators like BP and Statoil prior to his academic role as programme manager of MSc Drilling and Well Engineering at Robert Gordon University. Reza has undertaken due diligence for flagship CCS projects and has been in the SPE Aberdeen CCS conference organising committee for the past several years."

Keith Wise:

Keith Wise is the Operations Manager at Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), where he leads efforts to promote operational excellence and drive strategic initiatives that support a diverse energy mix in the UK’s transition to net zero. His work aligns with the industry’s commitment to maximising economic recovery of the UK energy resources.

Keith currently chairs OEUK’s Subsurface and Wells Forums, fostering collaboration between industry, government, and regulators to improve efficiency and effectiveness across the basin, across O&G, CCUS & adjacent energy sectors. Within Keith remit is ownership of OEUK well related industry leading Guidelines. With almost three decades of global experience in the energy sector, Keith has held a variety of operational, technical, and regional leadership roles in the UK, USA, Africa, and the Middle East. Prior to joining OEUK in 2020, he spent 23 years with SLB (formerly Schlumberger), bringing a wealth of expertise to the organisation.

Outside of work, Keith is a passionate sailor and active member of his local sailing club, where he competes and volunteers. He also enjoys running and has long been involved in competitive team sports, including football and rugby. Whether exploring new countries or sharing a simple family dinner, time with his wife and children remains his greatest source of joy and motivation.