A group of Europe’s biggest oil and gas and energy companies — with BP at the helm — has applied for UK government funding to kick-start the development of pipelines and infrastructure off the east coast of England for storing carbon dioxide emitted from big clusters of industry.

The new partnership, dubbed Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP), will comprise the UK supermajor as operator, Eni of Italy, Equinor of Norway, Anglo-Dutch supermajor Shell, Total of France and National Grid of the UK.