Caox: Turning CO₂ into value – in 90 seconds

Caox may be new to Energy Transition Norway, but the innovation behind it has been in the making for more than a decade. The company was established by Valinor in 2023 to bring two pioneering CO₂ technologies to market. Having been involved in the development process from the start, Valinor decided to acquire property, license key patents, and establish Caox with the vision of bringing multiple CO₂ technologies under one roof.

The result: two complementary solutions that can be offered either separately or as an integrated system – CO₂ Capture and CO₂ Mineralization.

The capture technology is based on the CSAR patent from SINTEF, while the mineralization technology is based on a patent from the University of Newcastle. Caox is also actively developing its own intellectual property and filing new patent applications.

And while carbon capture technology is well known, Caox’s mineralization process stands out as truly unique. Inspired by nature, Caox' technology mimics the way a sea urchine - known as kråkebolle in Norwegian - forms its spines. 

The sea urchin uses CO₂ and calcium from the ocean through a natural chemical process to build spines made of calcium carbonate. In doing so, the CO₂ becomes permanently stored in a solid, stable form.

A Massive Market

We humans use nearly 100 million tonnes of PCC (Precipitated Calcium Carbonate) every year – a white powder commonly used as filler material in products like paint, paper, cement, food, and pharmaceuticals.

It’s the reason your painkillers are white and the active ingredient in toothpaste. The oil and gas industry is another major user, with Aramco alone consuming thousands of tonnes of PCC annually as filler fluid for well drilling, and as a part of this project, Aramco is investigating on increasing the usage of PCC instead of using other filler materials.

– Our mineralization technology is unique in that it transforms toxic CO₂ into non-toxic, stable minerals in just 90 seconds, explains Caox-CEO Ole Jacob Sandal.

This speed is exactly what made Aramco  – the world’s largest oil company – choose Caox during their global technology screening in 2023.

To operate, Caox requires two key inputs: CO₂ and calcium. While CO₂ can be sourced from various locations – including large-scale projects like Northern Lights – the calcium is extracted from industrial waste, such as byproducts from steel plants, cement factories, or fly ash.

This is why Caox is already collaborating with waste management companies and steel producers in the US, Poland, and Saudi Arabia.

The Caox Solution does three tings; it permanently stores CO₂, utilizes industrial waste, and produces valuable Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC).

This enables two potential revenue streams: the sale of CO₂ credits and the sale of PCC. Not surprisingly, the solution has drawn significant international interest. The collaboration with Aramco marked Caox’s first commercial contract and is a key milestone for the Norwegian company.

In 2024 and 2025, Caox is focused on optimizing its technologies for upscaling, working with SINTEF on CO₂ capture and with Saudi Aramco on mineralization.

– In Saudi Arabia, they do have a solution like Northern Lights, it is called Jubail, but not all emitting facilities in Saudi Arabia have access to Jubail and underground sequestration, Sandal points out.

– We´re collaborating with Aramco in developing innovative solutions to address their complex CO₂ emission streams.

Caox’s strategy has been clear from the beginning: prioritize technology development over early media attention and business development. But with commercialization now on the horizon, the company is stepping more into the spotlight.

– What sets Caox apart is the low energy demand of its CSAR capture technology. This was tested in 2023 at BiR in Bergen, one of Norway's largest waste management companies who is exploring carbon capture technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the published results sparked interest from several large industrial companies. Caox is now in pilot negotiations with multiple high-profile international partners.

A Technology Partner for the Future

Collaboration is central to Caox’s growth strategy. The company aims to be a high-end technology partner for industries and regions that can benefit from either or both of its solutions.

The partnership with Aramco may eventually lead to a full-scale mineralization facility, while international interest in the CSAR technology continues to grow. Together with SINTEF, Caox is working actively to scale the technology and make a measurable impact on global carbon emissions.