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Ringrose PS, Furre AK, Gilfillan SMV, Krevor S, Landrø M, Leslie R, Meckel T, Nazarian B, Zahid A. Storage of Carbon Dioxide in Saline Aquifers: Physicochemical Processes, Key Constraints, and Scale-Up Potential. Annu Rev Chem Biomol Eng 2021; 12:471-494. [PMID: 33872518 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-chembioeng-093020-091447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
CO2 storage in saline aquifers offers a realistic means of achieving globally significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions at the scale of billions of tonnes per year. We review insights into the processes involved using well-documented industrial-scale projects, supported by a range of laboratory analyses, field studies, and flow simulations. The main topics we address are (a) the significant physicochemical processes, (b) the factors limiting CO2 storage capacity, and (c) the requirements for global scale-up.Although CO2 capture and storage (CCS) technology can be considered mature and proven, it requires significant and rapid scale-up to meet the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement. The projected growth in the number of CO2 injection wells required is significantly lower than the historic petroleum industry drill rates, indicating that decarbonization via CCS is a highly credible and affordable ambition for modern human society. Several technology developments are needed to reduce deployment costs and to stimulate widespread adoption of this technology, and these should focus on demonstration of long-term retention and safety of CO2 storage and development of smart ways of handling injection wells and pressure, cost-effective monitoring solutions, and deployment of CCS hubs with associated infrastructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip S Ringrose
- Equinor Research Center, 7053 Trondheim, Norway; .,Department of Geoscience and Petroleum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7012 Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Stuart M V Gilfillan
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Grant Institute, EH9 3FE Edinburgh, Scotland
| | - Samuel Krevor
- Department of Earth Science & Engineering, Imperial College, SW7 2BU London, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Landrø
- Department of Electronic Systems, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7012 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Rory Leslie
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Grant Institute, EH9 3FE Edinburgh, Scotland
| | - Tip Meckel
- Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78705, USA
| | | | - Adeel Zahid
- Equinor Research Center, 7053 Trondheim, Norway;
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Miocic JM, Gilfillan SMV, Frank N, Schroeder-Ritzrau A, Burnside NM, Haszeldine RS. 420,000 year assessment of fault leakage rates shows geological carbon storage is secure. Sci Rep 2019; 9:769. [PMID: 30683881 PMCID: PMC6347600 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36974-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology is routinely cited as a cost effective tool for climate change mitigation. CCS can directly reduce industrial CO2 emissions and is essential for the retention of CO2 extracted from the atmosphere. To be effective as a climate change mitigation tool, CO2 must be securely retained for 10,000 years (10 ka) with a leakage rate of below 0.01% per year of the total amount of CO2 injected. Migration of CO2 back to the atmosphere via leakage through geological faults is a potential high impact risk to CO2 storage integrity. Here, we calculate for the first time natural leakage rates from a 420 ka paleo-record of CO2 leakage above a naturally occurring, faulted, CO2 reservoir in Arizona, USA. Surface travertine (CaCO3) deposits provide evidence of vertical CO2 leakage linked to known faults. U-Th dating of travertine deposits shows leakage varies along a single fault and that individual seeps have lifespans of up to 200 ka. Whilst the total volumes of CO2 required to form the travertine deposits are high, time-averaged leakage equates to a linear rate of less than 0.01%/yr. Hence, even this natural geological storage site, which would be deemed to be of too high risk to be selected for engineered geologic storage, is adequate to store CO2 for climate mitigation purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes M Miocic
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, James Hutton Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FE, UK. .,Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Freiburg, Albertstr. 23b, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Stuart M V Gilfillan
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, James Hutton Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FE, UK
| | - Norbert Frank
- Institute for Environmental Physics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 229, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andrea Schroeder-Ritzrau
- Institute for Environmental Physics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 229, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Neil M Burnside
- School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, James Watt South Building, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - R Stuart Haszeldine
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, James Hutton Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FE, UK
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Chen M, Park M, Kim JH, Shinn YJ, Lee YK, Hur J. Exploring pore water biogeochemical characteristics as environmental monitoring proxies for a CO 2 storage project in Pohang Basin, South Korea. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2018; 137:331-338. [PMID: 30503441 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.10.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Revised: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Biogeochemical parameters of pore waters, including dissolved organic matter, nutrients, sulfate, alkalinity, and chloride are explored as convenient and sensitive proxies to monitor the CO2 geological storage sites. Five sites for a CO2 storage project in the Pohang Basin of the East Sea in South Korea were investigated for the pre-injection biogeochemical conditions of these sites. Higher dissolved organic carbon (~36 mg L-1), chromophoric and fluorescent dissolved organic matter, nutrients, and alkalinity were observed in a fluvially affected acoustic blanking site with geological faults. A general increasing downcore trend of measured DOM parameters, nutrients, and alkalinity with depth was found at the acoustic blanking site affected by riverine runoff with significant correlations among the parameters (R2: ~0.4-0.8), highlighting the impact of geological features and external inputs on the downcore biogeochemical properties. The results presented in this study suggest that DOM could be utilized as a robust and complementary biogeochemical parameter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meilian Chen
- Department of Environment & Energy, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, South Korea; Environmental Program, Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Shantou 515063, China
| | - Myongho Park
- Department of Earth System Sciences, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - Ji-Hoon Kim
- Petroleum and Marine Research Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, 124 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34132, South Korea
| | - Young Jae Shinn
- Climate Change Mitigation and Sustainability Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, 124 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34132, South Korea
| | - Yun Kyung Lee
- Department of Environment & Energy, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, South Korea
| | - Jin Hur
- Department of Environment & Energy, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, South Korea.
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Flude S, Johnson G, Gilfillan SMV, Haszeldine RS. Inherent Tracers for Carbon Capture and Storage in Sedimentary Formations: Composition and Applications. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2016; 50:7939-7955. [PMID: 27379462 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b01548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Inherent tracers-the "natural" isotopic and trace gas composition of captured CO2 streams-are potentially powerful tracers for use in CCS technology. This review outlines for the first time the expected carbon isotope and noble gas compositions of captured CO2 streams from a range of feedstocks, CO2-generating processes, and carbon capture techniques. The C-isotope composition of captured CO2 will be most strongly controlled by the feedstock, but significant isotope fractionation is possible during capture; noble gas concentrations will be controlled by the capture technique employed. Comparison with likely baseline data suggests that CO2 generated from fossil fuel feedstocks will often have δ(13)C distinguishable from storage reservoir CO2. Noble gases in amine-captured CO2 streams are likely to be low concentration, with isotopic ratios dependent on the feedstock, but CO2 captured from oxyfuel plants may be strongly enriched in Kr and Xe which are potentially valuable subsurface tracers. CO2 streams derived from fossil fuels will have noble gas isotope ratios reflecting a radiogenic component that will be difficult to distinguish in the storage reservoir, but inheritance of radiogenic components will provide an easily recognizable signature in the case of any unplanned migration into shallow aquifers or to the surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Flude
- School of Geosciences, The University of Edinburgh, Grant Institute , King's Buildings, James Hutton Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FE, U.K
- Isotope Geosciences Unit, Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre , Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride G75 0QF, U.K
| | - Gareth Johnson
- School of Geosciences, The University of Edinburgh, Grant Institute , King's Buildings, James Hutton Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FE, U.K
| | - Stuart M V Gilfillan
- School of Geosciences, The University of Edinburgh, Grant Institute , King's Buildings, James Hutton Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FE, U.K
| | - R Stuart Haszeldine
- School of Geosciences, The University of Edinburgh, Grant Institute , King's Buildings, James Hutton Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FE, U.K
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