A review of developments in carbon dioxide storage

Abstract

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has been identified as an urgent, strategic and essential approach to reduce anthropogenic CO2 emissions, and mitigate the severe consequences of climate change. CO2 storage is the last step in the CCS chain and can be implemented mainly through oceanic and underground geological sequestration, and mineral carbonation. This review paper aims to provide state-of-the-art developments in CO2 storage. The review initially discussed the potential options for CO2 storage by highlighting the present status, current challenges and uncertainties associated with further deployment of established approaches (such as storage in saline aquifers and depleted oil and gas reservoirs) and feasibility demonstration of relatively newer storage concepts (such as hydrate storage and CO2-based enhanced geothermal systems). The second part of the review outlined the critical criteria that are necessary for storage site selection, including geological, geothermal, geohazards, hydrodynamic, basin maturity, and economic, societal and environmental factors. In the third section, the focus was on identification of CO2 behaviour within the reservoir during and after injection, namely injection-induced seismicity, potential leakage pathways, and long-term containment complexities associated with CO2-brine-rock interaction. In addition, a detailed review on storage capacity estimation methods based on different geological media and trapping mechanisms was provided. Finally, an overview of major CO2 storage projects, including their overall outcomes, were outlined. This review indicates that although CO2 storage is a technically proven strategy, the discussed challenges need to be addressed in order to accelerate the deployment of the technology. In addition, beside the necessity of technoeconomic aspects, public acceptance of CO2 storage plays a central role in technology deployment, and the current ethical mechanisms need to be further improved.

Criteria for CO2 storage in geological formations

“…In these conditions, CO2 has properties of gas and liquid, that is density of liquid and viscosity of gas. For conditions of hydrostatic gradient in the formation and geothermal gradient of the Earth (25-30 °C /km), the minimum depth for CO2 injection in supercritical state is about 800 m. With depth increase, the volume of injected CO2 is significantly reduced (Aminu et al, 2017). Figure 5 shows change in CO2 volume at surface and reservoir conditions in supercritical state.…”

“…reservoir, reservoir volume, porosity, permeability, depth, thickness, permeability of cap rocks, seismogenic potential of faults and stressed state of rock. The degree of basin exploration and hydrocarbon potential (if storage is considered in partially or fully depleted hydrocarbon reservoir) are also of great importance (Aminu et al, 2017).…”

“…This option includes capture of anthropogenic CO2, its transportation and injection in different types of geological formations such as: depleted oil and gas reservoirs, saline formations, unmined coal beds, injection in partially depleted oil reservoirs for enhanced oil recovery (EOR-CO2 method), and others (salt caverns, basalt formations, shales). It is considered that CO2 emission by implementation of CCS technology could be decreased by 2050 for 20% (Aminu et al, 2017). Besides that, main factors that affect lowering global CO2 emission are: increasing energy efficiency (less emission for 36%), use of renewable resource (less emission for 21%), nuclear energy (less emission for 6%) and using the natural gas instead coal would reduce emission by 18% (IEA, 2008).…”

“…Main reasons for that are: structure of oil and gas reservoirs as an oil or gas-bearing accumulation is safe for CO2 storage, a long-term exploitation period implies availability of sufficient reservoir data, i.e. well knowing of the future storage characteristics, and presence of needed infrastructure (Aminu et al, 2017).…”

Geochemical study of ultramafic rocks from Latowu area of North Kolaka, Southeast Sulawesi and its implication for CO2 sequestration

“…In situ mineral carbonation involves the injection of CO 2 into subsurface reservoirs to enhance the reaction of CO 2 with Mg-Ca-bearing minerals present in the geological formation. Ex situ mineral carbonation is performed above ground in an industrial plant using pre-existing rock mining materials Aminu et al, 2017). Production of stable carbonate phases may take place through reaction between CO 2 and alkaline earth as following equations:…”