GEOLOGISTS SPILL RE: CCS

There are many, many stories about carbon-capture-and-storage (CCS) and there are many experiments ongoing. But rarely has NewEnergyNews come across geologists speaking so frankly about the limitations and questions still surrounding what many politicians and pundits tout as the sure answer to all climate change worries.

Earth too warm? Bury the CO2; Texas alone could hold 40 years worth of US emissions
Mark Clayton, July 31, 2007 (Christian Science Monitor)

WHO
US Department of Energy (DOE), research scientists

WHAT
An oil field called SACROC has had more CO2 pumped underground over a longer period of time, to push oil out, than anywhere else in the world. Geologists and other scientists are studying the region to evaluate the potential of geologic sequestration of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. So far, the scientists are cautiously optimistic.

This is how CO2 has traditionally been used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The study will examine how well the underground deposits have been contained at SACROC. (click to enlarge)

WHEN
Research studies ongoing.

WHERE
SACROC (Scurry Area Canyon Reef Operators Committee) is a West Texas oil field near Snyder, Texas

WHY
- Research is funded by DOE.
- 60% of daily US coal-fired power plant emissions liquefied and pumped underground = 20 million barrels, the same as daily US oil consumption.
- Too much CO2 pumping could destabilize the earth or push deep salt water into aquifers. It is not clear if CO2 will be stable in underground sandstone formations below layers of shale and rock.
- 3 of 5 US storage sites are under review (1+ mile-deep salt basins, old oil/natural-gas reservoirs and deep coal seams) could permanently hold 2+ centuries' of US CO2 emissions.
- Still unproven or undeveloped: (1) environmental safety of geologic sequestration; (2) New technology to economically capture emissions (3) pipelines/infrastructure to deliver GHGs to storage sites.
- Best bet right now: Texas coastal super-salty sandstone formations, which could hold 40 years of US emissions, time enough to develop renewables.
- Next trial: a million ton emission injection into old oil wells near Cranfield, Mississippi.

Professor Smyth and colleague working at SACROC.

QUOTES
- John Thompson, director, Clean Air Task Force: "If we don't sequester carbon from coal, we won't be able to stabilize the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere…It's the linchpin."
- Sue Hovorka, research scientist, University of Texas at Austin: "I grew up near Love Canal, so I know the problems of putting stuff underground…But we're cautiously optimistic this is going to work…Right now the CO2 is stored as small bubbles in the pore spaces of the sandstone…We believe it's immobilized and will sit there on a 10,000-year time frame and that when we open this well later nothing will happen. We don't expect any geysers of escaping CO2 or any of the things that people worry so much about."
- Ernest Moniz, professor, MIT: "The question will end up being: How much capacity can we find for injecting large amounts of CO2 over decades? Will we, for instance, be able to inject the CO2 output of 50 big power plants in the ground and have it stay there?"
- Rebecca Smyth, geologist, University of Texas at Austin: "We're not sure we're going to see any significant impact from CO2 here…But if the impacts are going to show up anywhere in the world, they should show up here where CO2 has been injected so long."