In the IEA Clean Technology Scenario (CTS), approximately 100 billion tonnes of CO2 will be stored by 2060.
"A common myth is that carbon capture and storage is new and, therefore, not tested nor safe. The truth is carbon capture and storage (CCS) has been around for more than 45 years and has been successfully and safely implemented around the world," states Dave Mannon, CEO of IPT Well Solutions during a panel at Fuze, an energy technology conference in Houston, TX.
In fact, more than 260 million tonnes of CO2 has already been securely stored underground, although there are limited commercial scale projects completed.
To date, there are three main ways CO2 has shown to be permanently stored underground. The first is in saline formations covered by a caprock where supercritical carbon dioxide can either dissolve into the salty water or chemically react and mineralize. The second is through enhanced oil recovery (EOR) where the carbon is injected allowing more oil to be produced. The third is injecting CO2 in supercritical phase into depleted oil and gas fields or other subsurface pore space that does not contain underground sources of drinking water (USDW).
"The phase we are currently in is educating both the community and government officials about carbon capture & storage and finding realistic storage potential which requires rigorous delineation and geologic / reservoir modeling," Mannon continues. "While there are already regulations in place to ensure the success, safety, and permanency of carbon capture & storage, education is vital as new regulations are drafted and become increasingly complex. Effectively executing CCS while following these regulations requires extensive engineering expertise."
It's clear the question isn't, "Do companies know how to store the CO2?". The question is, "Can companies keep up with ever-developing CCS legislation framework?"
This requires substantial experience with disposal wells and meticulous monitoring of legislation.
"Those involved with CCS understand the risks and know how critical the regulations are to mitigating them. Regulators work hard to protect the environment and communities," Mannon later shares, "There's no doubt that policy will continue to be priority. I know it is for us, our partners, and I'd hope for our competitors."
Mannon's overall message was legislation begins with education. He invited everyone to educate themselves, their communities, and government officials.
Source: https://www.iptwellsolutions.com/