Carbon Sequestration

Convenor: Professor John Kaldi

Carbon capture and storage as a means for mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) can make significant cuts in Greenhouse Gas emissions. CCS, sometimes called “Geosequestration”, involves the long-term storage of captured CO2 emissions in subsurface geologic formations. The technology comprises a number of steps: 1) CO2 is captured at the source (eg a power plant or mineral processing or gas production facility); 2) the captured CO2 is compressed to a supercritical state and transported, typically via pipeline, from the source to the geologic storage site; 3) the CO2 is injected via conventional wells into the geologic reservoir; and, 4) the CO2 is stored (trapped) in the geologic reservoir, where any movement is carefully monitored and the quantity stored is regularly verified. CCS technology exists today and can be deployed commercially. Demonstration-scale CCS projects already exist in several places around the world, including Australia. Commercial deployment CCS will require employing the most efficient capture technologies and the identification of specific storage sites. In addition, there must be appropriate regulation, clarity on liability issues and acceptance by the community.