Engineering Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Systems

To reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, permanent storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) captured from major power and industrial sources must be demonstrated as safe, efficient, and cost-effective. Continued research and development in areas such as multi-phase flow, thermodynamics, geochemistry, and geomechanics is needed to improve understanding of the storage process in different geologic formations. Also needed is advanced monitoring technology capable of CO2 plume tracking and leakage detection, as well as improved models for simulation of all aspects of geologic storage in all types of geologic formations. Studies on risks and the consequences of failures associated with long-term storage constitute another set of pressing concerns. The economic incentive for use of CO2 in enhanced oil and/or gas recovery accompanied by permanent geologic storage also makes geologic CO2 storage an area of substantial interest. Worldwide, dozens of geologic carbon storage field projects have been initiated, and many more laboratory and pilot-scale studies are underway, all contributing to better understanding the complex process of geologic carbon storage. Participants in any of the above-mentioned areas are invited to present their work in this session.