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Technology Collaboration Programme by IEA

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Discover the latest advances carbon capture and storage research

Technical Review

Pressurisation and Brine Displacement - Issues for Deep Saline Formation CO₂ Storage

  • 1 November 2010
  • Storage

Worldwide, deep saline formations are expected to store gigatonnes of CO₂ over the coming decades, making a significant contribution to greenhouse gas mitigation. At present, our experience of deep saline formation storage is limited to a small number of demonstration projects that have successfully injected megatonnes of captured CO₂. However, concerns have been raised over pressurization, and related brine displacement within and around deep saline formations, given the anticipated scale of future storage operations. This report aims to address these concerns and their origins in computational and analytical flow models. The report does not address the related impact of brine displacement on shallow potable groundwater, which is the subject of a separate IEAGHG study, to follow in 2011.

Technical Review

2nd High Temperature Solid Looping network meeting

  • 1 November 2010
  • Capture
  • Event Proceedings

The second meeting on the high temperature solid looping network was held at the Netherlands energy research centre at Petten from 15-17th September 2010. Approximately 70 delegates attended the meeting of which about 25% were representing industry. 24 papers were presented and discussed during the event and in addition 7 posters were also on display. ECN is actively engaged in research in this area and delegates were able to see first hand the large pilot plant constructed under the EU framework 6 and CCP 2 CACHET project to demonstrate an integrated sorbent enhanced reforming and water gas shift process using multiple fixed beds. Also included in the site tour were ECN’s fluid bed biomass gasification pilot plants, the latest of which is a large 0.8 MW unit large enough to operate without external heat jacketing to compensate for heat losse

Technical Review

Geothermal Energy and CO₂ Storage

  • 1 August 2010
  • Storage

This report summarises the main issues related to potential conflicts and possible synergies between geothermal activities and CO<sub>2</sub> geological storage, for the purpose of finding what further research into this area will be necessary and what further steps could be taken by IEAGHG. The majority of the information in the report is largely based on a conference held by the GFZ in Potsdam on Geothermal Energy and CO<sub>2</sub> Storage: Synergy or Competition, which was largely focussed on European issues and did not cover an overall global perspective. There are two principal types of geothermal energy, the traditional hydrothermal, which mines heat using the in-situ geothermal waters and Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), where alternate methods are used to mine the heat. This can involve the fracturing of a low permeability rock to increase fluid flow, as in a Hot Dry Rock System.

Technical Review

What Have We Learnt from IEAGHG CO₂ Capture and CCS Generic Tehcnical Studies

  • 1 August 2010
  • Capture
  • Industry Insights

This report is considered the 3rd in a series of reports summarizing the learning points from the different IEAGHG activities. This series of reports started by summarizing the learning points from the storage activities (report 2009/TR1, February 2009) and the CCS demonstration projects (report 2009/TR6, November 2009). This 3rd report summarises key learning points on CO₂ capture and generic CCS studies from Operating Phase 5 of the IEAGHG, which commenced in 2005 and effectively coincided with the publication of the IPCC Special Report on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (IPCC SRCCS). IEAGHG activities revolve mainly around contracted studies and organisation of the international research networks.

Technical Review

Development of a Global CO₂ Pipeline Infrastructure

  • 1 August 2010
  • Transport

Projections of the scale on which CCS needs to be deployed to meet targets for CO₂ emissions reductions indicate that a massive CO₂ pipeline infrastructure will be required. To date CCS systems have tended to be based on dedicated pipelines connecting source to sink although some studies of regional CO₂ pipeline infrastructure requirements have been carried out. The purpose of this study is to examine the wider issues including design, financing, economics and regional differences.

Technical Review

6th Meeting of the Wellbore Integrity Network

  • 1 July 2010
  • Event Proceedings
  • Storage

This eclectic mix of representation ensured the discussion sessions remained varied, without bias, and included debate reflecting different viewpoints. The future of the network will be determined over the next couple of years, with a proposal to hold a combined Modelling / Wellbore Integrity Meeting in 2011, and the 2nd Joint Network Meeting in 2012. The outcomes of these meetings will help to shape the future development of the IEAGHG networks as a whole. The format of the meeting allowed for 20 minute presentations with 5 minutes for questions. Each of the three meeting sessions was followed by prolonged discussion sessions where ideas and experiences were discussed by the meeting attendees at a greater level of detail. These discussion sessions are the primary focus of this report, and the presentations are available on the network webpage for reference.

Technical Review

Workshop on Environmental Impact of Amine Emissions during Post-Combustion Capture

  • 1 June 2010
  • Capture
  • Event Proceedings

The amine post combustion capture technology is based on washing the flue gas with a solvent that captures CO₂. Thus, a small fraction of this solvent will be released through the stack together with the cleaned flue gas. This release may cause environmental concerns both directly and indirectly through subsequent solvent degradation into other substances in the atmosphere. There is a clear lack of understanding of the characteristics of the used solvent and their degradation products, which are an additional concern. From the global prospective, it is clear that the activities in relation to this topic are limited and there is a clear need for cooperation and knowledge exchange between the different institutes. Therefore, the “Environmental Impact of Post Combustion Capture” workshop was held, primarily to share information on the environmental effect of using chemical solvents for capturing CO₂, associated with conventional combustion based fossil fuel fired power stations

Technical Review

Injection Strategies for CO₂ Storage Sites

  • 1 June 2010
  • Storage

The project has two main deliverables: 1) A comprehensive review of international research and current understanding with respect to the strategies, technologies and economics of CO₂ injection into subsurface formations and 2) spreadsheet applications based on analytical methods and look-up tables for the planning of CO₂ injection schemes. The review part of the report addresses the following main topics: a) injection well hydraulics and numerical modelling of CO₂ injection; b) proposed strategies for storage optimisation and experience from existing injection operations; c) economics and trade-offs of CO₂ injection schemes; and d) injection well design and remediation methods. More specifically, the following are covered: <!-- wp:acf/columns {"name":"acf/columns","data":{"padding_top":"1","_padding_top":"field_columns_fields_padding_top","padding_bottom":"1","_padding_bottom":"field_columns_fields_padding_bottom","margin_top":"0","_margin_top":"field_columns_fields_margin_top","margin_bottom":"0","_margin_bottom":"field_columns_fields_margin_bottom"},"mode":"preview"} --> <!-- wp:acf/column-content {"name":"acf/column-content","mode":"preview"} --> <!-- wp:list --><ul><!-- wp:list-item --><!-- wp:list-item --><li>Parameters that affect injectivity and storage capacity were assessed through a critical review of literature and experience from existing storage operations.</li><!-- /wp:list-item --><!-- /wp:list-item --><!-- wp:list-item --><!-- wp:list-item --><li>The consequences of uncertainty in parameter estimation in numerical reservoir simulations of CO₂ injection schemes are discussed, particularly with respect to relative permeability, heterogeneity effects and economic impacts. </li><!-- /wp:list-item --><!-- /wp:list-item --><!-- wp:list-item --><!-- wp:list-item --><li>Injection strategies that are believed to enhance dissolution of CO₂ in formation water (i.e., co-injection of water) or mineral precipitation, thereby increasing storage security were examined. </li><!-- /wp:list-item --><!-- /wp:list-item --><!-- wp:list-item --><!-- wp:list-item --><li> Economics of well design, drilling techniques and stimulation methods were assessed for various storage environments, reservoir quality and transport distances.</li><!-- /wp:list-item --><!-- /wp:list-item --><!-- wp:list-item --><!-- wp:list-item --><li>Selected existing CO₂ storage sites and pilot projects, CO₂-EOR projects and natural gas storage sites were reviewed with respect to well design, injection strategy and associated costs.</li><!-- /wp:list-item --><!-- /wp:list-item --></ul><!-- /wp:list --> <!-- /wp:acf/column-content --> <!-- /wp:acf/columns -->

Technical Review

1st Social Research Network Meeting

  • 1 June 2010
  • Event Proceedings
  • Public Perception

As this was the first IEA GHG Social Research Network meeting, group discussions took place to identify the overarching aims and objectives of the network. After much discussion and reiteration it was agreed that the overarching aim should be: To foster the conduct and dissemination of social science research related to CCS in order to improve understanding of public concerns as well as improve the understanding of the processes required for deploying projects

Technical Review

Environmental Evaluation of CCS Using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

  • 1 May 2010
  • Capture
  • Storage

In the last years several studies have investigated carbon capture and storage (CCS) from a life cycle perspective focussing on the environmental performance. Scope of this study is to compare systematically the different approaches of fifteen studies, to summarise the results, show the site specific differences, address methodological variations and formulate guidelines to assign the various conclusions gathered from the studies.

Technical Review

6th Meeting of the Monitoring Network

  • 1 May 2010
  • Event Proceedings
  • Storage

There are currently several carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) projects around the world with extensive monitoring programs. A review and new results for many of these were presented. As this meeting was held in the USA, a session was given to the work being carried out by the US Regional Partnerships (USRPs). This includes projects at various phases, including several at validation phase, planning phase and ongoing development phase. The latter includes the Cranfield site in Mississippi.

Technical Review

5th Meeting of the Risk Assessment Network

  • 1 May 2010
  • Event Proceedings
  • Storage

The two day workshop was divided into eight sessions, opening with a welcome session and closing with the Outcomes and Recommendations discussion session. Presentations were held over six sessions, covering key topics: Regulatory Requirements, What can Risk Assessment deliver?, Risk Communication, Update from Real Projects, Induced seismicity/Geomechanics, and Long-term Risk Management; with twenty minute presentations on average and a minimum thirty minute facilitated discussion. All the discussion sessions were met with enthusiastic input from all participants, many of which continued into the coffee and lunch breaks, expressing the great interest in the workshop topics, and the importance of such an open forum for advancing knowledge in this topical field.

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