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Permanent carbon dioxide storage in deep-sea sediments.

Kurt Zenz House1, Daniel P Schrag, Charles F Harvey

  • 1Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. khouse@fas.harvard.edu

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|August 9, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Deep-sea sediment injection offers permanent geologic storage for anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2). At depths below 3,000 meters, CO2 becomes denser than pore fluid and forms stable hydrates, preventing leakage.

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Area of Science:

  • Geosciences
  • Environmental Science
  • Geochemistry

Background:

  • Stabilizing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) necessitates large-scale geologic storage of captured anthropogenic CO2.
  • Terrestrial CO2 storage sites face challenges with CO2 buoyancy due to subsurface temperature profiles, risking leakage.
  • Effective sealing is crucial for preventing the escape of injected CO2 from geologic reservoirs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the feasibility of permanent geologic storage of anthropogenic CO2 in deep-sea sediments.
  • To assess the stability and containment mechanisms of CO2 injected into deep-sea environments.
  • To evaluate the potential storage capacity of U.S. coastal waters for CO2 emissions.

Main Methods:

  • Simulated injection of CO2 into deep-sea sediments at depths below 3,000 meters.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Analysis of CO2 phase behavior under high-pressure, low-temperature deep-sea conditions.
  • Qualitative modeling of CO2 plume evolution, including hydrate formation and diffusion.

    • Main Results:

    • Injecting CO2 into deep-sea sediments below 3,000 m water depth provides permanent storage, even with geomechanical disturbances.
    • Under deep-sea conditions, liquid CO2 is denser than pore fluid, ensuring gravitational stability.
    • CO2 hydrate formation acts as a secondary seal, impeding CO2 flow and enhancing containment.
    • Dissolution of calcareous sediments is limited, with karst formation being unlikely.
    • The U.S. exclusive economic zone offers substantial CO2 storage capacity, potentially thousands of years of current emissions.

    Conclusions:

    • Deep-sea sediments represent a viable and secure option for long-term geologic storage of anthropogenic CO2.
    • The unique physical and chemical conditions in deep-sea environments enhance CO2 containment.
    • Significant storage potential exists within U.S. coastal waters, contributing to climate change mitigation efforts.