A REVIEW OF CAPACITY ESTIMATES FOR THE GEOLOGICAL STORAGE OF CARBON DIOXIDE

摘要

This paper aims to assess the methodologies that have been used to develop storage capacity estimates for CO_2 storage in geological formations. There are four main geological storage options: depleted oil fields (including those suitable for EOR), depleted gas fields, deep saline aquifers and unminable coal seams. These are considered by the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme to represent the most technically feasible and promising storage options. In the case of three of the storage options (depleted oil and gas fields and unminable coal seams), the various CO_2 storage capacity estimates provide a fairly consistent picture of storage potential. However, published estimates for deep saline aquifers show an extensive range (240 - 200,000 Gt CO_2). The range is representative of the lack of knowledge of these previously unused deep saline aquifers and of the processes involved with CO_2 storage. For this reason, the published storage capacity estimates for deep saline aquifers have been compared to identify the basis from which they have been derived.