IMPLICATIONS OF SURFACE SEEPAGE ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GEOLOGIC STORAGE OF CARBON DIOXIDE AS A CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION STRATEGY

摘要

The probability that long-term geologic storage or sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO{sub}2) will become an important climate change mitigation strategy will depend on a number of factors, namely (1) availability, capacity and location of suitable sites, (2) the cost of geologic storage compared to other climate change mitigation options, and (3) public acceptance. Whether or not a site is suitable will be determined by establishing that it can meet a set of performance requirements for safe and effective geologic storage (PRGS). To date, no such PRGS have been developed. Establishing effective PRGS must start with an evaluation of how much CO{sub}2 might be stored and for how long the CO{sub}2 must remain underground to meet goals for controlling atmospheric CO{sub}2 concentrations. These requirements then provide a context for addressing the issue of what, if any, is an "acceptable surface seepage rate"? This paper provides a preliminary evaluation of CO{sub}2 storage amounts, time-scales, and concordant performance requirements.