COALIFICATION AND CARBON SEQUESTRATION USING DEEP OCEAN HYDROTHERMAL BOREHOLE VENTS

摘要

Systems and methods are described for sequestering carbon stored in organic matter while minimizing the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) into the atmosphere, with the carbon (C) being stored as char or coal through the coalification process. Organic matter will be moved to submarine hydrothermal vent fields where the extreme heat in the water will drastically accelerate the degradation of the material and destroy microbes that normally consume the organic material and release the carbon as CO2 or CH4. The oxygen level in the heated water around the vents is extremely low. The water surrounding these vents can reach temperatures of 400°C (750°F). Exemplary implementations may include constructing hydrothermal borehole vents to harness the energy continuously released from the Earth's core in the form of volcanic heat.