Geologic CO2 Storage — Can the Oil and Gas Industry Help Save the Planet?

Abstract

Distinguished Author Series articles are general, descriptive representations that summarize the state of the art in an area of technology by describing recent developments for readers who are not specialists in the topics discussed. Written by individuals recognized as experts in the area, these articles provide key references to more definitive work and present specific details only to illustrate the technology. Purpose: to inform the general readership of recent advances in various areas of petroleum engineering. Abstract Avoiding greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions will require large-scale implementation of several technologies. One of them is storage of CO2 in subsurface formations. This represents a substantial new business sector for the E&P industry. But taking advantage of this opportunity will require addressing several challenges, including characterizing target formations, developing a workforce, gaining confidence of the public and of regulators, and establishing CO2 as a commodity. Of these challenges, the most critical will be to train enough engineers and geoscientists for this new industry. Introduction How Big Could a Geologic CO2 Storage Industry Be? The concentration of CO2 in the Earth's atmosphere has been rising steadily for a century, especially in the last 40 years. There is widespread, though not universal, evidence that the Earth is warming (Kerr 2006). Whether the first phenomenon is the cause of the second continues to be debated in some quarters, the latest consensus of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) not withstanding (IPCC 2007). Political considerations soon may override that debate, however, resulting in widespread implementation of GHG-emissions policies. Thus, it is timely to consider the implications of such policies here—that is, for the engineers and geoscientists currently engaged in finding and producing hydrocarbons. If—and currently it must still be regarded as a big "if"—society embarks upon a serious campaign of GHG avoidance, it will have a tremendous effect on the oil and gas industry. The scale of the task is one compelling reason. To have any effect on the rate of anthropogenic CO2 emissions, it will be necessary to avoid or store several hundred Bcf/D of CO2. This requirement follows from three factors: the current rate of global emissions, which is approximately 7 billion tonne per year of carbon (Gt/a C) or approximately 1.4 Tcf/D CO2; the forecasted growth in emissions to 14 Gt/a C by 2050 under a "business as usual" scenario; and choosing a target atmospheric-CO2 concentration of 500 ppm (the current value is approximately 370 ppm).