Carbon Capture: Harnessing Carbon Dioxide in the Middle East

Abstract

Carbon Capture The migration to ultra-mature production and concern about rising greenhouse gas emissions mean that the implementation of carbon capture and storage projects are coming into sharper focus than ever before in the Middle East. Capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) and using it in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) is one strategy being widely adopted. Studies showing the region having one of the world’s highest per capita environmental footprints have led governments to look for ways to improve their rankings in greenhouse gas emissions. So far, Oman is the only country in the region to have launched EOR programs on a large commercial, rather than pilot, scale in a bid to stem and reverse years of declining crude production. In Abu Dhabi, tertiary gas injection has been under way for decades at the Total-operated Abu Al Bukhoosh field with great success. As production in the region matures, more countries are expected to implement EOR programs. The application of CO2 EOR provides two advantages for companies in the Middle East. It allows natural gas that would otherwise be used for injection into oil fields for secondary recovery to be freed up to meet domestic requirements, such as power generation and industrial use, or to limit the costly import of liquefied natural gas. Moreover, it helps limit emissions in the region.