Safety Aspects of Processing Carbon Dioxide for CCS and CO2-EOR Projects

Best Practice for Transitioning from Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Enhanced Oil Recovery EOR to CO2 Storage

Being home to the largest oil and gas operators, its advanced subsurface technologies, extensive expertise, skilled labor, and abundant resources, the Middle East is a prime region for large-scale deployment of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology. Driven by the obligations of reducing carbon emissions and maintaining economic competitiveness in a carbon-constrained world; this study examines the regulatory foundations, and the market dynamics shaping CCS initiatives in the region. This study assesses the current deployment of (CCS) technology in the Middle East. It involves an analysis to assess the region's growing commitment to CCS within its broader sustainability and economic diversification strategies. The evaluation of government policies and incentives, such as carbon pricing mechanisms and investment subsidies, helps determine their effectiveness in supporting CCS initiatives and mitigating technological uncertainties. Moreover, the study reviews the adoption of international best practices to ensure safe, long-term CO2 storage and optimize storage capacity. Finally, the study identifies the critical roles of governments, industry stakeholders, and international partners in overcoming regulatory and technical barriers, emphasizing the need for collaborative efforts in advancing CCS deployment in the Middle East. This study is performed using published data for the pilot CCS and Co2 EOR projects in the Middle East highlighting the current regulatory frameworks. The Middle East shows a strong and increasing commitment to CCS, various governments in the region have introduced supportive policies and incentives, such as carbon pricing mechanisms and investment subsidies, to mitigate technological uncertainties and address challenges like water scarcity. Demand forecasts and market assessments indicate substantial potential for CCS, particularly in industrial hubs with high CO2 emissions, driven by regulatory pressures and the strategic importance of CCS for the long-term viability of the oil and gas sector. Successful CCS deployment requires collaboration between stakeholders. Overall, the region's advanced capabilities positioning it uniquely to lead in CCS initiatives in addition CCS is poised to play a pivotal role in the Middle East's energy transition, contributing significantly to carbon mitigation and economic resilience, emphasizing the importance of tailored approaches and collaborative efforts to realize the full potential of CCS in the region. This study offers a fresh perspective by thoroughly analyzing MENA's high potential for large-scale deployment of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies. It highlights the region's proficiency ineffectively implementing CCS technologies and the potential for the Middle East to significantly enhance the global reputation of CCS by fostering public acceptance and reassurance. Through a detailed examination, the study provides novel insights into the potential and strategic importance of CCS in securing the long-term viability of the oil and gas sector while meeting climate targets.

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is gaining importance in helping to lower green house gas emissions and supporting worldwide efforts to move toward renewables. The oil and gas sector can profit from CCS by helping reduce its environmental effect and preserving resources in the new, carbon-cutting setting. The findings are based on a thorough analysis of the economy and environment of CCS use in oil and gas fields, examining cost-effectiveness, financial return, and positive environmental effects. This research combines info from ongoing CCS projects and compares before-combustion, after-combustion, and oxy-fuel methods. Research suggests that using CCS for power generation can cut CO₂ emissions by more than90% when the appropriate technology and storage processes are applied. Yet, for these projects to thrive, the sensitivity of economic viability depends on spending on capital projects, running costs, carbon pricing systems, and laws backing the industry. The distribution of CCS project costs is shown in a pie chart, and bar charts and tables are used to compare NPV and IRR in various deployment scenarios. Also, when we look at global CCS activities on a map, we can see a rising number of pilot projects in North America, the Middle East, and Asia. As shown by environmental analysis, CCS reduces the carbon intensity of hydrocarbon production but does not remove upstream emissions. According to the study’s conclusions, one approach includes offering fiscal incentives, carbon trading, and public-private partnerships to make CCS more scalable. The study moves the conversation forward by joining the need for environmentally responsible action with the ability to make fossil fuel-powered energy profitable.

The Evolution of European CCS Policy

This study explores the international regulatory and cooperation frameworks for carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology as a key technology for achieving carbon neutrality. Since the entry into force of the Paris Agreement in 2016, the world has been making various efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve carbon neutrality, with CCS emerging as one of the most important technologies in this endeavor. CCS is a technology that reduces the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by safely storing captured carbon dioxide underground, playing an essential role, particularly in hard-to-abate industrial sectors. The study examines the concept of CCS and recent trends, and analyzes the regulatory developments related to CCS under the London Protocol for the protection of the marine environment. Specifically, it reviews the legal basis for CCS technology established through the 2006 and 2009 amendments to the London Protocol and the specific regulations governing the injection of CO2 streams into sub-seabed geological formations. Additionally, it emphasizes the need for agreements and accords to strengthen international cooperation and clarifies compliance conditions such as reporting requirements to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). In conclusion, the London Protocol aims to protect the marine environment and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through requirements related to the composition of CO2 streams, assessment procedures, international cooperation, permit issuance, and reporting procedures. This regulatory framework makes a significant contribution to the international community's response to climate change, and it is expected that safe and effective CCS projects will be promoted through continued international cooperation. This study aims to contribute to establishing a regulatory foundation for the efficient operation and environmental protection of such international CCS projects.

Financing carbon capture and storage projects the results of two expert meetings

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is central to a clean energy transition. According to the UN’s IPCC and IEA, CCS needs to attain a global CO2 reduction capacity of ~4 billion tonnes per annum by 2050 to achieve Paris Agreement targets. To date, only 27 large-scale CCS facilities are operating worldwide, totalling 36.6 million tonnes per annum of CO2 reduction. Massive number of new projects are needed. Australia has a potential CO2 storage capacity of 434 billion tonnes, with 316 billion tonnes (73%) residing in offshore oil and gas fields and aquifers. A key constraint to unlock this potential is that the CO2 storage sites and emitter sources are not necessarily located close by. Since CCS projects considered to date in Australia use pipeline transportation, this limits the number of developments to those that have the emission sources and storage sites in proximity. By utilising the Floating CCS Hub development concept, which includes CO2 carriers and floating CCS hub facilities, CCS can be provided to a broader range of emission sources. The transportation cost using CO2 carriers is not as sensitive to transport distance as pipelines, which have a linear relationship between distance and cost. In addition, the CO2 carriers costs are reducing substantially as technology allows for CO2 to be transported in lower pressure states enabling larger parcel sizes, and manufacturing efficiencies further reducing costs. CO2 carriers and CCS hub facilities minimise development constraints related to pipeline distances and land use, and enable replicability and scalability for multiple CCS projects.

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a promising technology in the net-zero goal for global CO2 emissions. The success of CCS operations can depend on corrosion control, material selection, and integrity management, among other things. Despite extended experience with material performance in natural CO2 injection, challenges persist in safely and effectively injecting anthropogenic CO2 including impurities. Indeed, industrial impurities complicate corrosion and limit existing knowledge’s applicability. Since captured CO2 often comes from multiple industrial emitters, each CCS project need to establish CO2 specifications to ensure safe operations, given the lack of standardized guidelines. These specifications delineate upper limits for critical impurities. In a CO2 stream containing H2S, oxygen (O2) as an impurity can affect the corrosion resistance of UNS S32760 material in solution annealed and cold worked conditions, 80ksi and 125ksi grades, respectively. If the bottom-hole exhibits elevated temperatures, a high chloride content, and a low pH, O2 may trigger localized corrosion and stress corrosion cracking. Therefore, a fit-for-purpose testing program was undertaken to assess the main corrosion risks associated with the CCS project. The influence of microstructure and testing duration on corrosion behavior is discussed. The findings from this testing program are critical in determining the applicability of the material for CCS infrastructure and the development of corrosion control testing.

CO2 emissions have caused significant climate changes, emerging as one of the most pressing environmental threats. The change in average global temperatures and forecasted dependance on fossil fuels in the energy mix require attention to technologies like Carbon Storage and Capture. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies offer the potential to mitigate the detrimental effects on climate by reducing carbon emissions. It is done by capturing carbon dioxide and storing it in places like underground formations. This avoids the release to atmosphere, thus lowering the emissions. However, the successful implementation of CCS projects is not without its challenges. These projects often encounter a combination of technical uncertainties, financial hurdles, regulatory constraints, and social acceptance challenges (S. Yasemil, 2023). This paper investigates these challenges from a project and strategic management standpoint, through an analysis of available literature and case studies both from developed and developing countries. The paper contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing a strategic and project management perspective on the challenges faced by CCS projects. While previous studies have focused on the technical and environmental aspects of CCS, this research highlights the importance of integrating project management principles with technical and policy considerations. The paper goes on to highlight the importance of the common challenges faced in CCS projects and the effects of these factors on project success. It further highlights how robust project management ensures achievement of strategic objectives. Furthermore, it goes on to identify a ‘Sweet Zone’ which should be targeted for proper planning and management of CCS projects.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has emerged as a potential strategy for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It involves the capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from large point source emitters, such as coal-fired power plants. The CO2 is transported to a storage location, where it is isolated from the atmosphere in stable underground reservoirs. CCS technology has been particularly intriguing to countries that utilize fossil fuels for energy production and are seeking ways to reduce their GHG emissions. While there has been an increase in technological development and research in CCS, some members of the public, industry, and policymakers regard the technology as controversial. Some proponents see CCS as a climate change mitigation technology that will be essential to reducing CO2 emissions. Others view CCS as an environmentally risky, complex, and expensive technology that is resource-intensive, promotes the continued extraction of fossil fuels, and competes with renewable energy investments. Effective communication about CCS begins with understanding the perceptions of the general public and individuals living in the communities where CCS projects are sited or proposed. Most people may never live near a CCS site, but may be concerned about risks, such as the cost of development, environmental impacts, and competition with renewable energy sources. Those who live near proposed or operational projects are likely to have a strong impact on the development and deployment of CCS. Individuals in locally affected communities may be more concerned about disruptions to sense of place, impact on jobs or economy, or effect on local health and environment. Effective communication about the risks and benefits of CCS has been recognized as a critical factor in the deployment of this technology.

The contribution of carbon capture and storage to Canada's net-zero plan

The aging of oil and gas reservoirs in South East Asia (SEA) presents opportunities for their repurposing for use in Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS); to our knowledge, there are currently no operational CCS projects in SEA. Multiple CCS projects have been announced recently in SEA, targeting storage in depleted reservoirs. In this paper, we share technical lessons learned while working on CCS projects in SEA. The paper first provides an overview of engineering factors that should be considered for the transport and storage of CO2 in depleted reservoirs. We will then focus our discussion on four of the challenges faced while assessing these factors. Firstly, we highlight the impact that regional geothermal gradients have on storage capacity; particularly, we show that higher geothermal gradients due to the proximity to the ring of fire reduces storage capacity in reservoirs in SEA. Secondly, challenges surrounding the dynamic modelling of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) injection into depleted reservoirs will be discussed; the large difference between the composition of the injected gas and native reservoir gas necessitates the use of compositional dynamic models. In this regard, many depleted reservoirs either do not have dynamic models at all, or only have black oil models; both circumstances will require significant time and resource investments to construct compositional dynamic models. Next, we will discuss the reusability of regional gas pipelines for CCS projects; we discuss factors that may prevent a pipeline from being convertible for CO2 transport. Finally, we will discuss the challenge of managing CO2 phase transitions at injection sites. The phase transitions are a result of CO2 being transported at high pressures and then injected into depleted reservoirs with low pressures and high temperatures. We argue in the paper that the phase transition should be engineered to occur in the reservoir to minimize facilities costs.

Spearheaded by the European Union and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), carbon capture and storage (CCS) has recently been emphasized as an essential strategy for addressing climate change. South Korea is pursuing CCS projects such as the Donghae-1 Gas Field and the Gunsan Basin Project, and site characterization studies are being progressively conducted. This paper presents the Smeaheia Project, a large-scale CCS initiative in Norway, as a reference case for developing large-scale CCS projects in Korea. First, we examine the status of large-scale offshore CCS projects based on the geological characteristics of Norway. Next, we assess the suitability of the Smeaheia storage site based on geological and geophysical characterizations and investigate the current development status of the ongoing Smeaheia CCS project. Finally, we confirm important insights from the Smeaheia CCS project, which are necessary for securing large-scale CO 2 storage sites in South Korea.

Rapid industrialization and urbanization in the 20th century have led to increasing volumes of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere[...]

The latest technologies for climate change mitigation are carbon capture and storage (CCS). Some countries are developing CCS projects, and they are currently at different stages of deployment. Despite the signing of international agreements on climate change mitigation, Russia does not ensure the development of CCS technologies and their implementation. Given the long-term development of such technologies, its main goal is to raise public awareness of carbon capture, storage and use.Currently, the problem of creating public awareness about CCS technologies has gained a huge momentum in the Russian Federation. A high level of awareness and approval of such projects will encourage the deployment of CCS projects in the Russian Federation.The purpose of this article is to study the level of awareness of the Russian society regarding CCS technologies, as well as to develop a multi-level complex system of measures to ensure that such awareness is raised in the near future.To achieve this goal, we used such methods as research of secondary and primary sources of information on this topic. In addition to analyzing the information of scientific publications on the subject under study, both secondary (content analysis of printed media materials, video hosting, social networks) and primary research (personal survey, experiment) were conducted.As the most important results, we can highlight the obtained structure of popularity of environmental information sources among students of two universities in Saint Petersburg. In addition, it has been proved that currently in the Russian Federation, insufficient attention is paid to the popularization of carbon sequestration technologies. the analysis of the dissemination of information about CCS technologies in social networks, school textbooks, Newspapers, and video hosting services was carried out. Content analysis of existing social groups and videos in social networks is presented.