Stanford UniversityGlobal Climate & Energy Projectgy j

Carbon Capture & Sequestration Public WorkshopSacramento California

G l i l S t ti A P i

Sacramento, CaliforniaJune 10, 2010

Professor Sally M Benson

Geological Sequestration: A Primer

Professor Sally M. BensonEnergy Resources Engineering DepartmentDirector, Global Climate and Energy Project

Stanford Universityy

Global Challenges – Global Solutions – Global Opportunities

Transition to a Sustainable Energy System for the 21st Century and Beyondfor the 21 Century and Beyond

AffordableP di t bl

Energy is the lifeblood of modern civilization

Society

Accessible- Reliable

U f l

Economy - Predictable- Competitive

- Resilient- Profitable

modern civilization.

Society- Useful - Equitable

Designing A Designing A Designing A

ProtectiveNational

Security Secure

Sustainable Sustainable Sustainable Energy SystemEnergy SystemEnergy System

Environment

Protective - Air Quality

- Climate- Water

y- Compatible

with Nationalinterests

Immune fromResources - Ecosystems

- Immune frompolitical manipulation

- Abundant

Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere

Carbon dioxide emissions have risen dramatically over the past two hundred years…

10000s

6000

8000

10000

e Em

issi

ons

2000

4000

rbon

Dio

xid

M Tons (C)01760 1810 1860 1910 1960 2010

Car

leading to the b ild p of carbon dio ide in the atmosphere

IPCC, 2007

… leading to the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere,… global warming, and… ocean acidification.

Today’s Energy Mix

• 85% of U.S. energy

U.S. Energy Mix120 gy

supply from fossil fuels• 80% of U.S. energy

supply projected by 203080

100

n B

TU

• Reductions of CO2 and other greenhouses gases of 50 to 80% are needed by 2050L b i i

40

60

Qua

drill

ion

• Low carbon emission electricity options

– Renewable energy (sun and wind)Nuclear power

0

20

0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 0 0

Q

– Nuclear power• Growth of these is

unlikely to be fast enough to achieve needed emission

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

2015

2020

2020

2030

Liquids Natural GasCoal Nuclear needed emission

reductions

Source: EIA Reference Case, 2009

Coal NuclearHydropower Renewable excluding Hydro

Renewable Global Energy Flowsgy

1000

10000

10

100

1000

0 1

1

10HumanUse of Energy 0.1

SolarWind

al Gradient

Waves

ial Biomass

an Biomass

al Heat F

lux

HydropowerTides

(15 TW)

Ocean Therm

al

Terrestr

ial

Ocean

Geothermal Hy

The solar and wind energy resources are large compared to human energy use.

Energy Stored in the Earth’s Crusta t s C ust

1000000

Energy Stores

10000

100000

1000000

Ratio of Resources to Annual

100

1000

Annual Human Energy Use

1

10

* ) l l

othermal E

nergy*

m–tritium (fr

om Li)

Uranium

Thorium

Coal

Gas Hydrates Oil

Gas

From Hermann, 2006: Quantifying Global Exergy Resources, Energy 31 (2006) 1349–1366

Geoth

Deuterium–

We also have plenty of stored energy.

What is Carbon Dioxide Captureand Storage and Why is it Important?g y p

• Carbon dioxide capture and storage technology can slow global warming by reducing carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphereinto the atmosphere

• Applicable to the 60% of emissions which come from stationary sources such as power plants

• Necessary to achieve the rapid carbon dioxide emission• Necessary to achieve the rapid carbon dioxide emission reductions

CCS is Needed for Large CO2 Emission Reduction2

650 CO2-eq 550 CO2-eq 450 CO2-eq

20

25

30

C-e

q)

20

25

30

C-e

q)

20

25

30

C-e

q)

5

10

15

20

Emis

sion

s (G

tC

5

10

15

20

Emis

sion

s (G

tC

5

10

15

20

Emis

sion

s (G

tC

0

1970

1990

2010

2030

2050

2070

2090

0

1970

1990

2010

2030

2050

2070

2090

0

1970

1990

2010

2030

2050

2070

2090

Sinks Other CCS Nuclear, renewable

Non-CO2 Fuel switch Biofuels Efficiency

Expected contributions to GHG emissions with b i i th f $20 t $100/tCO

From IPCC, 2007:WG III

carbon prices in the range of $20 to $100/tCO2-eq.

Current Worldwide Sources andEmissions (~7,500 total > 0.1 MT/yr)

Transportation, 1,703

Resource Production, 347

Transportation

Global CO2 Emissions (Mt C) Electricity Sector

Fuel # of Average Emissions Electricity Services,

2,725

205

173

Aircraft

Shipping

MT C/yr

Sources g

per Source(MT/source)

Coal 2025 3.9

Heating and Cooking, 2,182

Material Processing and Manufacturing,

2,296

1,325

0 500 1,000 1,500

Road andRail

MT C/yrNat. Gas 1728 0.8 – 1.0

Fuel Oil 1108 0.6 – 1.3IPCC Special Report, 2005

Material Processing and Manufacturing

442Manufacturing

Heating and Cooking

271Food

Processing

Resource Production

158Oil and gasproduction

Material Processing & Manufacturing Transportation Sector

Source # of Sources

Average Emissions per Source

Little today.Future Potential?

505

287

274

Non-metal mineral processing

Metal Purification

Chemical Production

883

293

167

Cooking

SteamProduction

Hot WaterHeating

0

189

Forestry

Coal Mining

?

Sources per Source(MT/source)

Cement 1175 0.8Refining 638 1 35

536

252

0 250 500 750 1,000

Refining

Nat. Gas Processing MT C/yr568

0 250 500 750 1,000

Indoor AirHeating MT C/yr

0

0 250 500 750 1,000

Agriculture MT C/yr

Source: GCEP Exergy and Carbon Flow Chart, 2007

?Refining 638 1.35Other 736 0.15 – 3.5

IPCC Special Report, 2005

73% of U.S. light duty transport could be powered with existing fleet of power plants, Kintner-Meyer, PNNL, 2007

Carbon Dioxide Capture and StorageInvolves 4 StepsInvolves 4 Steps

CaptureCaptureUndergroundUnderground

InjectionInjectionPipelinePipeline

TransportTransportCompressionCompression

What Types of Rock Formations are Suitable for Geological Storage?g g

Rocks in deep sedimentary basins are suitable for CO2 storage.p y 2 g100 km

Northern California Sedimentary Basinhttp://www.glossary.oilfield.slb.com/

Map showing world-wide sedimentary basins

Example of a sedimentary basin with alternating layers of sandstone and shale.

1 inch

Sandstone

Options for Geological Storage

Storage Resources inOil and Gas Reservoirs

Oil and gas reservoirs could potentially store about 60 years ofpotentially store about 60 years of current emissions from power generation.

Storage Resources in Coal Beds

Unminable coal formations could potentially store aboutcould potentially store about 80 years of current emissions from power generation.

Saline Aquifers

Saline aquifers could potentially store more thanpotentially store more than 1,000 years of current emissions from power production.

Expert Opinion about Storage Safety and Securityy y

“ Observations from engineered and natural analogues as well as models suggest that the g ggfraction retained in appropriately selected and managed geological reservoirs is very likely* to exceed 99% over 100 years and is likely** to exceed 99% over 1 000 years ”exceed 99% over 1,000 years.

“ With appropriate site selection informed by available subsurface information, a monitoring , gprogram to detect problems, a regulatory system, and the appropriate use of remediation methods to stop or control CO2 releases if they arise the local health safety and environmentarise, the local health, safety and environment risks of geological storage would be comparable to risks of current activities such as natural gas storage, EOR, and deep underground disposal of acid gas.”

* "Very likely" is a probability between 90 and 99%.** Likely is a probability between 66 and 90%.

Evidence to Support these Conclusions

• Natural geological analogs– Oil and gas reservoirs

CO i– CO2 reservoirs• Performance of industrial analogs

– 30+ years experience with CO2 EOR– 100 years experience with natural

gas storage– Acid gas disposal

25+ years of cumulative• 25+ years of cumulative performance of actual CO2 storage projects – Sleipner, off-shore Norway, 1996p , y,– Weyburn, Canada, 2000– In Salah, Algeria, 2004– Snovhit, Norway, 2008, y,

~35 Mt/yr are injected for CO2-EOR

Natural Gas Storage

• Seasonal storage to meet winterto meet winter demands for natural gas

• Storage formations• Storage formations– Depleted oil and

gas reservoirsAquifers– Aquifers

– Caverns

Sleipner Project, North Sea

1996 to present1 Mt CO i j ti /1 Mt CO2 injection/yrSeismic monitoring

Courtesy Statoil

Seismic Monitoring Data from Sleipnerp

F Ch d i k t l GHGT 9 2008From Chadwick et al., GHGT-9, 2008.

Weyburn CO2-EOR and Storage Project

• 2000 to present• 1-2 Mt/year CO2 injection• CO2 from the Dakota

G ifi ti Pl t i th U SGasification Plant in the U.S.

Photo’s and map courtesy of PTRC and Encana

In Salah Gas Project

Gas Processing and CO2 Separation Facility

In Salah Gas Project- Krechba, Algeria

Gas Purification- Amine Extraction

1 Mt/year CO2 Injection1 Mt/year CO2 InjectionOperations Commence

- June, 2004 Courtesy of BP

Snohvit, Norway

• Snohvit Liquefied Natural Gas Project (LNG)– Barents Sea, Norway

• Gas Purification (removal of 5-8% CO2)– Amine Extraction

0 7 Mt/year CO Injection• 0.7 Mt/year CO2 Injection– Saline aquifer at a depth of 2,600 m (8530 ft) below sea-bed

• Sub-sea injectionj• Operations Commence

– April, 2008

Courtesy StatoilHydro

Key Elements of a Geological Storage Safety and Security Strategy

Long Term Stewardship and

“ With appropriate site selection informed by available subsurface information a

“… risks similar to existing activities such as natural gas storage

d EOR ”

Regulatory Oversight

g pFinancial Responsibility

“… the fraction retained is likely to exceed 99% over 1,000 years.”

information, amonitoring program to detect problems, a regulatory system, and the appropriate use of

and EOR.”

Remediation

Monitoring

pp premediation methods…” IPCC, 2005

g

Safe Operations

Storage Engineering

Site Characterization and Selection

Fundamental Storage and Leakage Mechanisms

Fluid Properties of Carbon Dioxide

St

PipelineTransportation

SupercriticalFluid

Storage Reservoir

Transportation

(31 0oC 3 8 b )

Fluid

(31.0oC, 73.8 bar)

Atmosphere

Density of Carbon Dioxide

Storage at Depths Greater pthan 1,000 m

(3,000 ft)

Basic Concept of Geological Sequestration of CO2q 2

• Injected at depths of 1 km or deeper into rocks with tiny pore spacesinto rocks with tiny pore spaces

• Primary trappingBeneath seals of low permeability rocks– Beneath seals of low permeability rocks

Image courtesy of ISGS and MGSCCourtesy of John Bradshaw

X-ray Micro-tomography at theAdvanced Light Sourceg

Micro-tomography Beamline Image of Rock with CO2

WaterCO2

Mineralgrain

2 mm

Seal Rocks and Trapping Mechanisms

• Seal rock geology 1.E-10

1.E-07

(m2 )g gy

– Shale– Clay

Carbonates1.E-16

1.E-13

Perm

eabl

ity (

– Carbonates

• Two trapping mechanisms– Permeability barriers to CO2

1.E-19Gravel Course

SandSilty

sandsClayeysands

Clay Shale

2migration

– Capillary barriers to CO2migration

Cappilary Barrier Effectiveness

100

1000

(Bar

s)

Capillary Barrier Effectiveness

10

100

Entr

y Pr

essu

re

Increasing Effectiveness

1Delta Plain

ShalesChannel

AbandonmentSilts

Pro-DeltaShales

Delta FrontShales

ShelfCarbonates

Increasing Effectiveness

Secondary Trapping Mechanisms Increase Over Time

• Solubility trapping– CO2 dissolves in water

• Residual gas trapping• Residual gas trapping– CO2 is trapped by

capillary forces

• Mineral trapping– CO2 converts to solid

minerals

• Adsorption trapping– CO2 adsorbs to coal

What Could Go Wrong?

Potential Consequences1. Worker safety1. Worker safety

2. Groundwater quality degradation

3. Resource damage

4. Ecosystem degradation

5 Public safety5. Public safety

6. Structural damage

7. Release to atmosphere• Well leakage (injection and abandoned Potential Release Pathways

e ease to at osp e eg ( jwells)

• Poor site characterization (undetected faults)

• Excessive pressure buildup damages• Excessive pressure buildup damages seal

Risk Management

Acceptable Risk

Sit l ti

ety

and

tal R

isk

Site selectionActive and abandoned well completionsStorage engineering

P

Hea

lth S

afe

nviro

nmen

t Pressure recoverySecondary trapping mechanismsConfidence in predictive models

Injectionb i

Injection t

2 x injection i d

3 x injection i d

n x injection i d

H E

begins stops period period period

Monitor Calibrate&

Calibrate&

ModelValidateModels

ValidateModels

Maturity of CCS Technology

• Are we ready for CCS?

Oil and gas reservoirsOil and gas reservoirs

Saline aquifers

C lb dCoalbeds

State-of-the-art is well developed, scientific understanding is excellent and engineering methods are mature

Sufficient knowledge is available but practical experience is lacking, economics may be sub-optimal, scientific understanding is goodmay be sub optimal, scientific understanding is good

Demonstration projects are needed to advance the state-of-the art for commercial scale projects, scientific understanding is limited

Pilot projects are needed to provide proof-of-concept, scientific understanding is immature

Concluding Remarks

• CCS is an important part of solving the global warming problem• Progress on CCS proceeding on all frontsg p g

– Industrial-scale projects– Demonstration plants– Research and developmentResearch and development

• Technology is sufficiently mature for commercial projects with CO2-EOR and for large scale demonstration projects in saline aquifersaqu e s

• Research is needed to support deployment at scale– Capture: Lower the cost and increase reliability– Sequestration: Increase confidence in permanenceSequestration: Increase confidence in permanence

• Institutional issues and incentives need to be addressed to support widespread deployment