CCS Carbon Capture & Storage

Herbert Hofsttter

General

In order to stabilize the greenhouse gases in

the atmosphere, many countries have
committed themselves to reduce their
greenhouse gas emissions. These emissions
are dominated by CO2.
CO2 capture and storage (CCS) in geological
reservoirs may be part of the strategy to
reduce global anthropogenic CO2 emissions.

Ice core evaluation

CO2 Properties
TLV (Threshold Limit Value)

5,000 ppm

Lethal concentration

150,000
ppm

Density relative to air

density

1.53

Density

1.977
kg/nm3

Colour

colourless

Odour

slightly
acetous

Triple Point

T: -56.6C
p: 5.18 bar

Critical Point

T: 31.06C
p: 73.8 bar

Supercritical
Region (1)

Supercritical
Region (2)

CO2 Properties

The volume
decreases rapidly at
~700m depth, when
CO2 reaches
supercritical state.
At depths below
1.5km the density and
specific volume
become nearly
constant.
IPCC Special Report on Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage, 2005.

capturing of CO2 at
power plants
(through Absorption,
Adsorption or
Membranes)

bring CO2 in
supercritical phase

transport to storage
area

injection of CO2 into

selected formations

Capture Processes
Absorption:
Physical:
Rectisol
Selexol

Chemical:
Monoethanolamine (MEA)
Diethanolamine (DEA)

Adsorption:
Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA)
Temperature Swing Adsorption (TSA)
Electrical Swing Adsorption (ESA)

Membranes:
Gas separation membranes
Gas absorption membranes

CO2 Storage

Terrestrial Storage:

Depleted oil and gas reservoirs

Saline formations/Aquifer
Minerals
Unminable coal seams

Marine Storage:

Hydrocarbon traps

American Petroleum Institute, 1986

Porous rock

Porous rock

Sandstone core

UV Light
Impermeable shale
(seal)

Permeable sandstone
(storage reservoir)

Impermeable shale

Depleted Oil and Gas Reservoirs

have proved their tightness over periods of time
lot of data available
(porosity, permeability, thickness of seal rock and reservoir rock)

lot of boreholes (wells) available

probable CO2 storage capacity can be calculated (simulated) out
of production
data (pressure, volumes etc.)

initial pressure to be considered

Saline Formations/Aquifer
geographically wide distribution
huge potential for CO2 storage capacity

only little information and experience available compared to

depleted
reservoirs
unsecure sealing characteristics, no drilled wells
volume expansion
initial pressure

Unminable Coal Seams

onto pore surface of coals altering quantity of methane is
adsorbed
CO2 injection can replaces methane, which can be recovered
(2 to 3 molecules of CO2 are absorbed for one molecule CH4)

swelling can occur drop in permeability

(fracturing can probably overome this neg. impact of underground swelling)

like aquifers also coalbeds are not well understood at the moment
(CO2 related)

Storage Potential, worldwide

Gt CO2 (min)

Gt CO2 (max)

Depleted Oil and

Gas Reservoirs

675(1)

900(1)

Unmineable Coal
Seams

3-15

200

Aquifer

1,000

(1)

+ 25% possible from future exploration wells

possible

10,000

Ocean Storage

theoretical potential would be enormous

two models: dissolution and lake (hydrates)

Risk: environmental damages

- suffocation of ocean organisms
- acidity of ocean increases due to generation
of carbonic acid [H2CO3]

main uncertainty:
will dissolved CO2
or the hydrates
move to the sea
level and
equilibrate with
the atmosphere?

IPCC Special Report on Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage, 2005.

Risks Well

Oil/gaswells were designed

for a different purpose and
for different media (CO2
ocurrence not considered if
not originally in the reservoir)
Abandoned wells with
questionable data about
completion.

CO2

CO2
abandoned well

injection well

fresh water

caprock
CO2

CO2
fracture

CO2

CO2

Leaking casing, cementation

and completion.

CO2
spill point
fault

Leaking faults and seals

CO2

CO2

CO2 Corrosion
CO2 dissolves in water and
form carbonic acid [H2CO3]
O2

decreasing pH

general corrosion or pitting

corrosion
of carbon steel

corrosion occure in presence

of a liquid phase and at
locations where CO2
condenses from the vapor
phase

Overall corrosion rate carbon steel

CO2

H2S

Dissolved gas concentration in water phase [ppm]

O2

10 ppm

CO2

500 ppm

H2S

1000 ppm

Challenge for the material

Surface
cementation

For safe storage mandatory:

Partial
cementation

CO2 resistant cement

CO2 resistant equipment

Liner
cementation

Liner
cementation

- wellhead & X-mas tree

- tubings (fiberglass), gas tight
connections
- packer
- side door
- differential pressure valve (WL
retrievable)
- alkaline packer fluid (e.g. K2CO3)
- slickline and tools (gauges etc.)

Risk assessment
Requirements on CO2 injector wells:

right material selection for casing and cementation

cementation job has to be proved by tests and logs

completion has to withstand mechanical, chemical and thermal

demands

Emergency Shutdown (ESD) on the well head

Subsurface Safety Valve (SSSV)

sensors (sensible to CO2, H2S) linked to ESD and SSSV

monitoring

Conclusion Open Questions

Is CO2 a waste material - legal aspects?

Is CCS a storage, a production technique (EOR/EGR) or sequestration?

Environmental impact if CO2 migrates to the surface?

Who is the owner of the stored carbon dioxide? (The state is owner of
hydrocarbon bearing formations.)

Impact on rock matrix?

General well integrity?