--> Abstract: Geological Disposal Of Carbon Dioxide Emitted By The Upstream Energy Industry: The Potential For The Alberta Basin, by S. Bachu; #90928 (1999).

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BACHU, STEFAN
Alberta Energy and Utilities Board, Edmonton, AB, Canada

Abstract: Geological Disposal of Carbon Dioxide Emitted by the Upstream Energy Industry: the Potential for the Alberta Basin

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that is believed to cause global warming and climate change. In order to mitigate these effects, reduction Of CO2 emissions in the short- to long-term can be achieved by a combination of various actions such as improving energy efficiency, CO2 utilization, and CO2 sequestration in biomass, oceans and geological media. Sedimentary basins are naturally associated with fossil energy resources whose exploitation leads itself to CO2 production and emissions to the atmosphere. For landlocked regions such as Alberta, sequestra ion of CO2 in geological media is probably the only viable solution for reducing CO2 emissions. Basically there are five ways for CO2 sequestration in sedimentary basins: use in enhanced oil recovery storage in depleted oil and gas reservoirs, storage in salt caverns: replacement of methane in coal beds by CO2 injection, and hydrodynamic entrapment and mineral immobilization in deep saline aquifers. Successful CO2 sequestration depends on basin tectonics, hydrocarbon potential and maturity, and the hydrodynamic regime of formation waters. The Alberta basin is one of the few basins in the world that meet all the criteria and have all the options for CO2 sequestration in geological media. It has extensive, thick salt beds; abundant oil, gas, coal and huge tar sand resources; it is located on a tectonically stable Precambrian platform; the hydrodynamic regime of formation waters is extremely favorable; and it has already in place the necessary technology and infrastructure for CO2 deep injection. CO2 is already used in a few EOR operations, and is injected as acid gas (CO2-H2S) in several depleted reservoirs and deep saline aquifers.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90928©1999 AAPG Annual Convention, San Antonio, Texas