ABSTRACT: Demonstrating the potential for geological storage of CO2: The European Sleipner and GESTCO projects

Gale, John , IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme, Cheltenham, United Kingdom

For the European Union (EU) to meet the CO₂ emission reduction targets set by Kyoto, other options of greenhouse gas mitigation than fuel switching, energy efficiency and renewables will have to be considered. The geological storage of CO₂ from fossil fuel use is a potential option to reduce the impact of climate change and assist the EU in meeting its Kyoto targets.

Two projects are now underway in the EU to study the potential for CO₂ storage and to demonstrate storage CO₂. The first Project, known as GESTCO will assess the potential CO₂ storage capacity of the main sedimentary basins within the EU. GESTCO will examine in detail the geological storage potential and coincidence of CO₂ emission sources and potential storage sites.

In the North Sea the world's first commercial geological storage project has now been in operation for three years. The Sleipner West field began production in 1996. The natural gas from the Sleipner field contains about 9% CO₂, which must be reduced to 2.5% before sale. The CO₂ is stripped from the natural gas by an amine scrubbing plant and then injected into a saline water bearing structure about 800 metres below the seabed. To date, about 3 million tonnes of CO₂ have been stored.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90913©2000 AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, Bali, Indonesia