Carbon Dioxide Capture
and Sequestration
Presentation by
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19IS1D0104
• Carbon Dioxide Capture and Sequestration:
• What is carbon dioxide capture and sequestration?
• Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and sequestration (CCS) is a set of technologies that can
greatly reduce CO2 emissions from new and existing coal- and gas-fired power plants and
large industrial sources.
CCS is a three-step process that includes:
Capture of CO2 from power plants or industrial processes
Transport of the captured and compressed CO2 (usually in pipelines).
Underground injection and geologic sequestration (also referred to as storage) of the
CO2 into deep underground rock formations. These formations are often a mile or more
beneath the surface and consist of porous rock that holds the CO2. Overlying these
formations are impermeable, non-porous layers of rock that trap the CO2 and prevent it
from migrating upward.
The figure below illustrates the general CCS process and shows a typical depth at which CO 2 would be injected.
• Why is it important?
• Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and sequestration (CCS) could play an important role in
reducing greenhouse gas emissions, while enabling low-carbon electricity generation
from power plants. As estimated in the U.S. Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and
Sinks, more than 40% of CO2 emissions in the United States are from electric power
generation. CCS technologies are currently available and can dramatically reduce (by
80-90%) CO2 emissions from power plants that burn fossil fuels. Applied to a 500 MW
coal-fired power plant, which emits roughly 3 million tons of CO 2 per year, the amount
of GHG emissions avoided (with a 90% reduction efficiency) would be equivalent to:
Planting more than 62 million trees, and waiting at least 10 years for them to grow.
Avoiding annual electricity-related emissions from more than 300,000 homes.
• CCS could also viably be used to reduce emissions from industrial process such as
cement production and natural gas processing facilities.
• What sources of carbon dioxide can it be applied to?
• Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and sequestration (CCS) can significantly reduce emissions
from large stationary sources of CO2, which include coal- and natural-gas-fired power
plants, as well as certain industry types such as ethanol and natural gas processing plants.
EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program includes facilities that capture CO2 for the
purpose of supplying the CO2 to the economy or for injecting it underground. According
to the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, CO2 capture is currently occurring at over 120
facilities in the United States, mainly on industrial processes, and the CO2 is used for a
wide range of end uses. End uses of CO2 include enhanced oil recovery (EOR), food and
beverage manufacturing, pulp and paper manufacturing, and metal fabrication. The figure
below shows the portion of CO2 that is currently being captured from power plants and
other industrial facilities and the portion that is extracted by production wells from natural
CO2 bearing formations in the United States. The second figure shows the various
domestic end uses of captured and extracted CO2. (Note that natural sources of CO2 are
not considered in the Total CO2 Supply End Uses figure). As CCS becomes more
widespread, it is expected that the portion of CO2 captured in the United States from
power generation and industrial processes will increase.
• Where can captured carbon dioxide be stored?
• After capture, carbon dioxide (CO2) is compressed and then transported to a site where it is
injected underground for permanent storage (also known as "sequestration"). CO2 is commonly
transported by pipeline, but it can also be transported by train, truck, or ship. Geologic formations
suitable for sequestration include depleted oil and gas fields, deep coal seams, and saline
formations. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that anywhere from 1,800 to 20,000 billion
metric tons of CO2 could be stored underground in the United States. That is equivalent to 600 to
6,700 years of current level emissions from large stationary sources in the United States.
• Overview of Geologic Storage Potential in the United States (Source: U.S. Department of
Energy, NATCARB)
• Potential sequestration sites must undergo appropriate site characterization to ensure that the site
can safely and securely store CO2. After being transported to the sequestration site, the
compressed CO2 is injected deep underground into solid, but porous rock, such as sandstone,
shale, dolomite, basalt, or deep coal seams. Suitable formations for CO2 sequestration are located
under one or more layers of cap rock, which trap the CO2 and prevent upward migration. These
sites are then rigorously monitored to ensure that the CO2 remains permanently underground. The
safety and security of CO2 geologic sequestration is a priority for EPA.
•
Thank you