Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) refers to an established, proven technology for collecting CO2 at emissions sources, transporting it for permanent geological storage and utilizing it as one mitigation strategy to lower greenhouse gas emissions from fossil-based power plants.
Captured CO2 is transported via pipeline or by special ships to geological storage sites such as saline formations or depleted oil reservoirs for long-term storage.
Capture
Carbon capture and storage (CCS or CCUS), is a collection of technologies used to capture CO2 emissions from fossil fuel power plants before or after combustion and store them underground geologic storage facilities for long-term geological storage. CCS would help reduce fossil fuel greenhouse gas emissions while playing an integral part in efforts that limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius or below.
The technology relies on an existing, proven infrastructure: carbon dioxide is captured at power plants or other industrial facilities like cement works or metal production and transported via thick steel pipelines or ships to its storage site.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has long been utilized by the oil industry as part of a process known as enhanced oil recovery, with CO2 streams typically injected into depleted wells to release unreachable reserves of oil. Unfortunately, CCS consumes resources which could instead be put to better use producing cleaner renewable energies like wind and solar.
Transport
Transporting and storing carbon allows it to be put to good economic use while mitigating climate change emissions. CO2 is currently transported via pipeline or ship for storage purposes before being injected underground in deep geologic formations such as depleted oil and gas reservoirs or saline aquifers.
Carbon Storage (CCUS) refers to carbon capture and storage applications that use captured CO2, such as usage or bioenergy with CCS (BECCS). Although these don’t directly reduce emissions or have direct climate benefits, they can still play an integral part of reducing greenhouse gases by restricting fossil fuel usage or investing in renewable sources of energy.
Securing a climate-safe future relies on collecting CO2 at source emissions sources, liquefying it and transporting it for permanent storage. The Midwest offers world-class geologic formations suitable for this technology that have garnered increasing commercial interest, as well as industrial facilities that could use shared transportation and storage infrastructure.
Storage
CO2 captured from power plants or industrial facilities is stored underground permanently, similar to how natural carbon sinks such as trees or oceans store carbon.
At present, CCS projects typically pump CO2 gas down wells over 2,500 feet into geological formations like used-up oil and natural gas reservoirs or saline aquifers. These geologic formations have the right physical characteristics for long-term CO2 storage: porous rock can hold onto CO2, while an impermeable caprock prevents its return toward the surface.
Other methods for carbon sequestration are being researched, including the storage of CO2 in solid minerals like dolomite and limestone, or deep sea sediments which will trap it for millennia – although these technologies remain at research and development stages.
Disposal
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) involves collecting greenhouse gases released during industrial processes like steel or cement production and power generation, transporting it underground for long-term storage, then using this vital technology to help limit global warming.
CO2 capture is then distributed via pipelines into safe, deep underground geological formations for storage or use for enhanced oil recovery, or it can be converted into useful products such as plastics and concrete for production purposes.
Companies and labs alike are working on developing ways to turn captured CO2 into building materials, fuels, futuristic materials such as carbon fibers and graphene as well as plants for food or biofuel production. Unfortunately, these projects often require massive quantities of hazardous chemicals that must be manufactured, transported and stored – creating significant chemical risks for workers as well as local communities – particularly when working with point source CCS installations such as Chevron Gorgon plant in Australia.