Worldwide Carbon Capture and Storage
Projects on the Increase
DOE Fossil Energy NEWSALERT - Nov. 16, 2009
Worldwide efforts to fund and establish carbon capture and storage (CCS)
projects have accelerated, according to a new Department of Energy (DOE)
online database, indicating ongoing positive momentum toward achieving
the G-8 goal for launching 20 CCS demonstrations by 2010.
The database, a project of the Office of Fossil Energy's (FE) National
Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), reveals 192 proposed and active CCS
projects worldwide. The projects are located in 20 countries across five
continents. The 192 projects globally include 38 capture, 46 storage,
and 108 for capture and storage. While most of the projects are still in
the planning and development stage, or have just recently been proposed,
eight are actively capturing and injecting CO2:
- In Salah Gas Storage Project, Algeria
- CRUST Project – K12-B Test, The Netherlands
- Sleipner Project, Norway
- Snøhvit Field LNG and CO2 Storage Project, Norway
- Zama Field, Canada
- SECARB Cranfield, United States
- Weyburn-Midale, Canada
- Mountaineer CCS Project, United States
CCS is a group of technologies for capturing and compressing the carbon
dioxide (CO2) emitted by power plants or industrial sites; transporting
it; and injecting it into suitable permanent storage sites, such as deep
underground formations. It has been increasingly recognized by
scientists and nations worldwide as an effective way to both reduce CO2
emissions from existing sources and help avoid future emissions, making
it part of a portfolio response to meet atmospheric carbon dioxide
reduction goals.
At its 2008 meeting in Japan, the G-8 — of which the United States is a
part — adopted a goal recommended by the International Energy Agency to
launch 20 large-scale CCS demonstration projects globally by 2010, with
a further goal of deploying these technologies by 2020. Worldwide
efforts to fund and establish CCS projects in general have accelerated,
and the new database shows a recent increase in projects cost-shared by
the electric power industry.
The database provides information about the efforts of various
industries, public groups, and governments to develop and deploy CCS
technology, a critical component in global efforts to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions. It lists technologies being developed for capture,
testing sites for CO2 storage, and estimations of costs and anticipated
dates of project completion, and uses Google Earth to illustrate the
location of projects and provide a link to further information on each.
The Energy Department supports dozens of CCS projects through its
Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnerships (RCSP) program, the Carbon
Sequestration Leadership Forum, and other global collaborations. FE and
NETL support international projects in Canada, China, Germany,
Australia, Algeria, and Norway. Hundreds of organizations—including
government agencies, universities, and the private sector—are involved
in global CCS efforts.
The seven RCSPs form a national network that is investigating the CCS
approaches best suited for different regions of the country. DOE is also
a project partner in the Weyburn-Midale, Sleipner, and In Salah
projects, either through direct contributions or indirect involvement in
technology development. Additionally, more than 20 small-scale CO2
injection field projects conducted by the RCSPs are underway in saline
formations, oil and gas fields, and coals seams throughout the United
States and Canada. These projects are all featured in the new database.
The database will be continually updated as information about new or
existing projects is released. NETL welcomes project updates and
comments that will improve the database. Contact information to provide
updates or comments is available in the step-by-step instructions
available from the database webpage.
Link to the NETL Carbon Capture and Storage Database:
http://www.netl.doe.gov/technologies/carbon_seq/database/index.html
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