|
Sigurdur R. Gislason, Institute of Earth Sciences (Iceland)
Wallace Broecker, Earth Institute (United States)
Eric H. Oelkers, CNRS (France)
Einar Gunnlaugsson, Reykjavik Energy (Iceland)
Andri Stefánsson, Institute of Earth Sciences (Iceland)
Juerg Matter, Earth Institute (United States)
Grimur Björnsson, Reykjavik Energy (Iceland)
|
|
The reduction of industrial CO2 emissions is considered one of the main challenges of this century. Among commonly proposed CO2 storage techniques, the injection of anthropogenic CO2 into deep geological formations is quite promising due their large potential storage capacity and geographic ubiquity. Finding a storage solution that is long lasting, thermodynamically stable and environmentally benign would be ideal. Storage of CO2, as solid calcium carbonate, in basaltic rocks may provide such a long lasting, thermodynamically stable and environmentally benign solution.
In nature, the carbonization of basaltic rocks occurs in a variety of well-documented settings, such as the hydrothermal alteration in geothermal systems and in deep ocean vent systems. The goal of this proposed research project is to optimize industrial methods for storing CO2 in basaltic rocks through a combined program consisting of, field scale injection of CO2 charged waters into basaltic rocks, laboratory based experiments, study of natural CO2 waters as natural analogue and state of the art geochemical modelling. A second and equally important goal of this research project is to generate the human capital and expertise to apply the advances made in this project in the future. Towards this goal the bulk of the research is to be performed by graduate student and post-doctoral trainees.
At the Hellisheidi site, the hot gases released from geothermal energy production will be processed to separate the CO2. It will then be dissolved in water at elevated pressure and pumped underground, into the porous basalt. Model simulations, natural analogues and experimental work suggest that the CO2 charged waters will reacts with the basalt and form carbonate minerals such as FeCO3 - MgCO3 solid solutions and CaCO3. By this method the fixed CO2 will remain trapped in rock form for millions of years.
|
