Carbon Capture and Storage - can it make coal clean?

Dr. Shannon PageDepartment of Environmental Management

Lincoln University

What do I mean by clean?

What do I mean by clean?

Mining

Direct environmental impacts

What do I mean by clean?

Mining

Processing

Direct environmental impacts

Products: Fertiliser, DieselBriquettesLignite

Carbon dioxide Emissions

What do I mean by clean?

Mining

Processing

Direct environmental impacts

Products: Fertiliser, DieselBriquettesLignite

Carbon dioxide Emissions

What do I mean by clean?

Mining

Processing

Direct environmental impacts

Products: Fertiliser, DieselBriquettesLignite

Carbon dioxide Emissions

CCS applies to this bit only

Carbon capture and storage: What is it?

Lignite coal

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Process plant

Carbon capture and storage: What is it?

Lignite coal

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Capture

Process plant

Carbon capture and storage: What is it?

Lignite coal

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Capture

Transport (pipeline)

Process plant

Carbon capture and storage: What is it?

Lignite coal

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Capture

Transport (pipeline)

Process plant

Carbon capture and storage: What is it?

Lignite coal

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Capture

Transport (pipeline)

Process plant

Storage in a depleted oil or gas field

Carbon capture and storage: What is it?

Lignite coal

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Capture

Transport (pipeline)

Or in a saline aquifer

Process plant

Storage in a depleted oil or gas field

Lignite Coal

Synthetic natural gas and other chemicals

CO2

Great Plains Synfuels Plant North Dakota, USA,

Carbon Capture and Storage: Is it being done?

Lignite Coal

Synthetic natural gas and other chemicals

CO2

Near depleted Oil fieldWeyburn, Canada

325km pipeline

Great Plains Synfuels Plant North Dakota, USA,

Carbon Capture and Storage: Is it being done?

Lignite Coal

Synthetic natural gas and other chemicals

CO2

Near depleted Oil fieldWeyburn, Canada

325km pipeline

Great Plains Synfuels Plant North Dakota, USA,

Other Non-Coal carbon capture and storage projects

Carbon Capture and Storage: Is it being done?

Natural gas processingNorth Sea, Norway

Natural gas processing,Algeria

Lignite Coal

Synthetic natural gas and other chemicals

CO2

Near depleted Oil fieldWeyburn, Canada

325km pipeline

Great Plains Synfuels Plant North Dakota, USA,

Other Non-Coal carbon capture and storage projects

Carbon Capture and Storage: Is it being done?

Natural gas processingNorth Sea, Norway

Natural gas processing,Algeria

1) Just one coal CCS project in operation

2) Not all CO2 is captured and stored

3) All CO2 storage projects involve oil/gas recovery

Lignite Coal

Synthetic natural gas and other chemicals

CO2

Near depleted Oil fieldWeyburn, Canada

325km pipeline

Great Plains Synfuels Plant North Dakota, USA,

Other Non-Coal carbon capture and storage projects

Carbon Capture and Storage: Is it being done?

Natural gas processingNorth Sea, Norway

Natural gas processing,Algeria

1) Just one coal CCS project in operation

2) Not all CO2 is captured and stored

3) All CO2 storage projects involve oil/gas recovery

Carbon Capture and Storage for NZ’s Lignite Coal

Carbon Capture and Storage for NZ’s Lignite Coal

Lignite

Carbon Capture and Storage for NZ’s Lignite Coal

Gas (+some oil)

Lignite

Carbon Capture and Storage for NZ’s Lignite Coal

Storage site:• No depleted gas/oil reservoirs close by• Unknown if other types of storage site

exist

Gas (+some oil)

Lignite

Carbon Capture and Storage for NZ’s Lignite Coal

Storage site:• No depleted gas/oil reservoirs close by• Unknown if other types of storage site

exist

IF CCS did occur, not all CO2 would be captured

Gas (+some oil)

Lignite

Carbon Capture and Storage for NZ’s Lignite Coal

Storage site:• No depleted gas/oil reservoirs close by• Unknown if other types of storage site

exist

IF CCS did occur, not all CO2 would be captured

Gas (+some oil)

Lignite

2/3rd of NZ diesel Lignite

Carbon Capture and Storage for NZ’s Lignite Coal

Storage site:• No depleted gas/oil reservoirs close by• Unknown if other types of storage site

exist

IF CCS did occur, not all CO2 would be captured

Gas (+some oil)

Lignite

2/3rd of NZ diesel Lignite

3.4 Mt/y

2.6 Mt/y

Carbon Capture and Storage for NZ’s Lignite Coal

Storage site:• No depleted gas/oil reservoirs close by• Unknown if other types of storage site

exist

IF CCS did occur, not all CO2 would be captured

Gas (+some oil)

Lignite

2/3rd of NZ diesel Lignite

3.4 Mt/y

2.6 Mt/y

= largest storage project in the world

Carbon Capture and Storage:Can it make coal clean ?

?

Carbon dioxide Emissions

ProductLignite

• CCS can only address some of the CO2 from the process plant

• No storage site – chances of finding one and implementing CCS; unlikely