The Future of Coal: The Future of Coal: Assessing risk and ensuring Assessing risk and ensuring safe storage of CO2 in the safe storage of CO2 in the
subsurfacesubsurface2009 Mid-America Regulatory Conference
Moving toward Advanced Technologies & a Greener EconomyTraverse City, Michigan
June 15, 2009
Malcolm WilsonUniversity of ReginaActing CEO, IPAC-CO2Director, Office of Energy and Environment
Options for storing CO2 Options for storing CO2 undergroundunderground
What keeps CO2 underground?What keeps CO2 underground?
• CO2 physically trapped beneath multiple seals (caprock)
• CO2 dissolves in water
• CO2 is trapped by capillary forces
• CO2 converts to solid minerals
CO2 storage experienceCO2 storage experience
• Snohvit project (2007) and Sleipner project (1996), Norway
• In Salah project, Algeria (2004)
• IEA GHG Weyburn-Midale CO2 Monitoring and Storage Project in Weyburn, Saskatchewan (2000)
Steps for developing risk Steps for developing risk assessment activitiesassessment activities
System Definition Hazard identification Scenario definition Risk calculation Mitigation actions Cost effectiveness assessment
Indoor Air Concentration of Indoor Air Concentration of COCO22 Conceptual Model Conceptual Model
SOIL LAYER
COCO22
• Assumptions– Leakage directly from
borehole (point source) to lower level of dwelling through cracks in foundation
– No mass transport resistance or attenuation during transport from borehole to dwelling
Abandoned borehole, Abandoned borehole, seals degradedseals degraded
Volume Volume of dwellingof dwelling: 250 m: 250 m33
Ventilation rate for dwelling: ~3.1 air exchanges per day [Shaw, 1987; Canadian Building Digest CBD-245]
Courtesy Monitor Scientific
Public IssuesPublic Issues• Lack of public awareness• Regulatory backstop• Lack of understanding• Fear of unknown – will there be leakage
into something?• Nuclear issues – similar questions and methodologies
a
a
What happens ifthe CO2 eventually
leaks into theatmosphere?
a
What if theCO2 eventually
spreads?
a
Could it affectmy drinking
water?
a
How long willthe CO2 remainunderground?
What is IPAC-CO2? What is IPAC-CO2? • An independent,
international network that provides and advances global expertise to benchmark, evaluate and advise on the risks and performance of geological storage of carbon dioxide.
IPAC-CO2 GoalsIPAC-CO2 GoalsCapacity Building: • Develop expertise in a number
of CCS areas through research and practical demonstration projects
• Ensure experience is captured and communicated
Technology Development• Improve storage subsurface
assessment models• Simplify models for industry and
government use• Populate models with the best
data and results from leading CCS projects and programs around the world
Information and Services• Develop standards/guidelines• Assess CCS project risk and
advise on appropriate risk management
• Answer technical and other questions in a balanced and objective manner to enable CCS projects to proceed
• Engage with and educate various stakeholders and public on CCS to increase acceptance
• Network internationally to ensure learnings from other researchers are built upon and/or utilized
IPAC and IndustryIPAC and IndustryHow can IPAC interface with Industry?
IPAC-CO2 will:
• Inform industry on standards and policy
• Initiate research to fill knowledge gaps (paid for)
• Peer review project RA/PAs• Exchange knowledge• Train/advise national
regulators and developers• Mediate in conflict• Act as expert witness• Design accreditation
process and criteria• Provide policy relevant
outputs
IPAC-CO2 will not:
• Make policy recommendations
• Do any proprietary work (I.e. commercial RA operations)
• Provide routine consultancy
• Represent a company• Engage in any work that
could lead to a conflict of interest
Website Linkswww.uregina.ca/oee/www.ipac-co2.com
www.ptrc.cawww.co2-research.ca
Contact InformationContact InformationFor more information, please contact:
Malcolm Wilson Koorosh Asghari
[email protected]@uregina.ca
+1 306 337 2287/2296 +1 306 585 4612
