Past Event: Oden Institute Seminar

Geological CO2 storage “…the modeling problem of a lifetime”

Marc Hesse, Assistant Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin

Abstract

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is currently the only technology that may allow significant reductions in CO2 emissions from large point sources of CO2, in particular coal-fired power plants. The technology calls for the capture of CO2 from flue gases and the injection into underground geological formations for permanent storage [1]. Given the drastic projected increase in coal-fired power generation and other CO2 emissions in the next decades, CCS is considered to be “the only way forward” by the former chief scientific advisor of the UK, Sir David King [2], and a “grand engineering challenge of the 21st century” by the US National Academy of Engineering [3]. This seminar will introduce the basic physical and chemical principles of geological CO2 storage. Using the example of very large scale CO2 storage here in Texas, we will highlight the numerical challenges of modeling and simulating the evolution of such large scale geological storage sites. These challenges require new modeling and simulation approaches and provide many opportunities for research. [1] Benson S. and Cook P. (2006) Underground geological storage; in Metz, B., Davidson, O., de Coninck, H., Loos, M. & Meyer, L., ed. Special Report on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage, Cambridge University Press [2] Sir D. King (2005) Scientist hopes for CO2 storage, BBC News 6 December 2005, http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/publications_and_data_reports.htm#2 [3] US National Academy of Engineering (2008), Grand engineering challenges of the 21st century, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4501964.stm http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/