Description / Table of Contents:
Global climate change with substantial global warming may be the most important environmental challenge facing the world. Geologic carbon sequestration (GCS), in concert with energy conservation, increased efficiency in electric power generation and utilization, increased use of lower carbon intensity fuels, and increased use of nuclear energy and renewable sources, is now considered necessary to stabilize atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases and global temperatures at values that would not severely impact economic growth and the quality of life on Earth. Geological formations, such as depleted oil and gas fields, unmineable coal beds, and brine aquifers, are likely to provide the first large-scale opportunity for concentrated sequestration of CO2.
The specific scientific issues that underlie subsurface sequestration technology involve the effects of fluid flow combined with chemical, thermal, mechanical and biological interactions between fluids and surrounding geologic formations. Complex and coupled interactions occur both rapidly as the stored material is emplaced underground, and gradually over hundreds to thousands of years. The long sequestration times needed for effective storage, the large scale of GCS globally necessary to significantly impact atmospheric CO2 levels, and the intrinsic spatial variability of subsurface formations provide challenges to both scientists and engineers. A fundamental understanding of mineralogical and geochemical processes is integral to the success of GCS. Large scale injection experiments will be carried out and monitored in the next decade provides a unique opportunity to test our knowledge of fundamental hydrogeology, geochemistry and geomechanics.
Pages:
Online-Ressource (xiv ; 539 Seiten)
ISBN:
9780939950928
URL:
http://rimg.geoscienceworld.org/content/77/1.toc
Language:
English
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