Publication Date:
2007-10-08
Description:
The Campine Basin offers a variety of potential CO2 storage sites. Within the Roer Valley Graben area Triassic Buntsandstein rocks have an estimated CO2 storage capacity of several hundred million tons. Mesozoic shales and younger sediments provide adequate sealing. Westphalian D sandstones may possess storage opportunities in the southern graben area, and the karstified/dolomitized parts of the Dinantian carbonates in the western sub-basin have an estimated CO2 storage capacity of 130 x 106 tons. In places, the Dinantian reservoirs may be combined with carbonate reservoirs in the underlying Devonian strata. Sealing is provided by Namurian shales and Westphalian coals and shales. Along the western and southern edge of the basin the Dinantian reservoir is sealed by Cretaceous chalks and marls. Besides aquifers, the available coal qualifies for CO2 storage. Six Six methane target areas contain a producible enhanced coalbed methane (ECBM), volume of 53-79 x 109m3. This provides a minimum CO2 sequestration potential of 400 x 106 tons. ECBM development factors include the sedimentological setting of the coal sequence as well as changes in porosity, permeability and stress conditions induced by former mining activities. The CO2 storage capacity in abandoned coalmines is limited. Nevertheless, CO2 storage in the abandoned mines may be an option when it is combined with coalmine methane extraction or ECBM production in neighbouring areas.
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