Progress toward storage of carbon dioxide

Abatement of carbon dioxide emissions by capturing CO2 from flue gases and other process streams can be achieved using available technology although at substantial cost. Having captured the gas, it must be sequestered in such a way that it does not reach the atmosphere for several hundred years. There are many options available for storing CO2; assessments by the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme and others have shown that many of these are relatively inexpensive, compared with the cost of capturing the gas in the first place. However, there are significant uncertainties involved in most of these schemes, indicating the need for further research and development in order to reduce the risks of their application. In this paper, a summary will be given of recent progress in CO2 storage, including an overview of work on aquifer storage, ocean storage and the storage role of forests. External influences on decisions about CO2 storage will be discussed. Opportunities will be examined for further research to progress these technologies. Future possibilities for practical work on storage of CO2 will be discussed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.