Study looks at storing CO2 in sandstone below Moray Firth

Greenwise Staff

3rd June 2010

Scientists have begun research into storing carbon dioxide emissions in sandstone rocks deep beneath the Moray Firth off the coast of northeast Scotland.

The £290,000 study will examine whether CO2 can be stored within the pores between the tiny grains of sand in the 'Captain Sandstone’, which is buried more than half a mile below the seabed and lies at least 30 miles into the North Sea. It is one of many sandstones filled with salt water – called saline aquifers – that provide more than 95 per cent of potential CO2 storage capacity in the northern North Sea.

The research is being conducted by the Scottish Centre for Carbon Storage (SCCS) and the British Geological Survey and will evaluate the sandstone’s capacity, technical feasibility and commercial viability for storing CO2.

Computer modelling of CO2 injection into the rocks will test the storage site and its long-term performance to ensure CO2 remains permanently locked in.

Meanwhile, it is envisaged that existing natural gas pipelines or new ones could be constructed to transport the CO2 from industrial plants to the offshore region for permanent storage.

"The Captain Sandstone has the potential to store decades of CO2 output from a coal-fired power station, like the existing plant at Longannet or a future carbon and capture storage project such as Hunterston or Peterhead," said Dr Maxine Akhurst from the SCCS. "In contrast, the depleted oil and gas fields within the sandstone have capacity for only a few years of power station output."

Study could help Scotland take lead in CCS

The study is being described as essential to plan for long-term storage of CO2 and according to Scottish Energy Minister Jim Mather could be critical to putting Scotland at the forefront of the CCS industry.

"Scotland has significant advantages for the development of CCS, including knowledge and expertise in areas such as geology and engineering and in the North Sea oil and gas industry. We also have a tremendous offshore storage capacity and the outcome of this research will further increase our understanding of the potential for Scotland to take the lead in the development of CCS," he said.

The study follows on from an initial evaluation of opportunities for CO2 storage around Scotland published in May 2009, in which the Captain Sandstone was short-listed as potentially suitable for CO2 storage because of its saline aquifer properties.

The European Union has specified that three of the eight CCS demonstrator plants it will fund under its multi-billion euro demonstrator programme must inject into saline aquifers. It is believed the results from this study will place Scotland in a strong position to secure future EU support for more detailed assessment of CO2 storage in saline aquifers.

The research is the first of its kind to be funded by the Scottish Government and industry. Commercial organisations backingd the project include Doosan Babcock, National Grid, RWE npower, Scottish and Southern Energy, ScottishPower and Shell U.K.

The study is expected to be completed this year.