Proceedings of the
Second International Energy 2030 Conference,
November 4-5, 2008, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
Technologies Which Make Geological CO2 Storage a Reality Today
Mahmut Sengul
Schlumberger Carbon Services, UAE
Mirella Elkadi
The Petroleum Institute, UAE
Avin Pillay
The Petroleum Institute, UAE
Colin Francis
The Petroleum Institute, UAE
Abstract
It is generally well known that global warming comes from the build-up of greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere. This warming takes place when greenhouse gases (such as CO2) trap more of the earth’s
outgoing radiation. Extensive research shows that carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been increasing
over the past century, and the prospect of global warming has become a matter of genuine public concern.
The consensus in the scientific community is that most of the increase in CO2 concentration in the earth’s
atmosphere arises from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas. Recent reports support the declaration that
average air and sea temperatures have increased significantly during the last century [1].
Amongst possible solutions for the reduction of excessive greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is the
capture and sequestration of CO2 in carbonate reservoirs [2,3]. The energy industry is developing expertise
in handling and monitoring geologic storage of CO2 in underground reservoirs. Although storing CO2 in
carbonate reservoirs remains to be further explored [3], it could result in long term mineralization,
promising an exceptionally safe solution [4].
The study describes the sequestration of CO2 by injection into deep aquifers (geologic sequestration)
and depleted oil and gas reservoirs. For the long term geologic sequestration of CO2, solid end products
such as (Ca,Mg)CO3 are desirable due to their chemical stability, non-toxic nature and absence of rapid
migration [5]. The significance of the chemistry associated with CO2 solubility in water and oil (solubility
