The Potential for Sequestering CO2 in Basalts Along the Red Sea Coast of Saudi Arabia
Abstract
The success of the CarbFix project in Iceland has demonstrated that sequestration of CO2 in mafic rocks (basalts) is a viable carbon capture and storage alternative. In contrast to sequestration in conventional sedimentary reservoirs, where CO2 liquid/gas must remain physically confined for millennia, storage in basalts is based on the rapid mineralization of CO2 to solid carbonates, such as calcite. Since the method requires large volumes of water for dissolving and delivering CO2 into the reactive rock reservoir, it is confined to areas where water is readily available. In Iceland, CO2 is disposed of in basalts using the infrastructure of the Hellischeidi geothermal power plant, which is favorable to the economics of the CO2 sequestration process. Preliminary results suggest that seawater can also be used to deliver dissolved CO2 with only minimal reduction in CO2 solubility. This opens up the possibility for the economic sequestration of globally significant volumes of CO2 in coastal areas where large industrial emitters of CO2 are built on or next to suitable rock formations. One such area is the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia where power plants, refineries and desalination facilities are located in the vicinity of massive accumulations of mafic and ultramafic rocks. In this presentation, we will discuss the results of a preliminary study of the CO2 sequestration potential of mafic and ultramafic rocks along the Red Sea coastal area of Saudi Arabia. We will focus on the geology, mineralogy and petrology of selected units and their implications for the CO2 storage potential of these prospective CO2 storage reservoirs.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2020
- Bibcode:
- 2020AGUFMGC111..05A
- Keywords:
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- 3305 Climate change and variability;
- ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSES;
- 1009 Geochemical modeling;
- GEOCHEMISTRY;
- 1847 Modeling;
- HYDROLOGY;
- 3999 General or miscellaneous;
- MINERAL PHYSICS