Potential of Microbes to Increase Geologic CO2 Storage Security

Geologic Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) involves the injection of supercritical CO2 into underground formations such as brine aquifers where microbe-rock-fluid interactions will occur. These interactions may be important for the long-term fate of the injected CO2. Concepts and results will be presented from bench to meso-scale experiments focusing on the utility of attached microorganisms and biofilms to enhance storage security of injected CO2, via mineral-trapping, solubility trapping, formation trapping, and leakage reduction. Batch and flow experiments at atmospheric and geologic CO2 storage-relevant pressures have demonstrated the ability of microbial biofilms to decrease the permeability of natural and artificial porous media, survive the exposure to scCO2, and facilitate the conversion of CO2 into long-term stable carbonate phases as well as increase the solubility of CO2 in brines. Recent work has focused on small and large scale (75 cm diameter, 38 cm high sandstone) radial flow systems as well as the molecular characterization and isolation of microbes from geologic carbon sequestration-relevant environments. Methods for microscopic and macroscopic visualization of relevant processes from the pore to the bulk scale are being developed and have been proven to be essential tools in establishing the necessary understanding to increase CO2 storage security. As a result, reactive transport models describing the influence of biological processes on CO2 storage security have been developed and are continuously being modified to include relevant processes.