|
25 September 2007 - A report by Norwegian gas pipeline operator Gassco and the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has identified fields near Sleiper and Troll as the best for storing carbon dioxide.
"Carbon dioxide can be stored in the Norwegian continental shelf. In the
North Sea, the Utsira formation near the Sleipner field and the Johansen formation in the area around the giant Troll field are the best suited," finds the report, which was prepared for the energy minister. The assignment was to recommend good solutions for transport and disposal of CO2.
Based on their knowledge of the Norwegian shelf, NPD geologists selected alternative storage sites for more detailed mapping. The geological data and knowledge necessary to find a suitable storage site relate to finding large volumes of sandstone or some other reservoir rock that is well-sealed so that gas and liquids cannot leak out.
The largest volumes of sand and sandstone that may be suitable for disposal of CO2 on the Norwegian shelf are in the Utsira formation and the underlying Skade formation in the area around the Sleipner field. The Johansen formation under Troll has also been evaluated.
The Utsira formation is used for storing CO2 from Sleipner and as a source of water for water injection on Oseberg. The advantage of the Utsira and Skade formations is that they have abundant amounts of sandstone. Statoil has proven that Utsira can function as a storage site.
It is uncertain whether the Utsira formation is suitable for future large-scale storage of Europe's CO2 emissions, but the work indicates that there is more than adequate storage capacity in the area surrounding Sleipner--both to cover Sleipner's needs and to store emissions from Karsto, Mongstad and elsewhere.
The advantage of the Johansen formation is that it forms a deep, closed structure where injected CO2 cannot leak to the surface. The most important uncertainty the geologists need to clarify is whether there may be a risk that CO2 could leak to Troll. The NPD's mapping indicates that this is very unlikely.
| 
Articles 
| View all PennWell sites | View all PennWell events
Add RSS Feed
