Specific Sequestration Volumes: A Useful Tool for CO2 Storage Capacity Assessment

This presentation introduces a novel perspective on the challenges and procedures involved in CO2 sequestration within geological formations. While traditional methods of assessing CO2 sequestration focus on estimating the capacity of geological formations to store CO2, such as saline reservoirs or coal beds, this study adopts a unique approach. Instead of solely gauging the storage capacity, the paper suggests determining the sequestration volumes – that is, the exact volume of a geological formation required to contain a specific mass of CO2. This is achieved by translating the CO2 emissions from point sources into the corresponding volumes of geological formations under actual geological conditions. A new term, "specific sequestration volume" (SSV), has been introduced to represent the factors needed to transition from CO2 mass to geological storage volume. By recalculating CO2 emissions in terms of specific volume, this method provides a clearer understanding of the volume of geological reservoirs needed to contain the CO2 emissions from major point sources. The paper offers a comprehensive framework, converting CO2 emissions from a 1100 megawatt power plant into geological formation volumes required for sequestration over both annual and decadal periods.