Transforming Depleted Reservoirs - a Pioneering Subsurface Study for Offshore CCS Available to Purchase

Achieving global net-zero emissions by mid-century necessitates a variety of climate mitigation technologies, including carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) or carbon capture and storage (CCS). According to analyses by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the International Energy Agency (IEA) and other sources, CCS will be required as a part of a suite of mitigation strategies in order to meet emissions targets (Global CCS institute, 2023). This will require a significant expansion of CCS by mid-century, despite numerous challenges throughout its value chain. Identifying and developing suitable storage spaces and capacities are crucial, and dedicated programs are essential to evaluate and enhance these potential storage sites for CCS.

CCUS can be categorized into three main types: CO₂ enhanced oil recovery (EOR), pure CO₂ storage in saline reservoirs, and storage in depleted reservoirs. In CO₂ EOR, CO₂ is utilized, recycled, and reused to boost hydrocarbon production. Conversely, storage of CO₂ in deep saline reservoirs or depleted oil and gas fields is a permanent storage solution that will help achieve global net-zero. However, there are currently fewer commercial-scale projects focused on these types of storage compared to CO₂ EOR projects (Rubin E. et al. 2018).

Advanced subsurface geological and reservoir engineering studies indicate that there is substantial CO₂ storage capacity globally, particularly in subsurface saline reservoirs. According to the IEA's 2021 estimates, the total global storage capacity ranges from 8,000 Gt to 55,000 Gt, primarily in saline reservoirs based on geospatial data from NGO databases. However, the economic viability of CCS projects is uncertain due to the lack of specific subsurface data, such as production data and geological characteristics, in regions outside hydrocarbon areas and saline wet reservoirs. Additionally, the limited surface infrastructure in these regions exacerbates this issue. This lack of data leads to uncertainty in key factors such as tank capacity and injectability, which in turn contributes to economic uncertainty for CCS projects.