Use of fossil fuel ever since the dawn of the industrial age has led to increased level of CO2 in the environment. Our world today is fueled mainly by fossil energy and it is unlikely that this dependence will significantly change in the near future. This coupled with the fact that majority of the developing world is at the beginning of the economic growth which is implicitly energy-intensive, the concentration of CO2 in atmosphere will only increase in the business-as-usual case.

Reduction in per capita CO2 emission both on account of minimizing explicit wastes and improving efficiencies will play a significant role in slowing down the build up of CO2. But to bring its concentration down and back to the preindustrial or comfortable levels, emphasis may have to shift to CO2 sequestration.

This paper discusses the role and potential of geological and biological sequestration approaches. Furthermore, for a longer time horizon it highlights the importance and practicality of a modified approach to bio-sequestration, where CO2 is captured and stored on surface by Carbonization of biomass through its conversion to charcoal. It highlights the fact that biosequestration can be very effective and practical but requires achievement of longer bio-storage duration which is achievable through conversion to charcoal. Also, combinations of various approaches including geological sequestration and efficiency improvement are essential to reverse the trend of increasing concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere in a short run.

Keywords:
subsurface storage, cumulative production, land area, Upstream Oil & Gas, charcoal, co 2, carbon, atmospheric carbon balance, ppm pre industrial co2, fossil energy
Subjects:
Storage Reservoir Engineering, Environment, CO2 capture and sequestration, Climate change
Copyright 2007, Society of Petroleum Engineers
You can access this article if you purchase or spend a download.