Best practice for the storage of CO2 in saline aquifers - observations and guidelines from the SACS and CO2STORE projects

Carbon capture and storage is a subject around which there is a growing level of public awareness. A range of geological scenarios may be used for underground CO2 storage; declining oil and gas fields, saline aquifers and coal seams. Saline aquifers are reckoned to offer the largest overall storage potential and the this book offers key insights into aquifer storage issues. European collaborative projects between 1998 and 2006 have researched the potential for large-scale storage of CO2 in underground saline aquifer formations. This book consolidates the findings of the SACS and the CO2STORE projects into a manual of observations and recommendations, aiming to provide technically robust guidelines for effective and safe storage of CO2 in a range of geological settings. A wide range of geological, environmental and planning issues are addressed, and it forms a sound basis for establishing recommended procedures for the planning and setting up of a potential CO2 storage operation. It will be useful to commercial companies, regulatory authorities and NGOs in evaluating possible new CO2 storage sites in Europe and elsewhere.