Mitigating Keystone Emissions Via CCS

By Tip Meckel and Susan Hovorka

EOR reservoirs, the Keystone pipeline, and the CO2 pipeline all meet in Texas — CO₂ sources (red), EOR reservoirs (green), Keystone pipeline (blue line), CO₂ pipeline (green line) and state offshore lands available for CO₂ storage landward of red line converge near Port Arthur.

The potential to increase imports of hydrocarbons from Canada remains attractive. One resource of current interest is the heavy oil typically referred to as the ‘oil sands’ in Alberta. The transport of these oils for upgrading (refining) is being considered via the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, linking Alberta with east Texas.

Environmental aspects of heavy crude production, transportation, and refining have been discussed in Congress and the media, with the current U.S. administration indicating that approval of the pipeline would only come if it would not ‘significantly exacerbate’ associated greenhouse gas emissions. Debate in Canada related to the production of heavy crude resulted in Shell’s Quest carbon capture and storage (CCS) project associated with production in Alberta.

Large-scale replication of a Quest-type project in the Port Arthur region could integrate the interests of a wide variety of stakeholders in CO₂ emissions:

INDUSTRY: refiners and exporters (oil, liquid natural gas);
STATE GOVERNMENT: Texas General Land Office, Texas Railroad Commission;
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory; and
ACADEMIC RESEARCH: State research institutions including the Jackson School of Geosciences at UT-Austin; Gulf Coast Carbon Center at the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology; Local institutions including Lamar University Commercialization & Innovation Center Entrepreneurship (CICE).
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By Tip Meckel

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Many nations recognize that immense potential for geologic storage of carbon dioxide exists in subsea sites on the continental shelf. Indeed, every continent in the world is bordered by passive marine margins suitable for storage. The geology does not stop at the shoreline, and the deep subsurface of those offshore margins is highly suitable for storage. An added attraction of offshore storage is co-location of carbon sources and sinks, as most large industrial emissions sources occur in coastal regions. Compared to onshore sites, which are owned by private entities, offshore territories are controlled by government gencies, thus simplifying regulation and permitting. In addition, potential risks to shallow sources of drinking water and human health and safety are reduced in offshore settings. Such benefits have the potential to resonate with many nations, in particular, industrialized countries that must participate in climate change mitigation for any meaningful impact to occur.

But, working in an offshore environment presents challenges. Costs of siting, development, and monitoring are not insignificant, and regulation of risk and liability may not be well established in all nations.
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Category Archives: Tip Meckel

Mitigating Keystone Emissions Via CCS

By Tip Meckel and Susan Hovorka

CO₂ sources (red), EOR reservoirs (green), Keystone pipeline (blue line), CO₂ pipeline (green line) and state offshore lands available for CO₂ storage landward of red line converge near Port Arthur.

Interested in an International Program for Offshore CO₂ Storage? You should be.

By Tip Meckel

By Tip Meckel and Susan Hovorka

CO2 sources (red), EOR reservoirs (green), Keystone pipeline (blue line), CO2 pipeline (green line) and state offshore lands available for CO2 storage landward of red line converge near Port Arthur.

By Tip Meckel

CO₂ sources (red), EOR reservoirs (green), Keystone pipeline (blue line), CO₂ pipeline (green line) and state offshore lands available for CO₂ storage landward of red line converge near Port Arthur.