Testing atmospheric monitoring techniques for geological storage of CO2
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Date
2011-11-15
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research
Abstract
The success of CO2 geological storage in mitigating climate change will depend on its ability to withhold large amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere over centuries or more. Atmospheric techniques have been used to monitor Australia’s first geosequestration project, the CO2CRC Otway Project, since its inception (Etheridge et al. 2011; Jenkins et al. 2011). These techniques have been developed to be sensitive (detecting small potential leakage signals against large and variable background CO2 concentrations and fluxes), specific (attributing variations to sources using chemical and isotopic fingerprints and dispersion modelling) and practical (continuous remote operation) (Leuning et al. 2008; Luhar et al. 2009). A recent stage of the Otway project involved periods of controlled releases of injected gas at the surface that could mimic leakage. This provided a test of the original atmospheric scheme, complemented by additional measurements of CO2 and CH4 concentrations and carbon isotopes of CO2. Based on the experience at Otway and recent results from the new Arcturus baseline atmospheric station in Queensland, this presentation will consider the potential merits of atmospheric techniques for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions from emerging energy technologies such as geosequestration and coal seam methane. © 2011 CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology.
Description
Keywords
Atmospheres, Monitoring, Geologic deposits, Carbon dioxide, Climatic change, Australia, Leaks, Monitoring
Citation
Etheridge, D., Loh, A., Luhar, A., Leuning, R., Steele, L. P., Allison, C., Smith, A. M., Hibberd, M., Feitz., & Berko, H. (2011). Testing atmospheric monitoring techniques for geological storage of CO2. Paper presented at 5th CAWCR Annual Workshop, Melbourne, Victoria, 15-16 November 2011.