Study looks at consequences of CCS leak

Storing CO₂ deep below Earth’s surface, a process known as geosequestration, is part of a suite of new carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies being developed to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions entering Earth’s atmosphere.

The technologies are designed to capture and compress CO₂ emissions at their source — typically power plants and other industrial facilities — and transport the CO₂ to locations where it can be injected far below Earth’s surface for long-term storage.

’The fear of drinking-water contamination from CO₂ leaks is one of several sticking points about CCS and has contributed to local opposition to it,’ said Prof Robert Jackson, who directs Duke University’s Center on Global Change. ’We examined the idea that if CO₂ leaked out slowly from deep formations, where might it negatively impact freshwater aquifers near the surface, and why.

’Geologic criteria that we identified in the study can help identify locations around the country that should be monitored or avoided,’ he added. ’By no means would all sites be susceptible to problems of water quality.’