Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation » Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation
Reducing greenhouse gas production from coal fired electric power production is the major environmental issue for coal use in future energy options. CO 2 sequestration is a technology that can, in principle, contribute to a reduction in net CO 2 emissions. Of the possibilities available for sequestration, including aquifers and oceans, the use of deep and gassy coal seams affords the possibility of also draining and utilising the methane contained within the seam. As the coal storage capacity for CO 2 is generally greater than that of methane there is the possibility of an even greater CO 2 benefit from this storage option. However, as promising as this concept may appear there are significant technological barriers to its adoption. This document outlines a Technology Roadmap for sequestration in coal seams.
Issues that must be considered to enable the widespread adoption of this potential CO 2 storage option include:
- Geographical issues
- Coal reservoir storage capacity
- Coal adsorption/desorption properties and impact of CO 2 loads
- Coal seam injectivity issues
- Safety issues
- Environmental issues
- Resource management
The report identifies the following issues and requirements specific to Australia:
- Social acceptance of the sequestration solution.
- Australian developed reserve calculations to define the size of the reserve relative to the potential source.
- Economic models, for Australia, to commercially prove the reserves and identify the competing factors of location relative to sources, transportation, drilling/preparation and injection costs specific for Australia coal seam properties.
- Behaviour of Australian coals under high CO 2 loads at seam conditions, with respect to storage capacity, injectivity and mechanical properties.
With the above issues in mind a Roadmap has been developed, identifying the major barriers to be overcome and providing a timeframe over which this could occur. The report includes detailed considerations forming the basis for the Roadmap.