The concept of a carbon transport network linking multiple proximate emission point sources to a regional storage hub has emerged as forerunner for enabling/implementing low risk and cost-effective Carbon Capture and Storage developments. Such large-scale Transport and Storage (‘T&S’) networks will require the characterisation of geologic storage basins and formations as well as the design of integrated CO2 transport infrastructure.
On the 9th December 2021, at a Global CCS Institute webinar, a high-level regional analysis linking intense emissions centres across the globe, to potential suitably large scale storage sites was presented. The main conclusions included:
- The majority of nations have potential for CCS networks.
- Clusters of point sources are abundant, globally.
- T&S is the major enabler.
- Suitable storage at the formation and site level needs greater understanding, to allow T&S development cost estimates, to in turn inform future planning of industry.
- Network design requires a good understanding of the costs of pipelines and compression systems, to enable optimal choices to be made.