Carbon capture and storage:

Setting the New Zealand scene

Brad Field
GNS Science
Lower Hutt
brad.field@gns.cri.nz

GNS Science
The mitigation wedges required to meet 2050 emission target
(if only 2o in 2100)
60
 
 
50
CCS
 
 
40
 
 
Gt CO2

30
 
 
20
 
 
10
 
     
0
       
2009 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
 
CCS 14% (17%) Power generation efficiency and fuel switching 3% (1%)
Renewables 21% (23%) End-use fuel switching 12% (12%)
Nuclear 8% (8%) End-use energy efficiency 42% (39%)

Percentages represent share of cumulative emissions reductions to 2050.

Percentages in brackets represent share of emissions reductions in the year 2050.

IEA 2012, GCCSI 2012

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 Deep purple…

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weather/temperatures-off-the-charts-as-australia-turns-deep-purple-20130108-2ce33.html

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The carbon capture, transport and storage process

Below ~800 m = liquid CO2CRC

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Geological storage of CO2

claystone
seal rock

sandstone
reservoir rock

seal

reservoir
CO2CRC injected CO2
seal

CO2 storage sites: natural gas

reservoir
• Several kilometres below surface
• Similar locations to oil and natural gas

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Typical depth ranges for subsurface resources

Interactions could include leakage/migration, and pressure effects

IEAGHG Technical Report 2013-08

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Global scene
• 16 large CCS projects currently operating or in
construction, with a total capture ~ 36 Mtpa of CO2
• 59 large projects being planned: >110 Mtpa

Government support for CCS:

• UKP 1,000 M government funding

• USD 3,400 M government funding

• AUD 1,680 M Flagship Project funding

Big effort internationally – a lot at stake!

Big industry – opportunities Global CCS Institute 2012, The Global Status
of CCS: 2012, Canberra, Australia
NZ = capture at Kapuni (no storage)

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 Sleipner Field CO2 Storage, Norway
www.statoilhydro.com

Capture: Amine process

Sleipner A

Sleipner T
0

500
m

CO 2 Injection Well
1000
m CO 2
Utsira
Formation

1500
m Sleipner Øst
Production and Injection Wells

2000
m
Tore Torp,
0 500 1000 1500 StatoilHydro,
m m m
2500
Norway
9% CO2
m Heimdal Formation

Started injecting in 1996. ~ 1 Mtpa. 16 Mt so far; 21-30 Mt planned.

The extra equipment cost for the CO2 compression and the drilling of the CO2 injection well was roughly 100 million USD.

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Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) - Weyburn

• International trading of CO2

• CCUS (“Utilisation”)
Source: ARI and Melzer Consulting (2010).

Enhanced oil recovery, and CO2 storage

Weyburn oilfield in Canada, was discovered in 1954. In October 2000, EnCana began injecting carbon
dioxide to boost oil production. Overall, some 20 Mt of carbon dioxide will be permanently sequestered at
~1500 m over the lifespan of the project. The gas is being supplied via a 205 mile long pipeline (costing
100 million US$) from the lignite-fired Dakota Gasification Company synfuels plant site in North Dakota.
IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme
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Gorgon – world’s largest storage project, 2015

Description – Construction of 10 million

tonnes per year LNG plant. CO2 to be
captured from natural gas and injected into
the Dupuy Formation
Capture – CO2 separation (part of gas
Image courtesy of Chevron
separation for LNG)
• Capture to commence – 2015 (est)
Storage – Onshore – beneath Barrow
Island at a depth of approx 2000m
• Storage commence – 2015 (est)
• Storage rate – 3 to 4 million tpa
Partners – Chevron, Exxon-Mobil, Shell

Petroleum in Western Australia September 2009, Dept of Mines and Petroleum.

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NZ emissions from large point sources total 5-8 Mtpa
(small on a global scale)

Glenbrook
~1-2 Mt /yr

K Thompson

Huntly
≤4-5 Mt /yr

Kapuni
≤0.8 Mt /yr

www.teara.govt.nz

Comalco
≤ 0.5 Mt /yr

vector.co.nz

rhsconsulting.co.nz

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 Storage opportunities

Onshore capacity ~ 15,000 Mt

Likely that we have more than enough!

CO2
Storage
Field
(Total)
Maui
Mt Field
Kapuni 106 ~200-300 Mt
McKee 23
Rimu 5
Mangahewa 8
Waihapa/Ngaere 4
Ngatoro 3
Kaimiro 2

King, P., Bland, K., Funnell, R., Archer, R., and Lever, L. 2009.
Opportunities for underground geological storage of CO2 in New
Zealand - Report CCS-08/5 - Onshore Taranaki Basin overview. Point source
GNS Science Report 2009/58. Storage polygon

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Potential leakage mechanisms and impacts
of CO2 storage on groundwater

IEAGHG Technical Report 2013-08 from Figure 3 of IEAGHG 2011/11. Not to scale.

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 Test venting of CO2, Otway project, Australia – a deliberate “leak”

Many risks,
but…
Photo: Sandeep Sharma, CO2CRC

• CO2 storage done for 15+ years (EOR for longer)

• Risks are recognised (often site-specific)
• They can be assessed by site studies (cost:benefit)
• Phases of assessing risk – progression of methods
• Peer reviews of risk – iterative? (Gorgon)
• Risk is closely linked to potential for litigation, fines

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 General concepts

• Geological site assessments – site-specific

• Monitoring and verification - reduce risk, provide proof
• What constitutes “leakage”?
• Phases
– Block delineation/prioritising
– Permitting (overlaps?)
– Planning and approval
– Operation
– Post-injection
– Handover
• Context – changing perceptions, demographics, politics

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 What’s special about New Zealand?

1. Local variations in geology

2. Active faults, active seismicity
3. General societal perspectives – climate? NIMBY?
4. Maori perspectives
5. Small population & economy
6. Currently smug (“green”), with adequate electricity supply (?)
7. No regulations specifically on CCS (yet) assurance (3-way); flexibility (geology!)
8. CO2 not used for enhanced oil recovery (yet)
9. Axial ranges; Cook Strait (pipelines or ships?)
10. Uncertain where new large point sources might be.

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Potential issues include….

• Regulations
– New legislative requirements
– Onus on regulators to predict potential resource interactions?
(priority of use, avoidance of conflict?)
– Would regions be asked to accept a share of long-term liability,
post-injection, or just central government?
• CCS infrastructure
– When will fields become depleted/available and which ones might
be suitable for storage of CO2 – ownership? good condition?
• Acceptance
‒ What benefits might there be for regions?
‒ Engagement with communities

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 Summary
• Globally, CCS is needed if we are to meet emission targets

• Currently, NZ emissions are small – may change

• New Zealand has “enough” storage capacity

• Uncertain where/when CCS will be implemented in NZ

• At least 10 special features for New Zealand

• Regulators may need to prioritise pore space use

• Regulations should enable project planning, help avoid

litigation and reassure communities

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Thank you

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Useful publications include:

http://www.publish.csiro.au/pid/6467.htm http://www.ieaghg.org/
Paperback - February 2012 Technical Report 2013-08
ISBN: 9780643094857 - AU $ 39.95

An eBook version is available from

eBooks.com

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