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U.S., Japan, Norway to study long-term CO 2 disposal options

Dec. 15, 1997

CO 2 Emissions [9,985 bytes] The U.S. Department of Energy and research organizations in Japan and Norway have signed the first major research agreement on options for long-term carbon dioxide disposal. The pact was signed during the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change meeting in Kyoto, Japan, at which more than 150 nations negotiated a binding international treaty to limit greenhouse gas emissions, primarly CO 2 from fossil fuel use (see related story, p. 17). The project will test the

CO₂ Emissions [9,985 bytes]

The U.S. Department of Energy and research organizations in Japan and Norway have signed the first major research agreement on options for long-term carbon dioxide disposal.

The pact was signed during the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change meeting in Kyoto, Japan, at which more than 150 nations negotiated a binding international treaty to limit greenhouse gas emissions, primarly CO₂ from fossil fuel use (see related story, p. 17).

The project will test the technical feasibility and the environmental effect of pumping liquefied CO₂ into the ocean through pipes more than 3,000 ft subsea.

DOE said researchers anticipate the CO₂ will remain in the deep ocean for several hundred years.

"Sequestration technology is a very promising approach to reducing CO₂ in the atmosphere. This ocean sequestration project, along with the solicitation of research proposals for novel, low-cost sequestration technologies DOE announced recently, represents a strong U.S. effort in this area."

It said deepwater sequestration potentially could be available to roughly 30% of U.S. power plants located throughout the coastal states.

U.S. Energy Sec. Federico Pe?a said earlier, "We have many technological tools to address pollution and climate concerns. But to achieve our ultimate goal of stabilizing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, we must also look to long-range concepts that can sequester or reuse carbon from industrial processes and fuel combustion gases. We want to look beyond what is currently feasible with today's technology."

The partnership agreement was signed by DOE's Federal Energy Technology Center (FETC), Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), and the Research Council of Norway (NRC).

Implementing research organizations for the pact are: the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the U.S., the Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth and the Pacific International Center for High Technology Research for Japan, and the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NRC) for Norway.

Field tests of the ocean sequestration project are due to begin in mid-1998. The 41/2 year project will cost $3.8 million, of which NEDO will provide $2.6 million, FETC $850,000, and NRC $350,000.