The Red Brick Times

Carbon sequestration is the focus of research by "big coal" and governments around the world. By adding another treatment stage to the effluent stream, carbon (in the form of carbon dioxide gas) produced in combustion may be chilled and liquefied, then pumped into underground strata for storage.

"But," critics ask, "what if it leaks?"

Carbon sequestration (storage) has several advantages: 1) It is technically possible in the lab and simulation, 2) It can gain (through lobbying) government support and funding, and 3) Carbon dioxide is not a scary horror-movie mutagen (like nuclear waste) in the minds of the public.

Carbon sequestration has several disadvantages: 1) It is not yet commercially or technically feasible in the real world, 2) No one knows how much it will add to your and my electric and tax bills, and 3) Carbon storage puts off until tomorrow the problem of additional carbon loose in the earth.

A demonstration power plant project called "FutureGen" is being funded by the US Government and the Coal industry. The political battle over the site has distilled down to choices of sites in either Texas or Illinois. Illinois' advantages include geological sandstone judged suitable for a "gasifer" deposit of carbon dioxide, and access to coal supplies. The Texas Gulf coast has suitable stacked sand-shale layers, but extensive past oil and gas drilling in the area may provide unintended leakage paths. A good article from the University of Texas at Austin is titled "Area of Review: How large is large enough for carbon storage?" The Area of Review (AOR) is the monitor scope considered when evaluating environmental impact potential for injection wells. The article discusses potential leakage paths that may apply to any site, be it in Texas or Illinois. The Houston Chronicle has a short look at the four towns (two in Illinois, two in Texas) vying for the FutureGen site.
Posted 8:19 AM by Andy (0) comments

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