CARBON CAPTURE AND GREENHOUSE GASES

CARBON CAPTURE AND GREENHOUSE GASES

CONTENTS

PREFACE

CARBON CAPTURE AND SEQUESTRATION (CCS)

SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

Selected Legislation in the 111th Congress

P.L. 111-5, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

P.L. 111-8, The Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009

H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009

S. 1013, the Department of Energy Carbon Capture and Sequestration Program Amendments Act of 2009

CAPTURING CO2

Post-Combustion Capture

Pre-Combustion Capture

Oxy-Fuel Combustion Capture

Transportation

SEQUESTRATION IN GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS

Oil and Gas Reservoirs

The in Salah and Weyburn Projects

Advantages and Disadvantages

Deep Saline Reservoirs

The Sleipner Project

Advantages and Disadvantages

Unmineable Coal Seams

Advantages and Disadvantages

Geological Storage Capacity for CO2 in the United States

DEEP OCEAN SEQUESTRATION

Advantages and Disadvantages

MINERAL CARBONATION

Advantages and Disadvantages

COSTS FOR CCS

THE DOE CARBON CAPTURE AND SEQUESTRATION PROGRAM

DOE CCS Research and Development Funding

Loan Guarantees and Tax Credits

Loan Guarantees

Tax Credits

Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnerships

Future Gen

CURRENT ISSUES AND FUTURE CHALLENGES

APPENDIX. AVOIDED CO2

End Notes

CARBON CAPTURE & STORAGE: TECHNOLOGICAL AND REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS

1. INTRODUCTION

2. CAPTURE READY VS. CAPTURE CAPABLE

3. CAPTURE TECHNOLOGIES

A. Mechanical Processes

B. Chemical Processes

4. GEOLOGIC STORAGE OPTIONS

5. RESEARCH UNDERWAY

6. SITING AND PERMITTING

7. RISK AND LIABILITY

8. COST RECOVERY AND FINANCIAL RISK

9. PERMITTING CO2 PIPELINES

10. CONCLUSION

Resources Used for This Primer

End Notes

UNDERGROUND CARBON DIOXIDE STORAGE: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

SUMMARY

BACKGROUND

What is Sequestration?

Why is CCS of Interest in the Debate over Global Warming?

STORING CO2 UNDERGROUND

What is a Geologic Formation and How Would it Sequester CO2?

Where Would Large Amounts of CO2 Likely Be Sequestered?

How Much CO2 Can Be Sequestered Underground?

Can the Sequestration Capacity Estimates for CO2 Be Confirmed?

How Is CO2 Injected Underground and How Deep Will it Be Sequestered?

Is CO2 Currently Stored Underground?

What Are the Regulations for Geological Sequestration of CO2?

WHAT COULD GO WRONG WITH SEQUESTERING CO2 UNDERGROUND?

Can CO2 Leak from Geologic Formations?

Can Injecting CO2 Underground Cause Earthquakes?

Can CO2 Harm People?

What Is at Risk if CO2 Leaks?

How Would Leaks Be Detected?

How Long Will CO2 Stay Underground?

What Happens to Reservoir Fluids Displaced by Injected CO2?

What Is the Status of U.S. Demonstration Projects for Underground CO2 Sequestration?

End Notes

THE POTENTIAL FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION IN THE UNITED STATES

INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY

Types of Carbon Sequestration and Their Technological Potential

Economic Potential of Carbon Sequestration

Interactions among Various Climate-Change Strategies

BIOLOGICAL SEQUESTRATION

Agricultural Land Management Practices

Forestry Practices

Technological Potential of Biological Sequestration

Economic Potential of Biological Sequestration

Afforestation

Cropland Soil

A Limitation of the Estimates of Economic Potential

CARBON DIOXIDE CAPTURE AND STORAGE

Capture

Transport

Storage

Economic Potential of Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage

CARBON SEQUESTRATION IN THE CONTEXT OF BROAD STRATEGIES FOR REDUCING GREENHOUSE GASES

APPENDIX: THE ROLE OF BIOLOGICAL SEQUESTRATION AND CCS AT VARIOUS CO2 PRICES

End Notes

REGULATION OF CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2) SEQUESTRATION PIPELINES: JURISDICTIONAL ISSUES

SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

Recent Carbon Control Activity

FERC and STB Pipeline Jurisdiction

Prior CO2 Pipeline Regulation: Cortez Pipeline

FERC Decision

ICC Decision

Potential Issues Related to ICC Jurisdiction

POLICY IMPLICATIONS OF THE POSSIBLE REGULATORY "GAP"

End Notes

CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2) PIPELINES FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION: EMERGING POLICY ISSUES

SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND

Carbon Capture and Sequestration

Capture

Transportation

Sequestration in Geological Formations

EXISTING U.S. CO2 PIPELINES

KEY ISSUES FOR CONGRESS

CO2 Pipeline Requirements for CCS

Economic Regulation

Federal Jurisdiction over CO2 Pipelines

Potential Issues Related to ICC Jurisdiction

Policy Implications for Rate Regulation

Siting Authority

Commodity vs. Pollutant Classification

Pipeline Costs

Materials Costs

Cost Recovery

CO2 Pipeline Incentives

Cost Implications for Network Development

CO2 Pipeline Safety

Criminal and Civil Liability

Other Issues

CONCLUSION

End Notes

PIPELINES FOR CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2) CONTROL: NETWORK NEEDS AND COST UNCERTAINTIESES

SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

Scenarios for CO2 Pipeline Development

HYPOTHETICAL CO2 PIPELINES IN THE MIDWEST

Sequestration in the Rose Run Formation

Potential Barriers to Rose Run Sequestration

Alternatives to CO2 Sequestration in Rose Run

Unmi neable Coal Beds

Oil and Natural Gas Fields

Mt. Simon Formation

POLICY IMPLICATIONS

Variability of CO2 Pipeline Costs

CO2 Pipeline Siting Challenges

Pipeline and Sequestration Site Relationships

Advantaged and Disadvantaged Regions

CONCLUSION

End Notes

GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION DRIVERS: POPULATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH, AND ENERGY USE

SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION VARIABLES

SECTORIAL BREAKDOWN OF GHG EMISSIONS

Energy Use as a CO2 Intensity Driver

Carbon Intensity of Electricity Generation

Carbon Intensity of Travel

Effects of Land Use on Intensity

Cumulative Emissions

Interactions of the Variables

CHANGES IN INTENSITY TO MEET CLIMATE STABILIZATION GOALS

U.S. Greenhouse Gas Intensity: Trends and Targets

Global Greenhouse Gas Intensity

CONCLUSION

End Notes

ENERGY SAVINGS ACT OF 2007 (S. 1321): SUMMARY OF MAJOR PROVISIONS

SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

TITLE I. BIOFUELS FOR ENERGY SECURITY AND TRANSPORTATION

TITLE II. ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROMOTION

TITLE III. CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION

End Notes

INDEX

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