Carbon Dioxide Storage: Geological Security and Environmental Issues – Case Study on the Sleipner Gas Field in Norway

Carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) is one option for mitigatining atmospheric emissions of carbon dioxide and thereby contributes in actions for stabilization of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. Carbon dioxide storage in geological formations has been in practice since early 1970s. Information and experience gained from the injection and/or storage of CO2 from a large number of existing enhanced oil recovery (EOR) projects indicate that it is feasible to safely store CO2 in geological formations as a CO2 mitigation option. Industrial analogues, including underground natural gas storage projects around the world and acid gas injection projects, provide additional indications that CO2 can be safely injected and stored at well-characterized and properly managed sites. Geological storage of CO2 is in practice today beneath the North Sea, where nearly 1 MtCO2 has been successfully injected annually in the Utsira formation at the Sleipner Gas Field since 1996. The site is well characterized and the CO 2 injection process was monitored using