Archived - Canada's CO₂ Capture and Storage TRM 
Long Descriptions

Figure 1: Vision and Objectives of Canadian Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS)

This table illustrates the importance of the vision underlying the technology roadmap for CCS. The vision is the central item here. It is surrounded by the basic objectives that will ensure its implementation. The vision offers "technology for today's energy economy, providing the basis for transformative change tomorrow."

Six objectives have been defined that generate the transformative change.

1. First of all, policy and regulatory frameworks are necessary components of deploying CCS infrastructure and systems, since they contribute to industry growth.
2. Public outreach and education are needed to deliver information on the benefits and challenges associated with CCS.
3. Technology watch and international collaboration provide the main CCS actors the opportunity to exchange information on the international activities related to CCS and to follow the progress in technology development around the world.
4. Science and technology research and development (R&D) give rise to innovative solutions to promote CCS deployment.
5. Demonstration of new science and technology serves to verify and validate the technical and economic feasibility of these innovations.
6. National coordination links all work being done on CCS and provides synergistic benefits to all stakeholders.

Return to text.

Figure 2: World Primary Energy Demand

This graph is based on data provided by the International Energy Agency (IEA) in 2004. It shows changes to the world primary energy demand between 1971 and 2030 for seven types of energy: oil, gas, coal, biomass and waste, nuclear energy, hydroelectricity, and other renewable energies.

According to the graph, the IEA expects demand for fossil fuels such as oil to account for 82 percent of the world energy supply in 2030. Although increased demand for nuclear and renewable energy is anticipated, the IEA expects that fossil fuels, especially oil, will take the biggest part of the energy pie. Those fuels will meet more than 85 percent of the global increase in energy demand between 2005 and 2030.

Return to text.

Figure 3: Canada's Kyoto Protocol Challenge

This table illustrates Canada's challenge in terms of meeting the Kyoto Protocol greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction requirements ratified in 2002. The table shows that Canada agreed, using 1990 as a reference year, to reduce its emissions by 6 percent between 2008 and 2012.

However, the table shows a growing gap between the 6-percent target and the "business as usual" scenario. Thus, in 2002, it was estimated that the gap in the 2012 timeframe could reach 240 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (MtCO2e) if the appropriate reduction programs and initiatives are not in place. According to recent estimates by the Government of Canada in 2005, the gap could reach 270 MtCO2e or more.

In summary, the table shows that the main challenge facing Canada is to quickly find a way to reduce GHG gases and adhere to Kyoto Protocol requirements while minimizing the economic impact of those reductions.

Return to text.

Figure 4: Geological Storage Options for Carbon Dioxide

This illustration shows the various technological possibilities for storing CO₂, whether by using depleted fossil fuel (oil and gas) reservoirs, by using available room in active reservoirs, by storing in saline aquifers (or saline formations) offshore or on land, or through enhanced coal bed methane recovery. The table shows that there is a real potential for capturing and storing CO₂ insofar as Canada succeeds in developing and efficiently using CCS technology at home and abroad.

The geological storage of CO₂ would make it possible, among other things, for Canadian fossil fuel industries to reduce emissions. This would have a beneficial impact on the environment, which will contribute to mitigating the effects of climate change.

Return to text.

Figure 5: Global Storage Opportunities

The illustration shows the geographical locations of CO₂ storage sites everywhere on the planet, differentiating among places where there is a high storage potential, some potential, or no potential.

Although the illustration does not give any precise data, it does show the world regions where the storage potential was considered highly prospective or unlikely at the time the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) tabled its report on the subject in 2005. Thus, it would seem that there is a high potential for storage in certain parts of North Africa and along the Atlantic side of the African continent, in western Canada and western United States with the exception the Pacific regions, on the Arabian peninsula, in northern and southern Europe, in Siberia, and in some parts of Asia.

A moderate storage potential exists in scattered locations throughout the world, with the highest concentration of such sites in Greenland and the Canadian Arctic. Finally, there is no storage potential in large parts of Central and South America or central and eastern Canada and United States, nor in Indonesia and Australia.

Return to text.

Figure 6: Global Source Opportunities

This illustration shows the geographic distribution of industrial sources of CO₂ throughout the world as well as their annual level of emissions, measured in megatonnes. These industrial sources vary, since they can include thermal power plants, oil and gas processing plants or hydroelectric plants.

This figure (Figure 6) should be correlated with Figure 5, Global Storage Opportunities, which deals with global storage opportunities for CO₂. An industrial source, often a pollutant, located near an area with good storage potential affords better possibilities for CCS rollout than an industrial source located at a very great distance from a potential storage area.

The illustration shows that some of the best places to store CO₂ emissions from various industrial sources are located in the West Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) because of the proximity of nearby oil and gas fields. However, the illustration also shows that there are several industrial sources in Europe, China and India that are mainly located far from their best storage site options, which would be in Russia (especially Siberia), on the Arabian peninsula or in Africa.

Return to text.

Figure 7: Canada's Sedimentary Basins

This illustration shows a total of 12 sedimentary basins located in Canada that present the best storage opportunities. Although 68 individual sedimentary basins were inventoried, most of them are offshore or along the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic coasts. In addition, contrary to the 12 basins shown in the illustration, the other basins one day could be considered good storage sites when hydrocarbon resources are extracted in those regions.

Significant among the sedimentary basins in the illustration are the Pacific, Atlantic, Gulf of Saint Lawrence, and southwestern Ontario and Canadian Arctic Island basins. However, the WCSB is world-class in terms of hydrocarbon resources as well as geological storage potential.

Return to text.

Figure 8: Major Carbon Dioxide Sources in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin

There are two basic parts to this illustration: the location of the major CO₂ emissions sources and the general geological suitability for CO₂ storage in a number of subregions in the WCSB. Sources related to power generation, gas processing, pipeline compressor and petrochemical activities are concentrated in the region that shows the best storage potential, namely, the southwest region.

However, oil sands sources are located in a more northeasterly region just outside the WCSB territory, where there are no storage opportunities.

In light of the illustration, it is important to note that the proximity of good sources to good storage sites gives the WCSB an advantage over all other basins in Canada in terms of developing the CCS industry in Canada.

Return to text.

Figure 9: Most Promising CO₂ Capture Systems

This table shows a total of four types of integrated systems for the separation and capture of CO₂. Each of the systems requires specific technology to efficiently process fossil fuels or biomass.

The following capture systems are given in the table: post-combustion, precombustion, oxy-fuel, and industrial processes such as cement and hydrogen production.

Return to text.

Figure 10: Potential CO₂ Leakage Pathways

Each of these two illustrations shows the possible CO₂ leakage or infiltration pathways. Leakage can occur through wells, including injection wells, abandoned wells and active oil-producing wells. Leakage can also be caused by natural earth fractures or human-induced earth fractures along an open fault.

It is important to note that any leakage could result in a reduction of storage efficiencies due to the quantity of CO₂ that could seep into the atmosphere or contaminate other energy or mineral resources apart from groundwater. For this reason, accurate identification of possible leakage pathways is essential when assessing storage risk.

Return to text.

Figure 11: Canadian CCS Vision and Objectives

This table illustrates the importance of the vision underlying the technology roadmap for CCS. The vision is the central item here. It is surrounded by the basic objectives that will ensure its implementation. The vision offers "technology for today's energy economy, providing the basis for transformative change tomorrow."

Six objectives have been defined that generate the transformative change.

1. First of all, policy and regulatory frameworks are necessary components of deploying CCS infrastructure and systems, since they contribute to industry growth.
2. Public outreach and education are needed to deliver information on the benefits and challenges associated with CCS.
3. Technology watch and international collaboration provide the main CCS actors the opportunity to exchange information on the international activities related to CCS and to follow the progress in technology development around the world.
4. Science and technology research and development (R&D) give rise to innovative solutions to promote CCS deployment.
5. Demonstration of new science and technology serves to verify and validate the technical and economic feasibility of these innovations.
6. National coordination links all work being done on CCS and provides synergistic benefits to all stakeholders.

Return to text.

Figure 12: Canadian Capture R&D Needs

This table shows a development timeline for each stage of outcomes using CO₂ capture technology. The Canadian capture R&D needs are listed for the short term (early outcomes — up until 2010), medium term (transitional phase — to 2015) and long term (low emissions future — up to 2020 and beyond).

The table lists a few desired R&D outcomes for each stage. In the short term, some of the desired outcomes include the creation of modular test facilities for integrated pre-combustion systems and integrated gasification technology. In the medium term, one of the desired outcomes is system integration and optimization, while the long-term expectation is creation of a zero recycle oxy-fuel combustion system.

Rollout of all these results would enable the Canadian CCS industry to have the best technology available for commercialization of CCS infrastructure and systems in Canada.

Return to text.

Figure 13: Canadian Storage R&D Needs

This table shows a development timeline for each stage of outcomes using CO₂ capture technology. The Canadian capture R&D needs are listed for the short term (early outcomes — up until 2010), medium term (transitional phase — to 2015) and long term (low emissions future — up to 2020 and beyond).

The table lists a few of desired R&D outcomes for each stage. In the short term, one of the desired outcomes is to assess potential leakage paths through cap rock, which would permit maximization of storage efficiency. In the medium term, a desired outcome includes evaluating old well integrity, assessing well failures and identifying critically stressed faults. In the long term, geomechanical monitoring technologies, soil carbon measurement and remote sensing of above-ground leaks, among other things, may become available.

Rollout of all these results would enable the Canadian CCS industry to have the best technology available for commercialization of CCS infrastructure and systems in Canada.

Return to text.