Ocean release of fossil fuel CO₂: A case study

Abstract

The natural ocean uptake of the greenhouse gas CO 2 can be accelerated by collecting and liquefying the gas from point sources, and by pumping it into the ocean at appropriate locations and at sufficient depths. Results from a numerical modelling system indicate that injection sites located at about 1,000 m depth in the eastern Norwegian Sea lead to efficient and long term sequestration in the abyss Atlantic. For a release rate corresponding to the CO 2 emissions from a 220 MW gas power plant, it is found that the volume of the near‐source water with a pH‐reduction ≥0.1 is ∼0.5 km³. These findings, together with available technology and feasible economics, indicate that the Norwegian Sea represents a possible location for large scale demonstration of operational ocean release of CO 2 .