A preliminary assessment of geological CO2 storage in the Khorat Plateau, Thailand

Abstract

The main carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions in Thailand come from the energy sector. Gas-based power plants, including natural gas and biogas, are CO 2 point sources, and are mostly located in the Khorat Plateau. Geological CO 2 storage is an important element in the effort to reduce CO 2 emissions from CO 2 point sources. This study is a preliminary assessment of the geological CO 2 storage potential of the onshore Khorat Plateau. A potential geological formation is screened and ranked in terms of its suitability as a CO 2 storage site (storage optimization, risk minimization and feasibility). The results of this screening and ranking indicate that, among the tested sites in this study, the Khorat Permian carbonate is the most suitable for geological CO 2 storage, followed by the Khorat Group sandstone, and Khorat evaporite. However, the Khorat Cenozoic basalts are not suitable for geological CO 2 storage in the Khorat Plateau. The results from this study should advance the understanding of petroleum exploration and carbon capture and storage technology in Thailand, especially in the Khorat area. However, it should be noted that more subsurface studies are needed, and more criteria should be included in the future to improve the reliability of the assessment of geological CO 2 storage potential in the Khorat Plateau.