HR: 11:00h
AN: U42A-03 INVITED    [Abstracts]
TI: Carbon Storage in Biologic and Oceanic Reservoirs: Issues and Opportunities
AU: * Caldeira, K
EM: kcaldeira@stanford.edu
AF: Deptartment of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution, 260 Panama Street, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
AB: Most discussion of carbon capture and storage have focused on geologic reservoirs because these are the reservoirs most likely to provide for long-term storage with a minimum of adverse environmental consequences. Nevertheless, there is interest in storage in other reservoirs such as the biosphere or the oceans. Storage in biological reservoirs such as forests or agricultural soils may in many cases be relatively inexpensive. Because this biological storage involves carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere, it can potentially offset emissions from the transportation sector. Biological storage can be politically popular because it can be deployed with simple technologies, can be deployed in developing countries, and in many cases involves other environmental co-benefits. However, total capacity is limited. Furthermore, biological storage is temporary unless the store is actively maintained forever. Such temporary storage can be valuable, although it is clearly not as valuable as the quasi-permanent storage offered by good geologic storage reservoirs Ocean storage options fall into two main classes. The first involves conventional separation and compression of carbon dioxide from large point sources which would then be piped into the deep ocean and released either into the water or as a lake on the sea floor. In either case, the carbon dioxide would eventually interact with the atmosphere and contribute to ocean acidification. However, there is potential for the development of long-term engineered containment of carbon dioxide on or in the sea floor. The second main ocean storage option involves increasing ocean alkalinity, probably by dissolving carbonate minerals. This approach may offer safe, quasi- permanent, and cost-effective storage in settings where coastal carbon dioxide point sources are co-located with carbonate mineral deposits. Not every location or carbon dioxide source is suitable for geologic storage of carbon dioxide. At this early stage, it is important not to foreclose options that may, with further development, provide for long-term, safe, and cost- effective storage of carbon dioxide.
DE: 0400 BIOGEOSCIENCES
DE: 0428 Carbon cycling (4806)
DE: 0460 Marine systems (4800)
DE: 0478 Pollution: urban, regional and global (0345, 4251)
DE: 4805 Biogeochemical cycles, processes, and modeling (0412, 0414, 0793, 1615, 4912)
SC: Union [U]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting