ECO2 sub-seabed CO2 Storage: analysis of Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Data

Little is currently known about the short and long-term impacts of potential CO₂ leakage on marine ecosystems, even though CO₂ has been in sub-seabed storage beneath the North Sea for 13 years (Sleipner), and for 1 year in the Barents Sea (Snohvit). The ECO2 project  (University of Southampton Work Package 1) will focus on imaging potential gas-release structures at Sleipner using data from Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) acquired during several cruises, including the RV James Cook in 2012.

Key Contact: Jonathan Bull

Geological storage of CO2 into oceanic crust

The geological sequestration of anthropogenic CO₂ emissions is one of the most pressing scientific problems and in recent years several approaches have been investigated for stable capture and storage. One of the proposed techniques describes the injection of CO₂ into geological formations as a secure method to reduce the amount of this greenhouse gas from the atmosphere. Our goal is to evaluate the potential for storing carbon in the subseafloor (seep-sea basalts and peridotites), in order to determine the constraints on the applicability of the injections.

Key Contacts: Damon Teagle (Geochemistry), Tim Henstock

Quantifying and Monitoring Potential Ecosystem Impacts of Geological Carbon Storage (QICS)

In order to broaden the usage of CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) worldwide, it is crucial to demonstrate its efficiency and reliability, as well as to evaluate its potential impacts on the ecosystem in case of leakage. To that aim, the very first controlled CO₂ release experiment, QICS, aims to improve our understanding in CO₂ behaviour once it has been injected into sediments. In addition, effective monitoring technologies will be investigated to detect any leakage from CO₂ injection sites.

Key Contact: Jonathan Bull