News

North Sea “ideal” for CO2 storage, Durham University expert says

(23 April 2009)

Prof Richard Davies

The North Sea’s disused gas and oil fields are “ideally suited” to store captured CO2, a leading geologist said today.

Professor Richard Davies, of Durham University, made his comments after the Government unveiled plans to curb emissions from new coal fired power stations using carbon capture and storage (CCS). Professor Davies, head of the Durham University Carbon Capture and Storage Group (DUCCS) said: “The North Sea offers many world-class sites where CO2 could be stored and we already know the geology is ideally suited to storing fluids, oil and gas, for tens of millions of years. “The question many would ask is will the CO2 leak out? “Although CO2 naturally leaks to the surface in some areas of the world we do need a rigorous and transparent method for assessing the risk of leak so that informed decisions can be made on the lowest risk sites for CO2 storage. “At the end of the day the environmental impact of not adopting CCS grossly exceeds the impact of some seepage.”