CO2 Sequestration and Geologic Interactions

Geological carbon storage involves injecting concentrated CO2 deep underground—typically into porous rock formations saturated with brine—where it can be isolated from the atmosphere over geological timescales. Researchers study how CO2 behaves once it enters these formations: how it migrates through porous media, reacts chemically with surrounding minerals, and whether the overlying caprock remains impermeable enough to prevent leakage back to the surface. A central challenge is predicting these geochemical and physical processes accurately enough to certify that a given site will hold CO2 safely for centuries, which requires combining reactive transport modeling with field measurements that are inherently difficult to obtain from kilometers underground. Active research directions include improving the fidelity of mineral carbonation models, assessing the long-term mechanical integrity of caprocks under sustained pressure, and identifying which saline aquifer formations worldwide have the capacity and stability needed for large-scale deployment.

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Keywords

CO2 SequestrationGeological StorageCarbon CaptureMineral CarbonationGeochemical ModelingSaline Aquifers