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By: Rhea-Simone Auguste, Trinidad & Tobago Express – Thursday, May 29th 2008
Developing societies have become increasingly dependent upon carbon-based energy. We can't live without biofuels. We are dependent on oil. Unfortunately, the reality is that our dependence has caused a significant build-up of greenhouse gases in an already fragile atmosphere with extreme levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) potentially contributing to global warming. "CO2 Kick the Habit-Towards a Low Carbon Economy" is the UNEP World Environment Day slogan for 2008. In commemoration of the day, which takes place on June 5, the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) hosted its fourth annual conference from May 26 to 28 at the UWI's School of Continuing Studies, Gordon Street, St Augustine. Having recognised that climate change is becoming the defining issue of our era, presentations at the conference sought to address the issue of greenhouse gas emissions and how to reduce them.
The conference opened on Monday with addresses from the Minister of Planning, Housing and the Environment Emily Gaynor Dick-Forde, Dr John Agard of the EMA and Conservator of Forests Anthony Ramnarine, and closed with an in-depth presentation on "Carbon Sequestration Technology" by Dr Krishna Persad from the Geological Society. Persad said at present, Trinidad and Tobago vents at least 36 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. This is our contribution to global warming. "We should consider dynamic sequestration," Persad affirmed, "but what exactly is sequestration?"
He explained: "Dynamic sequestration is a process where we use the carbon dioxide to improve our oil production by injecting the carbon dioxide into depleted oil reservoirs and then reinjecting all produced CO2 back into the reservoir." Persad said after primary production, approximately 75 to 80 per cent of the original oil in place (OOIP) in the reservoir remains in the ground. After CO2 is used, a further 25 to 30 per cent of OOIP is recoverable. "In Trinidad and Tobago, this means at least one billion barrels onshore and a further two billion barrels offshore. This means we may be able to guarantee 100,000 barrels of oil per day for 100 years at US$100 per barrel or more," Persad stated.
This, he said, may expand the life of our oil fields beyond the projected 50-year mark while aiding to reduce the CO2 emissions, thus reducing our contribution to global warming. "The technology is tried and tested and proven, mainly in the US, but also locally," Persad shared. He gave the local example of Texaco sourcing carbon dioxide from Point Lisas in the 1970s, running lines to capture and compress CO2. He added, "All the CO2 that is being vented and that will be vented in the future can be sequestered in the oil reservoirs, so we're looking at up to one billion tonnes of CO2. When the oil field is depleted, the wells are capped and the CO2 remains in the ground."
Persad said, "The biggest risk is the possibility of there being leaks. However, oil and gas in reservoirs have been stored for millions of years. So long as the original reservoir pressure is not exceeded, the CO2 will not leak." What about earthquakes? Persad gave this assurance: "Unless new tectonic activity causes a breach, it's possible but unlikely. "The KPA Group," Persad informed, "is starting the first sequestration project in Barrackpore (southern Trinidad), where we will recover 3.5 million barrels of oil approximately and sequester up to ten billion cubic feet, that's 600,000 tonnes of CO2 and I must admit I'm excited about the project and its prospects."
Full Article: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_features?id=161329950
(Note: thread originally posted on EnergyForum.cc)
Developing societies have become increasingly dependent upon carbon-based energy. We can't live without biofuels. We are dependent on oil. Unfortunately, the reality is that our dependence has caused a significant build-up of greenhouse gases in an already fragile atmosphere with extreme levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) potentially contributing to global warming. "CO2 Kick the Habit-Towards a Low Carbon Economy" is the UNEP World Environment Day slogan for 2008. In commemoration of the day, which takes place on June 5, the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) hosted its fourth annual conference from May 26 to 28 at the UWI's School of Continuing Studies, Gordon Street, St Augustine. Having recognised that climate change is becoming the defining issue of our era, presentations at the conference sought to address the issue of greenhouse gas emissions and how to reduce them.
The conference opened on Monday with addresses from the Minister of Planning, Housing and the Environment Emily Gaynor Dick-Forde, Dr John Agard of the EMA and Conservator of Forests Anthony Ramnarine, and closed with an in-depth presentation on "Carbon Sequestration Technology" by Dr Krishna Persad from the Geological Society. Persad said at present, Trinidad and Tobago vents at least 36 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. This is our contribution to global warming. "We should consider dynamic sequestration," Persad affirmed, "but what exactly is sequestration?"
He explained: "Dynamic sequestration is a process where we use the carbon dioxide to improve our oil production by injecting the carbon dioxide into depleted oil reservoirs and then reinjecting all produced CO2 back into the reservoir." Persad said after primary production, approximately 75 to 80 per cent of the original oil in place (OOIP) in the reservoir remains in the ground. After CO2 is used, a further 25 to 30 per cent of OOIP is recoverable. "In Trinidad and Tobago, this means at least one billion barrels onshore and a further two billion barrels offshore. This means we may be able to guarantee 100,000 barrels of oil per day for 100 years at US$100 per barrel or more," Persad stated.
This, he said, may expand the life of our oil fields beyond the projected 50-year mark while aiding to reduce the CO2 emissions, thus reducing our contribution to global warming. "The technology is tried and tested and proven, mainly in the US, but also locally," Persad shared. He gave the local example of Texaco sourcing carbon dioxide from Point Lisas in the 1970s, running lines to capture and compress CO2. He added, "All the CO2 that is being vented and that will be vented in the future can be sequestered in the oil reservoirs, so we're looking at up to one billion tonnes of CO2. When the oil field is depleted, the wells are capped and the CO2 remains in the ground."
Persad said, "The biggest risk is the possibility of there being leaks. However, oil and gas in reservoirs have been stored for millions of years. So long as the original reservoir pressure is not exceeded, the CO2 will not leak." What about earthquakes? Persad gave this assurance: "Unless new tectonic activity causes a breach, it's possible but unlikely. "The KPA Group," Persad informed, "is starting the first sequestration project in Barrackpore (southern Trinidad), where we will recover 3.5 million barrels of oil approximately and sequester up to ten billion cubic feet, that's 600,000 tonnes of CO2 and I must admit I'm excited about the project and its prospects."
Full Article: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_features?id=161329950
(Note: thread originally posted on EnergyForum.cc)
