Overview

Carbon Capture, Pipeline and Storage Research at Duke University

A carbon capture and storage (CCS) system consists of three major physical elements: carbon capture at industrial sites and power plants, a pipeline network to transport carbon from the source to the storage sites, and geologic sinks to store carbon safely. Duke University’s Climate Change Policy Partnership (CCPP) is doing groundbreaking research on all three physical components, plus an evaluation of policy options, to give policymakers a “roadmap” for implementing an efficient, effective carbon capture and storage system.

Capture:

The CCPP is evaluating pre- and post-combustion capture technologies to determine remaining technological barriers and to develop up-to-date cost, performance, and availability assumptions.

We are using a modified version of the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) from the Energy Information Administration to forecast which existing power plants will likely retrofit with post-combustion capture technology and where likely new CCS plants will be located. This modeling effort will give us the starting points for our pipeline routing analysis. We will also include existing industrial sites favorable for carbon capture. This component will be completed this Fall.

Storage:

The CCPP has developed a geologic model to estimate the feasible storage capacity and cost of all major geologic reservoirs in the United States. We are in the process of using this model to develop geographic-based carbon storage supply curves.

Our initial research suggests that the Frio formation along the Texas Gulf Coast is by far the largest and least expensive carbon storage reservoir. The best areas for injection of CO2 in the Frio will cost pennies per ton; other reservoirs may cost several orders of magnitude more per ton. The total feasible storage capacity available in the Frio is equal to approximately 60 years of total US CO2 emissions, 150 years of power sector CO2 emissions, or 180 years of power sector coal CO2 emissions at current emission rates. Our storage supply curve analysis is expected to be completed late Summer or early Fall.

Pipelines:

Given the capacity and cost of storage in the Frio formation, we expect it to play a significant role in a CCS system. In fact, it may be less expensive to build a pipeline from carbon capture plants to the Frio even if closer storage options are available. The role of a trunk pipeline connecting the Frio formation with the next best storage site, the Mt. Simon formation in Michigan and surrounding states, may be critical for achieving the most carbon storage at the lowest cost.

The CCPP is developing a geographic information system (GIS) model to determine optimal CO2 pipeline routes that will connect the plants we identify in our capture analysis (discussed above) with the best storage sites from our storage supply curve analysis. Our approach begins with connecting the Frio and Mt. Simon formations via a trunk pipeline, then connecting other storage sites. Then we connect our identified power plants to the closest storage site or trunk line. The specific pipeline routes are determined by weighting 500 square meter areas according to physical and social factors, such as terrain slope, population density, land values, parkland, existing infrastructure, etc. Areas with features like parkland will be taken out of consideration. Areas with existing infrastructure like railways or other pipelines will be priced with a lower cost, while areas with high population density or high land value will be priced at a higher cost. Our GIS model will find the natural routes through the low cost pipeline corridors.

The end result will find the optimal pipeline route to connect all coal plants in the map area to a single hypothetical sequestration site. Our pipeline routing tool will be complete this Fall.

Synthesis:

Ultimately, will combine our three analytical components to develop cost estimates for a feasible CO2 capture, pipeline and storage system. We will make recommendations for policymakers about where and how to focus public investment. Our synthesis analysis is expected to be completed in early 2009.

The CCPP is also evaluating the existing legal and regulatory framework and how it may be applied to CO2 pipelines and storage. We will propose policies, if needed, to enable an efficient pipeline and storage system. We are concentrating now on pipeline regulation and liability and will be releasing a paper on this topic soon.

The CCPP is a joint effort of Duke University’s Nicholas Institute on Environmental Policy Solutions, Center on Global Change, and Nicholas School of the Environment, in partnership with Duke Energy, ConoocoPhillips, and MeadWestvaco.

For more information, please contact Eric Williams, CCPP Co-Director, at e.l.williams@duke.edu or 919-613-8714.