• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.625-633
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• 2014

The Aquistore project is the world's first commercial capture, transportation, utilization and storage project of post-combustion $CO_2$ from a coal-fired thermo electric power plant, and the proposed storage is a saline aquifer at a depth of about 3,500 m. Deep saline aquifer, compared to hydrocarbon reservoir, provides the great volumetric potential for storage of $CO_2$ anywhere in the world, therefore the research results from the project may be exported globally to other sites. Geological $CO_2$ storage characterization for saline aquifer instead of hydrocarbon reservoir needs to estimate the geophysical properties of subsurface geology. This study calculated the geophysical property of water-saturated formation by applying amplitude variation analysis developed from oil and gas exploration. We correlated horizon tops at the well logs to seismic traveltime of 1,815 and 1,857 ms as Winnipeg and Deadwood formations. Gradient analysis from seismic traces showed correlation coefficient of 45 - 81 % on amplitude variation with respect to incident angle. Crossplot of intercept and gradient shows the inverse proportional trend which represents typical water saturated sediments. Product attribute of intercept and gradient described the base of wet sediment. Poisson's ratio change attribute increased at the top of target area satisfying with wet sediment and decreased at the top of basement in a dry rock bed.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.388-396
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• 2010

As a part of basic studies on monitoring and saturation estimation of carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) storage using resistivity survey, laboratory experiment has been conducted to measure the change of the electrical resistivity through repeated experiments of supercritical $CO_2$ and brine water injection into homogeneous and heterogeneous sandstones. The $CO_2$ saturation is estimated by using resistivity index based on the resistivity measurements. The experimental results of two types of sandstones show that the effect of pore structure in the rock and the effect of contained clay minerals in the rock can be affected to calculate the $CO_2$ saturation. The result can be useful to evaluate the $CO_2$ saturation based on resistivity survey at the site where $CO_2 sequestrates.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.207-215
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• 2018

Almost all countries of the world have recently made great efforts to reduce green-house gases to alleviate the global warming threatening human survival, because a huge amount of carbon dioxide as one of the main green-house gases has been emitted from the combustion processes of fossil fuels such as coal and oil. $CO_2$ capture and storage (CCS) technology is a representative method to diminish the green-house gases, and actively investigated by many countries. This study focuses on the design and construction of a high pressure $CO_2$ injection facility to store it to underground, which is the first $CO_2$ injection in Korea following the steps of the $CO_2$ capture from large $CO_2$ emission sources and transportation to the sea. Injection tests of $CO_2$ on the platform on the sea were carried out in Yeongil Bay of Pohang city in the early 2017. Thus, we were able to perceive the necessary operating conditions of the injection facility, injection characteristic, and knowhow of the injection facility. The results obtained from the injection test shall be utilized for facility upgrades and scale-ups.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.39-49
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• 2015

Recently, carbon capture and storage (CCS) techniques have been globally studied. This study was conducted to use waste cement powder as an efficient raw material of mineral carbonation for $CO_2$ sequestration. Direct aqueous carbonation experiment was conducted with injecting pure $CO_2$ gas (99.9%) to a reactor containing $200m{\ell}$ reacting solution and the pulverized cement paste (W:C = 6:4) having particle size less than 0.15 mm. The effects of two additives (NaCl, $MgCl_2$) in carbonation were analyzed. The characteristics of carbonate minerals and carbonation process according to the type of additives and pH change were carefully evaluated. pH of reacting solution was gradually decreased with injecting $CO_2$ gas. $Ca^{2+}$ ion concentration in $MgCl_2$ containing solution was continuously decreased. In none $MgCl_2$ solution, however, $Ca^{2+}$ ion concentration was increased again as pH decreased. This is probably due to the dissolution of newly formed carbonate mineral in low pH solution. XRD analysis indicates that calcite is dominant carbonate mineral in none $MgCl_2$ solution whereas aragonite is dominant in $MgCl_2$ containing solution. Unstable vaterite formed in early stage of experiment was transformed to well crystallized calcite with decreasing pH in the absence of $MgCl_2$ additives. In the presence of $MgCl_2$ additives, the content of aragonite was increased with decreasing pH whereas the content of calite was decreased.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.291-304
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• 2010

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.1-22
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• 2005

Carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) is the greatest contributor among the major greenhouse gases covered by the Kyoto Protocol. Therefore, substantial efforts for the control and reduction of $CO_2$ emissions, including increased efficiency of fossil fuel energy usage, development of energy sources with lower carbon content, and increased reliability on alternative energy sources, are being performed worldwide. However, development and industrial application of $CO_2$ sequestration techniques are needed to meet the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol. Among the $CO_2$ sequestration methods developed, geological sequestration methods such as the storage in deep aquifers, deep coal seams and oil and gas reservoirs and the mineral carbonation is considered most favorable because of its stability and environmental effectiveness. In this review, geochemical concepts and technologic development of geologic sequestration technology, especially the storage in deep aquifers and the mineral carbonation, are discussed. The weakness and strengths for each of geologic sequestration methods, are also reviewed.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.55-61
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• 2022

Carbon dioxide is one of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and much research is underperforming in reducing carbon dioxide. Geological carbon dioxide storage is considered the primary technique for global warming prevention. So, technic development for storing carbon dioxide is required. Using surfactant is considered an effective material for geological carbon dioxide storage. However, research on using surfactants for carbon dioxide sequestration is not enough. In this study, a 2D micromodel experiment depends on the surfactant type (sodium dodecyl sulfate and sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate), concentration and carbon dioxide injection rate. As result, geological carbon dioxide sequestration efficiency is increased according to surfactant concentration and carbon dioxide injection rate increase. However, efficiency no more increases after critical concentration and rate.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.111-115
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• 2005

The concentration of atmosphere carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) which is one of the major greenhouse gas, continues to rise by the increase in fossil fuel consumption, forest destruction and decrease of biological diversity, etc. In order to weaken the global warming, a reduction of $CO_2$ discharge to the atmosphere is required. The $CO_2$ ocean sequestration technology utilizes the intrinsic oceanic capacity of $CO_2$ absorption, diluting and/or dispersing the liquefied $CO_2$ in the deep ocean (>2,000 m). This geo-engineering approach is regarded as one of the occasions to mitigate the $CO_2$ concentration in the atmosphere. Some developed centuries such as Japan, USA, Norway, etc. have intensively carried out the projects on the research and development of $CO_2$ ocean sequestration since 1990s. There have been several approaches to develop the relative technological system to mitigate the increasing $CO_2$, however, there was no systematic and practical R&D programme in the $CO_2$ ocean sequestration. This paper has described the state of the art on the three optional methods of $CO_2$ sequestration, and compared with them in the aspect of the applicable possibility.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.197-205
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• 2010

Recently abrupt climate changes have been occurred in global and regional scales and $CO_2$ reduction technologies became an important solution for global warming. As a method of the solution shallow underground thermal energy storage (UTES) has been applied as a reliable technology in most countries developing renewable energy. The geothermal energy system using thermal source of soil, rock, and ground water in aquifer or cavern located in shallow ground is designed based on the concept of thermal energy recovery and storage. UTES technology of Korea is in early stage and consistent researches are demanded to develop environmental friendly, economical and efficient UTES systems. Aquifers in Korea are suitable for various type of ground water source heat pump system. However due to poor understanding and regulations on various UTES high efficient geothermal systems have not been developed. Therefore simple closed U-tube type geothermal heat pump systems account for more than 90% of the total geothermal system installation in Korea. To prevent becoming wide-spread of inefficient systems, UTES systems considering to the hydrogeothemal properties of the ground should be developed and installed. Also international collaboration is necessary, and continuous UTES researches can improve the efficiency of shallow geothermal systems.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.205-217
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• 2017

Mineral carbonation by indirect method has been studied by serpentinite as cation source. Through the carbonation of $CO_2$ and alkaline earth ions (calcium and magnesium) from serpentinite, the pure carbonates including $MgCO_3$ and $CaCO_3$ were synthesized. The extraction solvent used to extract magnesium (Mg) was ammonium sulfate ($(NH_4)_2SO_4$), and the investigated experimental factors were the concentration of $(NH_4)_2SO_4$, reaction temperature, and ratio of serpentinite to the extraction solvent. From this study, the Mg extraction efficiency of approximately 80 wt% was obtained under the conditions of 2 M $(NH_4)_2SO_4$, $300^{\circ}C$, and a ratio of 5 g of serpentinite/75 mL of extraction solvent. The Mg extraction efficiency was proportional to the concentration and reaction temperature. $NH_3$ produced from the Mg extraction of serpentinite was used as a pH swing agent for carbonation to increase the pH value. About 1.78 M of $NH_3$ as the form of $NH_4{^+}$ was recovered after Mg extraction from serpentinite. And, the main step in Mg extraction process of serpentinite was estimated by geochemical modeling.