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3. North Sea -CO2 sink?

Proposals to bury millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide under the North Sea using old oil and gas wells are being considered by ministers as a longer term, post 2020, option. According to the Observer (Aug 1st), ‘because of the huge costs involved, the move will fuel speculation that the government is preparing to choose between funding sequestration or nuclear energy to meet its ambitious targets’ for emission reductions. Energy Minister Stephen Timms told the Observer that, along with other carbon reduction techniques, carbon capture and storage was seen ‘as an important element in achieving our target’.

The Observer added ‘In the North Sea the UK has one of the world’s biggest and safest stores because the gas should solidify in the alkaline aquifers- porous deposits of bedrock. The lowest estimate for the potential storage capacity range is 10 years worth of fossil fuel supply. However, the cost is seen as exorbitant: a government study estimated that by 2020 the cost per tonne of carbon saved would be £80-£280, when compared to net savings for efficiency improvements, power plants and wind energy’ and it added ‘there are also environmental concerns about the risk of leakage’. 

The DTI consultation paper on Carbon Abatement Technologies like this is at: www.dti.gov.uk/energy/coal/cfft/catscon.shtml