Scientists explore storing CO2 in rock

Storing excess carbon dioxide in rock to reduce its presence in the atmosphere is being explored by Icelandic scientists.

Known as carbon sequestration, the process involves funneling carbon dioxide deep under the earth where it mixes with minerals to form rock.

A pilot program involving carbon sequestration is underway at an Icelandic geothermal plant. There, carbon dioxide is separated from other atmosphere gasses, transported, dissolved in water and injected under high pressure into basalt rock 400 to 800 meters below the surface of the earth.

When CO2 mixes with water, it forms carbonic acid that dissolves minerals and forms solid carbonates inside rock.

The findings are being presented by University of Iceland researchers at the University of Tennessee Thursday.

On Wednesday, the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) announced a joint agreement with the International Performance Assessment Centre for Geologic Storage of Carbon Dioxide to develop Canada's first carbon capture and storage (CCS) standard for the geologic storage of industrial emissions. The CSA hopes the standard will act as a base for the development of international standards for geologic storage.

"On a global scale, approximately 31 billion tons of CO2 are emitted per year into the atmosphere," the CSA wrote in a news release. "The International Energy Agency has urged a quick and global push to develop and deploy CCS technologies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions."