Improving the assessment of CO2 storage sites

A University of Liverpool researcher has been awarded £30k funding for a new project that aims to improve our knowledge of fault behaviour for CO₂ storage site assessment.

Dr Emma Michie, a lecturer in Geology with the Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences, has secured a nine month Flexible Funding grant from the UK Carbon Capture and Storage Research Community Network (UKCCSRC).

The project will draw on Dr Michie’s background knowledge in structural geology to increase our knowledge and confidence in assessing the validity of CO₂ storage sites, by analysing surface samples from the Central and Northern Apennines, Italy, and subsurface samples from Norwegian North Sea.

She said: “I am delighted to receive this funding to help improve our knowledge of fault behaviour for CO₂ storage site assessment.  As part of this funding, I have just returned from a successful fieldtrip to Italy examining outcrop analogues.  I look forward to diving into the analysis of the samples I collected during this trip.”

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is essential for achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions and avoiding dangerous climate change. Research to make the technology more effective, safer and cheaper is constantly taking place in universities, businesses and research facilities around the UK.

The project is one of 13 projects supported by the UKCCSRC, an organisation that supports, strengthens and integrates the UK carbon capture and storage community.

Professor Jon Gibbins, UKCCSRC Director, said: “This UKCCSRC Flexible Funding round will be tackling a wide range of projects suggested by the needs of the UK's growing CCS deployment sector.  As this call was well-subscribed, and there is clearly a major opportunity for us to help build UK CCS wealth-creation capacity in CCS using this route, the UKCCSRC, with its proven track record of rapid and effective project procurement and funding, is actively seeking additional funds for future calls.”

Created in 2012, UKCCSRC is funded by the EPSRC and based at the University of Sheffield.

You can find out more about Dr Michie’s recent field work at her LinkedIn page. 

Image: Carbon capture plant, credit TERC.