As a rule, it looks like this – we catch harmful carbon dioxide and put it underground. A simple and ecological solution, but the most important thing is that this technology already exists. A tycoon in the industry are the Norwegians with whom Orlen signed a cooperation agreement on Monday in the Baltic.
The depleted oil and gas deposits in the Baltic Sea can still be useful. This time as carbon dioxide warehouses – harmful gas responsible for climate warming. Orlen and Norwegian Equinor have signed a cooperation agreement in catching and storing CO2.
– We are currently setting about four locations in which we plan to store carbon dioxide and because they are very capital -intensive investments, we think to invite partners – says Wiesław Prugar, a member of the Management Board for Orlen SA Mining
The construction of a pipeline that would transport carbon dioxide from Poland to Denmark and Norway is also being considered, where underground magazines are already operating. – We store carbon dioxide on a Norwegian continental shelf for 30 years. We know that it is safe, we know how to do it, we monitor it, which is why we can offer a unique experience – indicates Irene Rummelhoff, vice president of Equinor.
I am talking about a process called CCS. Simply put, gas is captured before it gets into the atmosphere and turned into liquid. In a condensed form, he goes to the installation that presses it underground.
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Over 15 billion tons of CO2 would fit throughout the country
Already a dozen or so years ago, scientists from the Main Mining Institute studied whether carbon dioxide can be injected into closed mine excavations and in this way to push to the surface of methane.
– The project was successful, all goals were checked and examined. We've encountered powerful knowledge on this subject – indicates Dr. Jacek Skiba from the Main Mining Institute.
However, it turned out that the former coal deposits are not suitable for CO2 magazines. There are other possibilities in Poland.
– They can be the old deposits of natural gas and oil, which must be examined in terms of their tightness, protection, storage capabilities. Other considered things are, for example, groundwater tanks – indicates prof. Krzysztof Szamałek, director of the State Geological Institute at the National Research Institute.
According to estimates, over 15 billion tons of carbon dioxide would fit in facilities throughout the country.
– If all this potential was used, the Polish energy -consuming industry could store for several hundred years, while the use of this potential would be very expensive and would require a number of investments – notes Kamil Lipiński, head of the climate team and energy team of the Polish Economic Institute.
Storage will be profitable when the cost of emissions ton carbon dioxide at EU auctions reaches 90 euros. Currently, it is 70 euros, but forecasts assume a price increase – even twice in the next several years.
Emission cost of one ton CO2Ministry of Health
Until now, we have brought fuel from the ground. Now in the opposite direction we will sink the deadly carbon dioxide for the climate. It is not yet known whether this is a real recipe for climate warming or just another experiment.
Source of the main photo: Facts of TVN