CRYSTAL-CCS: Clathrate-Based Geological Carbon Capture and Storage (Flexible Funding 2023)

Dr Aliakbar Hassanpouryouzband, University of Edinburgh, was awarded funding in the UKCCSRC’s Flexible Funding 2023 call to look at “CRYSTAL-CCS: Clathrate-Based Geological Carbon Capture and Storage”.

CRYSTAL-CCS: A Collaborative Solution for Carbon Capture and Storage

The CRYSTAL-CCS project, funded by the UKCCSRC, has successfully explored a new method for capturing and storing carbon dioxide (CO2). As CO2 emissions continue to be a major contributor to climate change, finding safe and effective ways to store CO2 underground is crucial. This project focused on using clathrate hydrates, a special type of structure that forms when CO2 is trapped in water molecules, as a potential solution for long-term CO2 storage.

One of the standout achievements of the CRYSTAL-CCS project is the international collaboration it fostered. Researchers from the UK, China and Germany worked together, combining their expertise to advance this promising carbon capture technology. The project has now reached completion, and the final research paper is currently under review.

How CRYSTAL-CCS Works

The CRYSTAL-CCS project investigates the ability of clathrate hydrates to trap and store CO2 in a stable form. Clathrate hydrates are similar to ice but have gas molecules like CO2 locked inside their structure. These hydrates can form naturally under certain pressure and temperature conditions, making them a potential way to store CO2 safely in deep water-saturated sediments.

Our research has focused on understanding how quickly these hydrates form, how stable they are over time, and how much CO2 they can store. We conducted experiments under controlled conditions that simulate real-world environments, allowing us to test the potential of this method for large-scale CO2 storage.

An International Research Effort

A key achievement of the CRYSTAL-CCS project has been the successful collaboration with scientists from China and Germany. By combining different areas of expertise, we have been able to approach the challenge of carbon capture and storage from multiple angles, improving the overall effectiveness of the research.

The results of our research are currently under review in a comprehensive paper, which will be published soon. This paper will provide valuable insights into how clathrate hydrates can be used as a new method for storing CO2, offering an alternative to more traditional carbon capture methods.

What’s Next

With the successful completion of the CRYSTAL-CCS project, we are excited to share our findings with the scientific community and other stakeholders. The results will soon be made available through publications and will also be featured on the UKCCSRC website. These findings will help inform future research and development in the field of carbon capture and storage.

Read more on Aliakbar’s Flexible Funding 2023 project page.

Ali presenting at UFRJ, with attendance from companies in Brazil, which also included results from the Crystal CCS project