EPSRC Project Updates – April 2015 Cranfield Biannual

This blog was written by Ponfa Roy Bitrus, a UKCCSRC ECR from the University of Aberdeen, who received funding from the ECR Meeting Fund to attend the UKCCSRC Spring 2015 Biannual in Cranfield, 21-22 April

The mid-afternoon session on day one kicked off with an update from CCS projects sponsored by the EPSRC (Environmental and physical Sciences Research Council) and was chaired by Jon Gibbins (UKCCSRC). A total of 9 speakers gave an overview of the exciting CCS projects conducted in Universities and research institutes across the UK.

Anna Korre (Imperial College London) gave a brief overview on CO₂ injection and storage with emphasis on the short and long term behaviour at different spatial scales, the project divided into WP 1,2,3&4 (Work project) and the study area is the Forties Montrose High located in the North Sea Central Graben. A dynamic capacity based performance was given of the forties field, its injection rates and monitoring strategies and finally a risk perception study of the project. Andy Chadwick (BGS) gave an overview of the DiSECCS project (Diagnostic Seismic toolbox for the Efficient Control of CO₂ storage), its partners and collaborators and the need for storage capacity to be optimised and pressures monitored and controlled. The project divided into WP 1,2,3,4&5 aims to deliver on geomechanics and rock physics analysis, seismic analysis,  social research and finally develop applicable guidelines and toolbox. Stuart Gilfillan (University of Edinburgh) talked on Fingerprinting captured CO₂ using natural tracers and determining the fate of CO₂ and proving ownership. Stating that storage security is key and the addition of traces both natural and inherent to CO₂ can be used to monitor environmental hazards and contamination. Caroline Graham (BGS) gave an overview of the CONTAIN project, on the impact of hydrocarbon depletion on the treatment of caprocks within performance assessment for CO₂ injection schemes. The project is divided into WP 1, 2&3 with laboratory testing and numerical simulation currently in progress which spans reservoir depletion and inflation response, leading to a better understanding of reservoir behaviour and seal integrity, and finally explores controls on public and stakeholders understanding and acceptability of CCS. Branco Bijeljic (Imperial College London) gave an overview on the Development of unified experimental and theoretical approach to predict reactive transport in subsurface porous media and the importance of understanding physical processes at the pore scale, using a vast array of imaging tools for rock analysis, flow predictions, modelling and direct simulations.

Peter Budd (University of Manchester) talked on Organic mixed matrix membrane technologies (ORGMENT) for post combustion CO₂ capture, the project has only just started and focuses on developing organic materials for membrane separation. Meihong Wang (University of Hull) on the Process of intensification for Post-combustion Carbon Capture using rotating packed bed through systems engineering techniques. The project is split into WP 1,2,3,4,5 &6 which involves design of new equipment’s, experimental studies, modelling and dynamic simulations. Niall Mac Dowell (Imperial College London) gave an overview of Multi-scale energy systems modelling encompassing renewable, intermittentm stored energy and carbon capture and storage (MESMERISE-CCS). The project is ongoing and on time and split into WP1,2 &3 and is made up of a multidisciplinary whole systems team with skill sets required to comprehensively address challenges associated with the integration of decarbonised fossil-fuels with intermittent renewables. Finally for project updates was Richard Marsh (Cardiff University) who gave a brief progress update on Selective exhaust gas recirculation for carbon capture with gas turbines: Integration, Intensification, Scale-up and Optimisation . The project is split into WP 1,2,3&4 are aimed at system integration and scale