A Proposed Workflow for Disposal of CO2 using CO2 Hydrate (SPE 154445)

Carbon dioxide is an important greenhouse gas because it transmits visible light but absorbs strongly in the infrared. Carbon dioxide is mainly generated from the combustion of fossil fuels or vegetable matter, among other industrial processes such as cement production and ammonia plants. CO2 emitted from burning fossil fuels is believed to be a major contributor to the amount of CO2 levels in the atmosphere contributing to global warming. Hydrate technology can be used to capture CO2 gas in the form of hydrates. In this technology CO2 and water are combined at certain conditions of temperatures and pressures to form of a hydrate, and then transported and released at great depths into the ocean. Disposal of CO2 in the form of hydrates in the sea is a great potential as the ocean is vast and occupies 70% of the earthC"s surface. Numerous power plants and petrochemical plants are located near the coastline and hence there is easy access to the ocean. The CO2 hydrate formation as a CO2 disposal method may potentially offer significant savings in CO2 disposal because of minimal cost of CO2 capture. This paper proposes a work flow for disposing of CO2. The model describes the sequence of operations for CO2 capture and disposal using CO2 hydrate. A typical example would be used to describe the workflow from CO2 emitted to CO2 hydrate disposal. CO2 hydrate is denser than seawater and therefore CO2 hydrate deposited in the ocean will sink to the seabed as long as the disposal site is within the hydrate formation envelope.