OnTheWight always welcomes a Letter to the Editor to share with our readers – unsurprisingly they don’t always reflect the views of this publication. If you have something you’d like to share, get in touch and of course, your considered comments are welcome below.
This from Angela Hewitt with her take on the Solent CO2 Pipeline Project (see the archive). Ed
Capture and Store gives Exxon more.
Our planet is brilliant at capturing and storing CO2 naturally, plants – mainly plankton, and the sea. We release CO2 through our numerous activities and then the planet sequestrates it back. Well it would, but we have systematically destroyed the planets natural systems. I think it is called, throwing the baby out with the bath water.
Not knowing much about CO2 capture, the mechanical kind not the natural kind, I did some research. I guess a lot of you have too so I would be interested to see if we have come up with the same explanation. Sifting through pages of science and equations I think I have a modicum of understanding.
Fawley oil refinery
Fawley is the biggest oil refinery in the UK and the biggest refinery world-wide is in India. World -wide there are 825 oil refineries. The CO2 estimated emissions just from all of these refineries is 4% of all CO2 emissions. The other 96% is due to us using fossil fuels. The oil refineries (I don’t know how many) are only interested in capturing and storing CO2 emitted directly from the refining process of the oil we will be using. Now, it’s worth knowing that these capturing and storing processes will also emit CO2.
Storing CO2
OK, so scientists have discovered that CO2 can be stored in porous rock such as and mostly Basalt rock – there are a few other suitable rocks. Basalt rock covers most of the Earth’s crust and fortunately it is found at the bottom of oceans. CO2 needs water as the medium. The captured CO2 is pumped down to the ocean bed.
The CO2 makes the water acidic. (couldn’t find out the implications of this except that apparently it makes water cold). Via the medium of water the CO2 seeps into the Basalt and solidifies into hard rock which stays stored for hundreds of years. Amazing.
In the meantime, we are still emitting excessive CO2 from the fossil fuel that is still being refined. It makes a mockery of the mechanical carbon capture and store. We are now between a rock and a hard place.
The role of plankton
We could have said fret not. Our habitat, our planet, has the most extraordinary, natural systems to sequestrate CO2. The sea has masses of capacity to capture CO2 via the previously mentioned plankton. The planet has other means too, trees for instance, but plankton is the most effective because it is vast. To meet its optimum the seawater must be cold.
The plankton captures the CO2 and forms shells that sink to the bottom of the ocean and stays there. If the sea is warm the plankton captures less CO2, and as we know, the sea is getting warmer. As the water gets even warmer the plankton will fail.
Can we get to it in time if we carry on as we are?
I didn’t find out how long it takes to build a carbon capture/storage plant or if all refineries are embarking upon this extremely costly remedy, but I did ask myself, how long would it be before all the Basalt rock became saturated. Then what?
Apparently there is masses of capacity, but can we get to it in time if we carry on as we are. Remember this is just about capturing CO2 from the fallout of refinery production.
If this is not enough to encourage us to drastically change our habits, then what is?
We are all in an inescapable trap
Well, here is the problem. We are all in an inescapable trap. The global economy has been fixed by those multi billionaires to make us reliant on fossil fuels in every which way. We have been manipulated into embracing the global economy which, by and large, is all about new markets. We simply can’t escape, and they know it. It’s not our fault. We have been sold a mega, massive global economic scam.
Talking of economies, who is going to pay for all these carbon capture plants? Didn’t the government say they were going to hand over our money to “green industries” in the name of economic growth. So, is this really about reducing CO2 emissions or is it about huge corporate companies, oil refineries and the like taking shed loads of our money for minimal return.
Two more things: Our Island
The IW Biosphere steering committee should be asking UNESCO their questions not Exxon.
Looking at Exxon’s proposal it claims that they recognise the issues of serious damage the natural environment and they say that it could take many, many years to recover. And that’s it. Tough!
I forgot to mention…..
Carbon can be stored in extremely deep wells inland. This requires exceptional care. The deep wells are made of steel and cement (making cement causes CO2 emissions) and regular testing, monitoring and reporting is required to ensure the water we drink is not affected. Also the geology has to be right. Much easier to dump it a sea and forget about it. Apparently, the White Cliffs of Dover (chalk) are well known for trapping minerals.
Where next?
I notice that the maps crossing the Island provided by Exxon do not show a path for the pipeline going out to sea. It stops at the cliff edge of the Isle of Wight. Interesting.
Quote From IEA50
“CO2 can be stored in deep geological formations in a process that mimics how oil and gas have been trapped underground for millions of years. Captured CO2 is compressed and injected deep beneath the earth’s surface into a reservoir of porous rock located under an impermeable layer of rock (known as a cap-rock). This acts as a seal.”
I welcome alternative views, but please make them through OnTheWight and do not email me personally!
