In a context of reducing greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, the capture of CO2 at major industrial stationary sources, followed by its long-term storage, is of growing interest both at national and international levels.

Through its research in this domain, which began almost 15 years ago, BRGM is a main contributor to the work carried out throughout France, Europe and worldwide.

> Curbing emissions and capturing CO2

BRGM is working alongside industry on processes to trap CO2 emissions at the source and farther downstream using innovative techniques. It is also exploring opportunities of mineral carbonation for alkaline industrial waste and ultrabasic rocks, a process that offers a unique solution for trapping CO2 in the form of carbonated minerals.

> CO2 geological storage

Involved since 1993 in the validation and deployment of CO2 geological storage, BRGM's work is essentially geared towards three storage options:
depleted oil and gas reservoirs,
deep saline aquifers,
deep unmined coal seams.

BRGM's work focuses on storage site selection and characterization, reservoir injectivity, caprock and well seals, predictive long-term modelling of CO2 and reservoir behaviour, geophysical, geochemical and biogeochemical monitoring, assessment of site safety. BRGM has earned itself a worldwide reputation for its skills in modelling chemical interactions between injected CO2 and the host rock.

Backed up by its partners in industry and the French scientific sector, BRGM is committed to preparing over the coming years the launching of a semi-industrial pilot plant for CO2 storage in a deep aquifer in France.

BRGM figures amongst the pioneers of research on CO2 geological storage. It participated in the first European research project on the feasibility of this concept, Joule II, “The underground disposal of carbon dioxide” (1993-1995). It then became involved from 1998 to 1999 in the Thermie SACS project (Phase 1), which studied at industrial scale the storage of CO2 in an aquifer at the Sleipner site in the North Sea. Since 2000, BRGM has been active in many other French and European projects. It plays a key role in the management of the European Network of Excellence CO2GeoNet, is an active member of the European thematic network CO2 Net and heads, jointly with IFP, the secretariat of the French Club CO2, which is an initiative of ADEME. It is called upon as national expert and representative by various international authoritative bodies such as the International Energy Agency's “greenhouse gas” programme (IEA-GHG), the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF) and the Scientific group of the London Convention. At the request of the Interministerial Task Force on Climate Change (MIES), BRGM was appointed 'expert reviewer' for the editing of the IPCC special report onCO2 capture and storage (IPPC-SRCCS) and of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (IPCC-AR4).