Carbon Mineralization in Fractured Mafic and Ultramafic Rocks: A Review

H. Nisbet*, G. Buscarnera, J. W. Carey, M. A. Chen, E. Detournay, H. Huang, J. D. Hyman, P. K. Kang, Q. Kang, J. F. Labuz, W. Li, J. Matter, C. W. Neil, G. Srinivasan, M. R. Sweeney, V. R. Voller, W. Yang, Y. Yang, H. S. Viswanathan*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Mineral carbon storage in mafic and ultramafic rock masses has the potential to be an effective and permanent mechanism to reduce anthropogenic CO2. Several successful pilot-scale projects have been carried out in basaltic rock (e.g., CarbFix, Wallula), demonstrating the potential for rapid CO2 sequestration. However, these tests have been limited to the injection of small quantities of CO2. Thus, the longevity and feasibility of long-term, large-scale mineralization operations to store the levels of CO2 needed to address the present climate crisis is unknown. Moreover, CO2 mineralization in ultramafic rocks, which tend to be more reactive but less permeable, has not yet been quantified. In these systems, fractures are expected to play a crucial role in the flow and reaction of CO2 within the rock mass and will influence the CO2 storage potential of the system. Therefore, consideration of fractures is imperative to the prediction of CO2 mineralization at a specific storage site. In this review, we highlight key takeaways, successes, and shortcomings of CO2 mineralization pilot tests that have been completed and are currently underway. Laboratory experiments, directed toward understanding the complex geochemical and geomechanical reactions that occur during CO2 mineralization in fractures, are also discussed. Experimental studies and their applicability to field sites are limited in time and scale. Many modeling techniques can be applied to bridge these limitations. We highlight current modeling advances and their potential applications for predicting CO2 mineralization in mafic and ultramafic rocks.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbere2023RG000815
JournalReviews of Geophysics
Volume62
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2024

Funding

The research was primarily supported as part of the Center on Geo\u2010processes in Mineral Carbon Storage, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences (BES), under Award Number DE\u2010SC0023429. This award provided financial support for G. Buscarnera, J.W. Carey, M.A. Chen, E. Detournay, H. Huang, J.D. Hyman, P.K. Kang, Q. Kang, J.F. Labuz, W. Li, J. Matter, C.W. Neil, G. Srinivasan, M.R. Sweeney, V.R. Voller, W. Yang, Y. Yang, and H.S. Viswanathan. H. Nisbet, J.D. Hyman, W. Li, M.R. Sweeney, and H.S. Viswanathan gratefully acknowledge support from the Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Geoscience Research program under Award Number LANLE3W1. H. Nisbet thanks the support of the Laboratory Directed Research and Development program of Los Alamos National Laboratory under Project Number 20220809PRD4. J. Matter gratefully acknowledges the support from the ClimateWorks Foundation under Award Number G\u201021030802317354.

Keywords

  • CO storage
  • carbon mineralization
  • fractures
  • geochemistry
  • geomechanics
  • sequestration

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geophysics

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