Out of Sight, Out of Mind:
Advances in Geological CO2 Sequestration
October 30, 2009, 12:00 -1:30 PM
2325 Rayburn House Office Building
Summary
Given the abundant supply of coal in the U.S. and the challenges of substantially scaling up renewable power, fossil fuels are likely to remain a significant source of electricity in this country for decades to come. To limit CO2 emissions from large point sources such as power plants, one promising option is Carbon Capture and Storage: capturing, compressing and transporting CO2 and injecting it into carefully chosen and monitored underground geological formations. This briefing will bring together experts from different sectors to discuss the status of efforts to safely and reliably sequester CO2 underground on a scale large enough to impact atmospheric concentrations.
Contact Science & the Congress Briefing Series
Sponsors
ACS Science & the Congress Project and The Founder Society Technologies for Carbon Management Project
Introductory Remarks
Dale Keairns
SAIC
Chair, AIChE Energy Initiative
Featured Speakers
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John Steelman moderating Natural Resources Defense Council |
Mr. Steelman is currently the program manager for the Climate Center at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The Climate Center’s mission is to advance effective climate policies at the national and international level. Mr. Steelman joined NRDC in 1994. He has worked on developing the organization’s climate advocacy strategies for more than a decade, including NRDC’s partnership with the National Ski Areas Association on their Keep Winter Cool campaign. Prior to joining NRDC, Mr. Steelman worked in marketing and advertising at the advertising agency BBD&O, TWA and Westvaco Paper Company. Mr. Steelman received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Duke University. |
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Sally Benson Stanford University Global Climate & Energy Project |
Dr. Benson is the Director of Stanford University’s Global Climate and Energy Project, which develops innovative low carbon energy supplies to meet global energy needs. She is also a professor (research) in Stanford’s Department of Energy Resources Engineering. Dr. Benson was a coordinating lead author on the 2005 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Special Report on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage, and for the past ten years she has studied how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by capturing carbon dioxide from power plants and pumping it into deep underground formations for permanent sequestration. Prior to joining Stanford, Dr. Benson worked in a number of capacities at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. She serves on the Board of Directors of DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Climate Central. Dr. Benson received her Ph.D. from the University of California in the Material Science and Mineral Engineering Department. |
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Richard Esposito Southern Company |
Mr. Esposito is Southern Company’s principal research geologist and leads Southern’s geologic CO2 sequestration R&D program, which includes an active and diverse portfolio of CO2 sequestration, enhanced oil recovery, and integrated carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects. He has numerous publications to his credit and has presented internationally on utility issues and progress associated with CCS. Prior to joining Southern Company, he worked in the Water Division of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management as an environmental regulator. Mr. Esposito is a Professional Geologist in numerous states and has been appointed by the Governor of Alabama to the Alabama Board of Licensure for Professional Geologists. He has M.S. degrees in geology and environmental management, and is a candidate to receive a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering with a focus on carbon sequestration and enhanced oil recovery later this year. |
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S. Julio Friedmann Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory |
As Carbon Management Program Leader for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Dr. Friedmann leads initiatives and research into carbon capture, carbon storage, and fossil fuel recovery and utilization. Dr. Friedmann has testified before the U.S. House and Senate and several state legislatures and worked with the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Department of Energy, and numerous private companies and NGOs. He is principal co-author on the MIT “Future of Coal Energy” report, the National Petroleum Council report, “Facing Hard Truths,” and the World Resources Institute “CCS Guidelines” report. He has worked in many countries and led technical work at various CCS projects around the world. Dr. Friedmann has worked for ExxonMobil, the University of Maryland, and the Colorado Energy Research Institute at the Colorado School of Mines. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California. |
Related Content
Congressional Research Service:
“Carbon Capture and Sequestration,” CRS RL33801, June 19, 2009
“Underground Carbon Dioxide Sequestration,” CRS RL34218, January 21, 2009
“Capturing CO2 from Coal-fired Power Plants,” CRS RL34621, February 13, 2009
“Community Acceptance of Carbon Capture and Sequestration Infrastructure: Siting Challenges ,” CRS RL34601, July 29, 2008
National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL)
NETL report:
“Storage of Captured Carbon Dioxide Beneath Federal Lands,” May 8, 2009
Clean Air Task Force report:
“Coal Without Carbon,” September 2009
National Petroleum Council report:
“Facing the Hard Truths About Energy,” 2007
(See Chapter 5: Carbon Management)
Congressional Budget Office paper:
“The Potential for Carbon Sequestration in the U.S.,” September 2007
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report:
“Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage,” 2005
World Resources Institute Carbon Capture and Sequestration page
Chemical and Engineering News:
“ ,” C&EN September 21, 2009
“,” C&EN July 13, 2009
“,” C&EN June 15, 2009
“,” C&EN April 6, 2009
“,” C&EN October 29, 2007