The subsurface carbonation potential of basaltic rocks from the Jizan region of Southwest Saudi Arabia

The Jizan region of southwest Saudi Arabia contains large industrial point sources CO2 and potentially the capacity to dispose substantial quantities this gas by subsurface mineralization local basaltic rocks. Significant volumes magma were erupted within an Oligo-Miocene continental rift valley that preceded formation Red Sea. These igneous rocks consist lava flows volcaniclastics intruded dikes shallow plutons. volcanic are densely fractured variably altered chlorite-epidote-calcite assemblages. Dissolution rate measurements performed at 25 °C four rock samples from demonstrate their ability increase fluid pH liberate Ca Mg phase. Reaction path calculations suggest CO2-charged water will readily carbonate when interacting with both 100 °C. Reactive transport calculations, however, while such carbonation reactions be slow °C, these would fix more than 95% injected water-dissolved five years Monte Carlo estimates total Oligocene is ∼4.2 Gt CO2, which sufficient store all carbon emissions facilities for in excess one hundred years. Taken together, results study indicate likely success large-scale storage efforts through region.