The Potential for Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide in South Africa Carbon Capture and Storage in South Africa

CSIR was commissioned by DME to compile a report on the potential for sequestration of carbon dioxide in South Africa in 2004. This report was the first attempt to obtain a picture of this potential. In the paper the main findings of the 2004 report are summarized. In the introduction the background for the study is presented as well as the main goals of the project. The sources and quantities as well as the composition of the carbon dioxide containing waste streams were compiled. The potential for biological, geological, chemical and marine storage was determined and it was found that the biological storage potential is limited, the chemical storage potential is largely unknown, the geological storage potential may be large, but further study is required. The marine storage potential is probably very large, but the environmental impact may be serious. 1. General introduction Internationally and nationally the potential for the sequestration of carbon dioxide is increasingly receiving attention (Carbon Capture and Storage, CCS), (IPCC,2005) due to the growing levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouses gases in the atmosphere. South Africa has acceded to the Kyoto Protocol as a non-Annex I country, which e.g. means that South Africa currently has no obligations regarding the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. (Kyoto, 1997)) However the current protocol will expire in 2013 and there is significant pressure from developed countries on non-Annex I countries to also develop policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of a follow-up Kyoto protocol (Stern, 2006). One policy option is to undertake a CCS program and therefore DME contracted CSIR to undertake a preliminary study on the potential for CCS in South Africa.( In this paper the outcomes of the study are reported. The detailed report is available at the DME web page. (Engelbrecht ‘et al’, 2004) The overall goals of the study were: • To generate a knowledge base of the biological and geological potential for sequestration of CO2 in South Africa. • To publish such information for general use. 2. Scope of the study The study had the following components: • To identify and quantify major CO2 point sources and locations and to estimate the gas compositions associated with the different point sources. • Report on total biological sequestration potential in South Africa. • Report on the suitability of geological sequestration potential relevant to the large point sources of CO2. • Report on chemical sequestration potential. • Report on the marine sequestration potential. • Present conclusions of the study 3. Results of the study 3.1 Sources and quantities of CO2 The sources of carbon dioxide released in South Africa are presented on Map 1. Map 1. Carbon dioxide emissions from mines (grey) and power stations (red) Sequestrable emissions are from point sources and it is potentially possible to capture the emitted CO2. Nonsequestrable emissions are spread over a large area and it is not viable to capture the CO2.