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Ocean Carbon Sequestration: Aspen Global Change Institute
Ocean Carbon Sequestration: Aspen Global Change Institute
Ocean Carbon Sequestration: Aspen Global Change Institute
Ken Caldeira
DOE Center for Research on Ocean Carbon Sequestration
and
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Outline
Carbon
management
Diminish Decarbonate
Sequester
end-use energy
CO2
demand supply
Land
Geologic Ocean
biosphere
storage storage
storage
Global carbon cycle
Ocean
storage
Direct
Ocean Other
CO2
fertilization options
injection
Lake e.g.,
LNLC HNLC Mid-depth
or seafloor Carbonate
options options options
options dissolution
Release of CO2 into the atmosphere
560
Equilibration with
surface ocean
520
Atmospheric pCO2 (ppm)
480
440 Mixing to
deep ocean
400
360
Carbonate
dissolution
320
280
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
Carbonate dissolution
~6000 yr
CO2 + CaCO3 + H2O —> Ca2+ + 2HCO3–
Silicate-rock weathering
~300,000 yr
CO2 + CaSiO3 —> CaCO3 + SiO2
Ocean fertilization
Idea
Increase the net CO2 flux from the atmosphere to the ocean
by increasing the biogenic carbon flux from the near-surface ocean
to the ocean interior.
Ocean fertilization
Research questions
How long will the exported carbon remain in the ocean interior?
LLNL/DOCS Southern Ocean fertilization simulations
Experiment
OCMIP “Biotic” Protocols
Continuously utilize all available PO4 south of 31°S
Southern Ocean fertilization simulations
Southern Ocean fertilization simulations
Southern Ocean fertilization simulations
Southern Ocean fertilization simulations
Effect of fertilizing entire ocean south of 30°S for one year
.
Direct CO2 injection
Idea
Bypass typical ocean-atmosphere mixing time-scale (~300 yr?) by
directly injecting CO2 into the ocean interior.
Direct CO2 injection
Deep-sea CO2 injection
Direct CO2 injection has been proposed as an effective
means of
diminishing future climate change
with minimal economic and environmental damage
560 600
Release into atmosphere Release into atmosphere
520 Deep-sea injection 550 Deep-sea injection
Atmospheric pCO2 (ppm)
400 400
Carbonate
Mixing between dissolution
deep ocean and
360 350 surface ocean
Silicate-rock
weathering
320 300
280 250
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Years after CO2 release Years after CO2 release
Direct CO2 injection into the ocean interior can slow the
accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere
Atmospheric release
100 m
0.8 300 m
1000 m
1500 m
2000 m
0.6 3000 m
0.4
0.2
0
0 200 400 600 800 1000
Year
Direct CO2 injection
Comparison of 3D and 1D models at 800 m depth
PgC
4
0
0 200 400 600 800 1000
Years
Direct CO2 injection
Comparison of 3D and 1D models at 1500 m depth
10
6
PgC
4
0
0 200 400 600 800 1000
Years
Direct CO2 injection
Comparison of 3D and 1D models at 3000 m depth
10
6
PgC
4
0
0 200 400 600 800 1000
Years
Direct CO2 injection simulations
2 injection locations
New York
Column inventory Surface Fluxes
San Francisco
2 injection depths
710 m
3025 m
Carbon removal processes
Carbonate dissolution
~6000 yr
CO2 + CaCO3 + H2O —> Ca2+ + 2HCO3–
Silicate-rock weathering
~300,000 yr
CO2 + CaSiO3 —> CaCO3 + SiO2
Carbonate-dissolution method: Basic idea
Carbonate-dissolution method
480
440
400
360
320
280
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
500
400 Degassing of
excess CO2(aq)
350 Silicate-rock
weathering
300
250
-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Years after CO2 release
Carbonate-dissolution increases long-term effectiveness
of carbon sequestration
1500
1000
500
0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Cumulative GtC Released
Carbonate-dissolution method: Costs
Fertilization
Relatively inexpensive
Strategy seeks to maximize biological impact
Maximum long-term flux may be < 1 PgC / yr
Direct injection
Separation is cost driver
Probably more benign than CO2 injection into the atmosphere
Effective in reducing atmospheric CO2 for hundreds of years
Carbonate-dissolution
Cost is highly uncertain
Minimum ocean biological impact (limestone mining impact ?)
Highly effective, if feasible