ARCHIVED - Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage: A Compendium of Canada's Participation

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Table of Contents

• EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• INTRODUCTION
  • Acknowledgments
  • Structure of Document
  • Acronyms and Initialisms
• PART A: ORGANIZATIONS
  1. COORDINATION AND PLANNING–CANADA
  2. COORDINATION AND PLANNING–INTERNATIONAL
  3. RESEARCH–FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
  4. RESEARCH–PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS
  5. RESEARCH–UNIVERSITIES
  6. RESEARCH–ENVIRONMENTAL NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (ENGOs)
  7. RESEARCH–INTERNATIONAL
  8. CANADIAN COMPANIES
  9. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES (NON-RESEARCH)–FEDERAL
  10. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES (NON-RESEARCH)–PROVINCIAL
  11. PROGRAMS–GOVERNMENT
• PART B: SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING PROJECTS
  1. CAPTURE, TRANSPORTATION, AND STORAGE
  2. CHARACTERIZING SOURCES AND SINKS
  3. CAPTURE–GENERAL
  4. CAPTURE–SOLVENTS
  5. CAPTURE–GASIFICATION. 129
  6. CAPTURE–OXYFUEL
  7. CAPTURE–MEMBRANES
  8. CAPTURE–OTHER
  9. TRANSPORT
  10. STORAGE–GENERAL
  11. STORAGE–EOR/EGR
  12. STORAGE–ECBM
  13. STORAGE–RELIABILITY
  14. STORAGE–MEASUREMENT, MONITORING, AND VERIFICATION
  15. STORAGE–OTHER
• PART C: ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND REGULATORY PROJECTS
  1. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
  2. ECONOMIC, SOCIAL & REGULATORY PROJECTS–OTHER
  3. PROJECTS FOR WHICH INSUFFIENT INFORMATION WAS MADE AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE AN ADEQUATE SUMMARY
• PART D: KEY STRATEGIC PLANNING DOCUMENTS
  • Doc 1.1: Canada’s CO₂ Capture and Storage Technology Roadmap (2006)
  • Doc 1.2: Canada’s Clean Coal Technology Roadmap (2005)
  • Doc 1.3: CANiSTORE (2004)
  • Doc 1.4: CANiCAP (2005)
  • Doc 1.5: IPCC Special Report on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (2005)

Executive Summary

The capture and storage of CO₂ from point sources is an increasingly attractive option for addressing global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In 2005, a major study commissioned by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) was completed, confirming this global interest. Until now, this mitigation option was not explicitly recognized by the UNFCCC. Negotiations to do so are under way.

The potential value of CO₂ capture and storage (CCS) to Canada is enormous because of the proximity of large point sources of CO₂ and potential geological sinks for CO₂. For this reason, Canada has, for the past 15 years, been very active in exploring the opportunities for CCS, in developing and testing techniques and technologies to implement it, and in examining the associated policy, regulatory, environmental, and public education issues. Canada is now actively promoting the inclusion of CCS within the UNFCCC.

To help the community engaged in CCS work in Canada to identify gaps, set priorities, and promote cooperation, and to inform Canada’s representatives in international discussions of the extent of Canada’s engagement, the Office of Energy R&D of Natural Resources Canada proposed a broad compilation of current work, including not only scientific and engineering projects, but also projects that examine economic, implementation, public education and outreach, and regulatory issues. The key players in Canada’s CCS investments were to be identified and their roles described.

This report seeks to compile all Canadian activity in CCS. The report has three main components. The first provides brief overviews of the principal Canadian organizations engaged in CCS and the international organizations involved in CCS in which Canada (or Canadian organizations) plays an active role. A total of 83 organizations are so featured. The second component features summaries of specific projects under way (as of the end of 2005) or recently completed (2003 or later); 126 projects are identified. And finally, five documents that are key to Canada’s strategy of developing capacity in CCS are listed.

Of the 83 organizations described, 14 provide coordination and planning of CCS activities (6 of them within Canada and 8 of them internationally); 25 are the principal research performers in CCS in Canada (including 8 universities with substantial engagement); 23 are companies who are developing, testing, using, or analyzing the effects of CCS technologies; 8 are federal and provincial government agencies involved in aspects other than research performance; and 13 are government programs supporting CCS projects (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. Distribution of organizations involved in CO₂ capture and storage

Of the 126 projects, the most frequent topic is CO₂ capture (54 projects), followed by CO₂ storage (49 projects). A number of other subjects have much smaller frequencies: sources & sinks (7); and economic, social, and regulatory projects (9)). Just 1 project addresses transportation of CO₂. Another 6 projects either fit multiple topics (3) or were difficult to classify (3) (see Figure 2).

Figure 2. Distribution of projects involved in CO₂ capture and storage topic areas

Many of the projects involve multiple performers and multiple funders. However, when categorized by lead performer, 59 of the projects are conducted or led by universities; 42 by government research agencies (including provincial research organizations); 23 by industry (a category that includes any for-profit company); and 2 by Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) (see Figure 3).

Figure 3. CO₂ capture and storage projects categorized by lead performer

Five documents that are essential to setting the priorities for CCS in Canada are also described.

Each entry in this compendium briefly describes the organization or activity, highlights the role it plays in CCS, identifies and provides links to contacts for additional information, and for projects, sets out the duration, funding, and participants.

Organizations devoted to some aspect of CCS, and related projects, are growing rapidly in number. A major effort was made to ensure the completeness and accuracy of this compendium, but given the dynamic nature of this field and the number of organizations engaged, some elements may have been missed. Nonetheless, it is hoped that this document will be of broad use, not least to demonstrate the resources that the Canadian energy community is prepared to invest in this promising way of reducing Canada’s CO₂ emissions.

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