According to IPCC scenarios current development of CO2 emissions have reach a level where climate warming can be mitigated with the support of geologic CO2 storage only. There is an urgent need to store >10 Gigatons CO2 per annum (Gtpa). Geologic storage in saline aquifers and depleted carbon reservoirs requires monitoring to ensure conformance over hundreds of years. Reactive geologic formations provide an alternative by mineralizing CO2 and thus preventing escape. During CO2 storage in basalt complexes, the injected fluid will react with the host rock leading to relatively rapid precipitation of solid and immobile carbonate. Thus, basalt complexes, which occur extensively worldwide, are expected to provide tera-tons of permanent carbon storage volume. However, physical properties, porosity, permeability, reacting minerals, dissolution and precipitation rates need to be investigated in further detail. Analogue laboratory experiments need to inform digital models on the definition of host rock reaction algorithms and parametrization. Laboratory experiments and modeling need to test and establish reactive flow rates, effects of fractures on crystallization and permeability. Physical properties, mineralogic composition, geographic location and other aspects might reduce the economic feasible volume available. While offshore storage avoids conflicts with urban areas and other potential usage demands it might find higher public acceptance. Reasonable reaction rates of the injected carbon and limited monitoring demands might balance higher costs during operation of the deposit site. Investigations and characterization of promising lava flows are required to identify optimal host rocks, economic applications of monitoring strategies (minimizing observation wells), and to evaluate transport and injection processes.
In this session we welcome contributions on all aspects of CO2 sequestration of large volumes of CO2 in basalt complexes. This may cover (and should not be limited to) CO2 transport (on/offshore), selection and characterization of injection sites (host rock specification, stratigraphy, physical parameters, reaction rates), CO2 injection operation, laboratory tests and/or modeling of CO2/host rock interaction, operation of an injection site (plumbing, pressure control), CO2 distribution (modeling, monitoring), mineralization process (modeling, monitoring) and techno-economic studies.