Storage Capacity Assessment in Japan: Comparative Evaluation of CO2 aquifer storage capacities across regions

To construct an investigation guideline, RITE estimated storage capacities of CO2 in deep saline aquifers in sedimentary rocks inland and offshore Japan. This paper proposes a method to quantitatively and qualitatively assess geological data available from seismic, gravity and borehole investigations. By technically evaluating aquifer volume and storage and sealing effectiveness, the accuracy of calculated storage potential is examined. It seems capable of increasing estimation accuracy, provided the geological data are carefully examined. This method may be used as a stepping-stone for evaluation methods to be used in the investigations for future site selection of pilot and actual operation plants. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.