CO2 Sources and Basin Suitability

Esso refinery in Edmonton, Alberta.

Identification of major CO₂ sources and their characterization is the first step in any and all programs for the reduction of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. Major stationary CO₂ sources (greater than 100 Kt/yr each) in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin were inventoried in 2001 by the Canadian Energy and Research Institute (CERI) in a cost study in which AGS was a partner (Costs for the Capture and Storage of Carbon Dioxide in Western Canadian Geologic Media - Canadian Energy Research Institute, Alberta Geological Survey, SNC-Lavalin Inc., and APA Inc., 3 volumes; also published as an article titled "Costs for CO₂ Capture and Sequestration in Western Canada" in the September 2003 issue of the Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology).

Syncrude oil sands mine and plant in northeastern Alberta.

As part of the study, CERI compiled an inventory of the major CO2 sources in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. The Western Canada Sedimentary Basin comprises Alberta Basin and the Canadian part of the Williston Basin, which is shared with the United States.

Aerial view of the Suncor oil sands plant in northeastern Alberta.

Cement plant at Exshaw, Alberta.

AGS provided a basin-scale assessment of the suitability of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin for geological sequestration of CO2. Geographically, the most suitable area for CO₂ sequestration is in southwestern Alberta, which is also the location of most CO₂ emitters.

The region along the shallow edge of the basin is the least suitable.

The largest CO2 emitters in Alberta are coal-fired power plants and oil sands plants.