Drilling for innovations, IISER-Bhopal pioneers India's first CO2 storage well
The collaboration encompasses nine countries across Europe and Asia, facilitating the exchange of scientific expertise and advancing sustainable energy transitions. India serves as a key participant in broadening these endeavours.
The department of science and technology, govt of India provides financial support for both PERBAS and DeCarbFaroe initiatives.
"Our lab was at the forefront of understanding the science of CCS in basalt formations," said Dr.
Jyotirmoy Mallik, the lead researcher of this project. "Our recent studies reveal that factors like temperature, porosity, and local mineralogy are pivotal for rapid and secure CO₂ mineralisation, and our models help optimise site selection for future storage projects," added Dr. Mallik.
The world faces pressing concerns regarding rising greenhouse gas concentrations, with temperatures nearing the crucial 2°C threshold.
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The Energy Information Administration (2009) projects that developing nations will account for 59% of global energy growth and 94% of coal usage increases by 2030, leading to 91% of worldwide greenhouse gas emission growth.
CO₂ emissions, primarily from fossil fuel use, remain the main driver of climate change, impacting weather systems and biodiversity.
As India becomes the third-largest carbon emitter globally, with significant coal reliance, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) offers a vital solution, allowing continued coal usage until 2060.
The Geodynamics and Petroleum Geology Lab, led by Dr. Jyotirmoy Mallik at IISER Bhopal's department of earth and environmental sciences, is establishing India's first CO₂ injection well in the Deccan Traps basalt.
"CCS technology extracts CO₂ from industrial emissions before release into the atmosphere. The captured CO₂, mixed with water, is injected deep underground for permanent storage in geological structures, specifically saline aquifers or Deccan trap basalt rocks," said Dr Malik.
The Deccan Basalt, covering 500,000 sq. km with considerable depth, presents distinctive CCS opportunities in India. Compared to traditional storage in porous sandstones, basalt enables swift CO₂ mineralisation when combined with water, creating stable carbonate minerals within years.
This mineralisation ensures minimal escape risk, securing carbon storage for millennia. The Deccan Trap's mineral composition, abundant in plagioclase feldspar and pyroxene, supports effective CO₂ transformation, although regional basalt properties require detailed assessment.
This project extends PERBAS, an international programme evaluating carbon storage safety in flood basalts. PERBAS incorporates lessons from successful trials in Iceland and the United States, where CO₂ mineralisation occurred within two years, applying this knowledge to improve storage approaches in the Deccan Trap.
IISER Bhopal and CSIR-NGRI are commencing well drilling under DeCarbFaroe, concentrating on basalt CO₂ mineralisation for scalable carbon sequestration. "This multinational partnership promotes knowledge exchange and supports clean energy adoption, positioning India as a crucial partner," said Dr Mallik.
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