Nizam Din

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a pivotal technology for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and achieving global climate goals. The process entails capturing carbon dioxide (CO₂) from industrial and energy sources, transporting it in compressed form, and permanently storing it in deep geological formations to prevent atmospheric re-release. Secure geological storage is critical to the long-term efficacy of CCS, relying on multiple trapping mechanisms, structural, residual, solubility, and mineral, to ensure containment and minimize leakage risks. Suitable formations, including deep saline aquifers, depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs, unmineable coal seams, and basalts with natural mineralization potential, provide robust storage options due to their capacity and stability.

A comprehensive CCS initiative is underway to develop a scalable portfolio of CO₂ storage sites, aligning with national emissions reduction targets, and fostering regional CCS hubs in Saudi Arabia. This initiative employs a phased, multidisciplinary approach that integrates geoscience, engineering, and strategic planning to identify, evaluate, and manage high-potential storage locations. The methodology prioritizes technical rigor, geographic diversity, and cost-effectiveness, ensuring both environmental and economic viability.

The initiative commenced with regional geological screening, leveraging extensive geological surveys, petroleum basin data, and academic research to identify promising basins. A stringent set of exclusion criteria eliminated unsuitable areas, focusing on formations with optimal storage attributes, such as deep saline aquifers and depleted reservoirs, and basalts with natural mineralization potential. Candidate basins were further evaluated based on proximity to major CO₂ emission sources and the feasibility of pipeline infrastructure, optimizing transport costs and operational efficiency. This screening process yielded a prioritized set of high-potential basins strategically positioned to support large-scale CCS deployment.

Selected basins are undergoing rigorous site-specific assessments through an integrated CO₂ evaluation framework. This includes advanced geophysical, geological, petrophysical, and geomechanical studies to characterize subsurface properties, followed by static and dynamic reservoir modeling to estimate storage capacity, injectivity, seal integrity, and potential leakage risks. An uncertainty and risk assessment framework quantifies variables, enabling the calculation of risk-adjusted storage capacities and facilitating the ranking of sites within each basin. Surface-level considerations, such as existing infrastructure, alignment with emission source locations, and strategic importance are incorporated to ensure pragmatic site selection.

Preliminary results indicate significant storage potential across identified basins, with several sites demonstrating high injectivity and robust sealing mechanisms. The approach ensures scalability by designing sites to accommodate future expansion of CCS operations. By integrating cutting-edge geoscience with practical infrastructure planning, this initiative establishes a technically sound and strategically aligned CCS portfolio. Saudi Arabia’s leadership in CCS deployment advances national climate goals and positions the initiative as a global pioneer in CCS, contributing substantially to international efforts to combat climate change.

Co-author/s:

Mostafa Ahmed, Manager Area Exploration, Saudi Aramco.

Ahmed Ghamdi, Senior Geophysical Consultant, Saudi Aramco.

Fahad Khateeb, Geophysical Specialist, Saudi Aramco.

Hassan Daif, Lead Geologist, Saudi Aramco.