Global Warming Effect of Leakage From CO2Storage

Assessments of carbon capture and storage (CCS) document possible CO2 leakage from subsurface storage reservoirs, such as failed wells, and through permeable faults. Previous studies have dealt with the future potential of CCS only in terms of annual or cumulative avoided CO2 emissions, and with impermanent storage only in terms of allowed CO2 emissions in stabilization scenarios, but not in terms of resulting atmospheric CO2 concentrations or global warming effects. The author provides a thorough analysis of the relationship between CO2 emissions from CCS and global temperature change for a range of capture and leakage rates.