Cutting-Edge Advances and Benchmarking in Geological Sequestration

CO₂ and Hydrogen Capture, Utilization, and Storage

Workshop Themes

Environmental Issues

Climate Impact & Sustainability Metrics

Geological sequestration of CO₂ and H₂ represents a critical pathway toward global decarbonization, particularly for hard-to-abate sectors. By enabling large-scale and secure carbon storage in deep subsurface formations, these technologies help mitigate the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions and offer a foundation for reversing anthropogenic climate change.

This theme will explore:
  • Advances in CO₂/H₂ storage science and benchmarking
  • Subsurface ecosystem impact and long-term storage integrity
  • Leakage risk, migration pathways, and caprock security
  • Sustainability metrics: storage efficiency, leakage rates, ecosystem footprint
  • Climate policy alignment (IPCC pathways, NDCs)
Key Discussion Points:
  • How do environmental performance metrics shape project feasibility?
  • What are the knowledge gaps in CO₂/H₂ migration and long-term behavior?
  • How can environmental risks be monitored, prevented, and managed?

Economic Issues

Toward Low-Carbon Profitability

While critical to net-zero transitions, geological storage deployment is economically constrained by high CAPEX/OPEX, uncertain carbon pricing, and risk-related liabilities. This theme will focus on bridging profitability with decarbonization through hybrid storage-recovery strategies.

This theme will cover:
  • Economic modeling for CCS and H₂ storage projects
  • Revenue pathways: CO₂-EOR, geothermal co-production, and H₂ integration
  • Carbon markets, subsidies, and financial risk-sharing mechanisms
  • Business models that merge sequestration with enhanced resource extraction
Discussion Points:
  • How can we de-risk investment in large-scale geological storage?
  • What role can carbon markets and hybrid energy projects play?
  • How can sequestration projects generate both climate and economic value?

Engineering Issues

From Safety to Operational Excellence

The technical implementation of CO₂ and H₂ geological storage faces critical engineering challenges. These include subsurface uncertainties, infrastructure degradation, and containment failures that could compromise both safety and effectiveness.

This theme will address:
  • Fault reactivation, cement degradation, and caprock integrity
  • Leakage through abandoned wells and wellbore failure
  • Brine displacement and contamination of potable aquifers
  • Real-time monitoring and adaptive control strategies
  • Numerical modeling of CO₂/H₂ plume dynamics and pressure fronts
Discussion Points:
  • What are best practices for risk management and leak prevention?
  • How can we design robust monitoring, verification, and remediation protocols?
  • What engineering innovations are emerging for safer CO₂/H₂ injection?

Soft Science Topics

Governance, Policy, and Societal Acceptance

The deployment of geological storage is not only a technical endeavor but also a deeply social and political one. Public trust, governance frameworks, and international alignment will ultimately shape the success or failure of storage initiatives.

This theme will explore:
  • Social license to operate and public engagement strategies
  • Policy gaps in liability, permitting, and long-term stewardship
  • Cross-border collaboration mechanisms and treaty harmonization
  • Legal recognition of storage credits and international MRV platforms
  • Carbon pricing and institutional incentives for storage projects
Discussion Points:
  • What governance mechanisms can ensure long-term CO₂ liability management?
  • How can policies foster transboundary storage cooperation?
  • What are the societal conditions for deploying CO₂/H₂ storage at scale?

Key Workshop Activities

Hands-on sessions, case studies, and interactive workshops

Case Study Presentations

Real-world insights from benchmark CO₂ and H₂ storage projects (e.g., Sleipner, In Salah) to showcase practical challenges, results, and innovations.

Hands-On Simulation Session

Interactive modeling of CO₂ plume migration, pressure buildup, and storage performance using real or synthetic reservoir data.

Industry Talk: Economics of Storage and EOR

Practical breakdown of cost structures, revenue streams, and commercial viability of combining storage with enhanced recovery.

Panel Discussion

Net-Negative Emissions – Myth or Reality? Multisector dialogue on the feasibility, risks, and climate value of geological sequestration as a mitigation solution.

Workshop: Designing Integrated Storage + EOR + Geothermal Projects

Strategy-building session to explore hybrid business models and optimize technical–economic synergies.

Engineering Design Challenge

Team-based activity to plan a safe CO₂/H₂ injection site with consideration of leakage risk, monitoring, and containment.

Software Tutorial

Reservoir Simulation Tools (CMG, TOUGH2, etc.): Technical walkthrough of modeling workflows used in injection forecasting, reservoir behavior, and risk evaluation.

Policy Workshop: National and Regional Frameworks for Geological Storage

Collaborative drafting of key regulatory components, long-term liability schemes, and cross-border alignment.

Stakeholder Role-Play: Regulatory Permit Hearing

Simulation of the decision-making process for approving a CO₂/H₂ storage project, involving industry, regulators, and civil society roles.

Global MRV and CO₂/H₂ Data-Sharing Platform

Brainstorming session to define key features, data standards, and collaboration models for international monitoring and verification systems.