Does storage of carbon dioxide underground bring with it a risk of contaminating drinking water supplies?
Research is focused on understanding and addressing the risks. It is important to understand that there are no natural connections between drinking water aquifers and potential carbon dioxide storage formations, because if there were, the brine or hydrocarbons in those formations would have already contaminated the drinking water over millions of years. There is a possibility that carbon dioxide, because of its buoyancy and low viscosity could escape where other fluids did not. These possibilities are well understood by geologists and the sites considered for carbon dioxide storage are those where there is virtually no chance of such a thing happening. Furthermore, the Carbon Sequestration Program is making a strong investment in technologies that can monitor carbon dioxide once it is injected underground and detect any movement. NETL is committed to researching the potential of carbon dioxide storage in geologic formations with no negative environmental consequences. Ensuring safety a
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