Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Geologic Waste Disposal

Alan R. Carroll

doi:10.1017/CBO9781139047685.014

14 - Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Geologic Waste Disposal

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 March 2015

Alan R. Carroll

Show author details

Alan R. Carroll: Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin, Madison

Book contents

Get access

Summary

All places are alike,

And every earth is fit for burial.

Christopher Marlowe, Edward II (1594)

There is something deeply satisfying about burial in the Earth. On the one hand, it can symbolize hope for the future, for example, if we sow the seeds for a new crop or bury something of value that we plan to dig up later (treasure perhaps, or a time capsule). On the other hand, burial is wonderfully effective for concealing that which we wish to permanently forget, such as the inevitable decay of our deceased relatives or the mountains of household trash we produce every day. The former we reverently inter in cemeteries; the latter we dump unceremoniously into landfills. The net result is the same in both cases, however; a problem has been eliminated and we can move on with our lives.

It is tempting to believe that energy wastes can be eliminated the same way, and perhaps they can. Saline water (brine) that has been produced together with crude oil or natural gas has been routinely re injected into deep disposal wells for decades. If released untreated at the surface, subsurface brines can harm vegetation, wildlife, and livestock and contaminate freshwater supplies. Returning them to their point of origin provides an expedient, low-cost solution that generally causes little trouble. In a relatively small percentage of cases this solution may create new problems of its own, however, if high-pressure fluid injection unlocks previously stable earthquake faults.

Burial might also be used to dispose of unwanted CO2, to limit its buildup in the atmosphere. While not yet routine, this approach is currently being tested at various sites worldwide. Ironically, one of the main challenges is obtaining large volumes of concentrated CO2 to bury. Its concentration in the atmosphere is very small, currently about 400 parts per million. We would like to bury just CO2 and leave the rest of the atmosphere where it is, but separating the two would be very expensive.

Type: Chapter
Information: Geofuels
Energy and the Earth
, pp. 287 - 313

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139047685.014 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2015

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Book purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Archer, D., 2005, Fate of fossil fuel CO2 in geologic time: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 110, C09S05, doi:10.1029/2004JC002625.CrossRef

Bentridi, S.-E., Gall, B., Gauthier-Lafaye, F., Seghour, A., and Medjadi, D.-E., 2011, Inception and evolution of Oklo natural nuclear reactors: Comptes Rendus Geoscience, v. 343, p. 738–748.CrossRef Google Scholar

Chadwick, R. A., and Noy, D. J., 2010, History-matching flow simulations and time-lapse seismic data from the Sleipner CO2 plume: Petroleum Geology Conference Proceedings, v. 7, p. 1171–1182.Google Scholar

Cochran, T. B., Feiveson, H. A., Patterson, W., Pshakin, M. V., Ramana, M. S., Suzuki, T., and von Hippel, F., 2010, Fast Breeder Reactor Programs: History and Status: Princeton, NJ, International Panel on Fissile Materials and Princeton University, Research Report 8, 115 p.

Dooley, J. J., Dahowski, R. T., Davidson, C. L., Wise, M. A., Gupta, N., Kim, S. H., and Malone, E. L., 2006, Carbon Dioxide Capture and Geologic Storage – A Core Element of a Global Strategy to Address Climate Change: College Park, MD, Battelle, Joint Global Change Research Institute, 37 p.

Frohlich, C., Potter, E, Hayward, C., and Stump, B., 2010, Dallas-Fort Worth earthquakes coincident with activity associated with natural gas production: The Leading Edge, March, p. 270–275.Google Scholar

Hanks, T. C., Winograd, J., Anderson, E. R., Reilly, T. E., and Weeks, E. P., 1999, Yucca Mountain as a radioactive waste repository: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1184, 19 p.Google Scholar

Healy, J. H., Rubey, W. W., Griggs, D. T., and Raleigh, C. B., 1968, The Denver earthquakes: Science, v. 161, p. 1301–1310.CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Hess, H. H., Adkins, J. N., Benson, W. E., Frye, J. C., Heroy, W. B., Hubbert, M. K., Russell, R. J., and Theis, C. V., 1957, The Disposal of Radioactive Waste on Land: Washington, DC, National Academy of Science-National Research Council, 142 p.Google Scholar

Hubbert, M. K., and Rubey, W. W., 1959, Role of fluid pressure in mechanics of overthrust faulting: I. Mechanics of fluid-filled porous solids and its application to overthrust faulting: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 70, p. 115–166.Google Scholar

International Atomic Energy Agency, 2003, The Long Term Storage of Radioactive Waste: Safety and Sustainability – a Position Paper of International Experts: Vienna, International Atomic Energy Agency, 18 p.

International Energy Agency, 2012, CO2 Emissions from Fossil Fuel Combustion – Highlights: Paris, Organization for International Cooperation and Development/International Energy Agency, 125 p.

IPCC, 2005, IPCC Special Report on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage. Prepared by Working Group III of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Metz, B., O, Davidson, H. C, de Coninck, M, Loos, and L. A, Meyer (eds.)]: Cambridge, UK, and New York, Cambridge University Press, 442 pp.

Kelemen, P. B., Matter, Juerg, Streit, E. E., Rudge, J. F., Curry, W. B., and Blusztajn, J., 2011, Rates and mechanisms of mineral carbonation in peridotite: Natural processes and recipes for enhanced, in situ CO2 capture and storage: Annual Reviews of Earth and Planetary Sciences, v. 39, p. 545–576.CrossRef Google Scholar

Kraft, T., Mai, P. M., Wiemer, S., Deichmann, N., Ripperger, J., Kästli, P., Bachmann, C., Fäh, D., Wössner, J., and Giardini, D., 2009, Enhanced geothermal systems: Mitigating risk in urban areas: Eos, v. 90., p. 273–280.Google Scholar

Massuchusetts Institute of Technology, 2003, The Future of Nuclear Power – an Interdisciplinary MIT Study: Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 170 p.

Meshik, A. P., 2005, The workings of an ancient nuclear reactor: Scientific American, November, p. 82–91.Google Scholar PubMed

National Energy Technology Laboratory, 2010, Carbon Dioxide Enhanced Oil Recovery – Untapped Domestic Energy Supply and Long Term Carbon Storage Solution: Washington, D.C., U.S. Department of Energy, 32 p.

National Energy Technology Laboratory, 2012, Carbon Utilization and Storage Atlas, 4th Ed.: Washington, DC, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Fossil Energy, 129 p.

National Research Council, 2013, Induced Seismicity Potential in Energy Technologies: Washington, DC, National Academies Press, 248 p.

Solomon, S., 2007, Carbon Dioxide Storage: Geological Security and Environmental Issues – Case Study on the Sleipner Gas Field in Norway: Oslo, Bellona Foundation, 126 p.Google Scholar

U.S. Department of Energy, 2002, Environmental Impact Statement for a Geological Repository for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada – Reader's Guide and Summary: Washington, DC, U.S. Department of Energy Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, 103 p.

Waltar, A. E., and Reynolds, A. B., 1981, Fast Breeder Reactors: New York, Pergamon Press, 853 p.Google Scholar

Wigeland, R. A., Bauer, T. H., Fanning, T. H., and Morris, E. E., 2006, Separations and transmutation criteria to improve utilization of a geologic repository: Nuclear Technology, v. 154, p. 95–106.CrossRef Google Scholar

Zoback, M. D., 2012, Managing the seismic risk posed by wastewater disposal: Earth Magazine, April, p. 38–42.Google Scholar