The ICGC has participated, together with the Universitat de Barcelona and the Geoenergy group of IGME-CSIC, in the scientific study "Parametric Controls on Dynamic CO₂ Storage Capacity in a Saline Aquifer: The Lopín Structure Case Study (Ebro Basin, NE Spain)", on the geological storage capacity of CO₂ in deep saline aquifers.

The work, published in the scientific journal Geosciences, analyzes the case of the Lopín structure in the Ebro Basin, within the framework of the European project PilotSTRATEGY. The research highlights the importance of investing in subsurface knowledge to reduce uncertainties and facilitate the safe development of strategic projects.

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Geological context of the Lopín structure (Ebro Basin) and simulation of injected CO₂ dynamics. Source: Geosciences (MDPI).

The results show that effective storage capacity is mainly constrained by reservoir permeability, the dissipation of pressures generated during injection, and operational pressure limits. The structural configuration and hydraulic connectivity of the system are also relevant factors for interpreting its behavior and uncertainties.

The study provides knowledge in line with the "Roadmap for the energy transition and decarbonization by 2050", recently approved by the Catalan industrial sector. This document identifies CO₂ capture and storage as a strategy for sectors with unavoidable process emissions, and highlights the need to develop shared CO₂ networks and safe geological storage sites through coordinated initiatives and cross-sector projects.

With a predominant deployment horizon between 2040 and 2050, investing in subsurface exploration and characterization is essential to reduce geological uncertainties, assess the technical and economic feasibility of potential sites, and guide decisions on future infrastructure.

Understanding the subsurface potential is an essential step toward safe, viable, and competitive industrial decarbonization.

Read the scientific article.