Why rocks matter: exploring the science of geological storage

An article series exploring the science, economics, and societal implications of geological storage.

Imagine a world where the rocks under our feet can be used in the fight against climate change and work to safeguard our future? This is the value that geological storage brings to the world of carbon capture and removal. When we discuss topics of carbon capture and storage (CCS) or carbon dioxide removal (CDR), we often explore the various ‘capture’ technologies that exist to remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere but give little attention to methods used to permanently store that CO₂, despite this being the vault where the CO₂ is isolated from the Earth’s surface and our atmosphere.

Tilted layers of sedimentary rocks like those underground we might use to store CO₂. Image from Pete Alexopoulos at Unsplash.

In this series of articles published over the coming weeks, we will explore this aspect of CCS and CDR projects by looking at the science, the safety, and the economics of geological storage and how it compares to other carbon storage sinks.

So, let’s ask the question: Why are rocks an essential component of the carbon equation?