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CO2 exposure tests in Storfjorden
related to sub-seabed CO2 storage
During August-September, 2005, experiments by
exposing bottom sediments to certain concentrations
of CO2 were performed at 400 m depth on the bottom
of Storfjorden, near Hjørungavaag, Norway.
This was done in order to mimic a condition of
enhanced CO2 in marine sedimentary environments,
which might be a result of gas leaking from sub-seabed
storage of CO2. Such storage is a method proposed
by many governments and industries to mitigate
cimate change. The experiments were also relevant
for the future situation of acidification of
the ocean due to emissions of CO2 from common
use of fossil fuels.
The participants in the project were RITE (Research
Institute of the Innovative Technologies for
the Earth in Japan), General Environmental Technos
Co., Ltd. (KANSO Technos), NIVA (Norwegian Institute
for Water Research), BGR (Bundesanstalt für
Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe), BGS (British
Geological Survey), Aalesund University College,
Runde Environmental Centre and the company ODIM.
The Runde Environmental Centre provided logistics
support and service to the Japanese team staying
nearly 2 months at Hareid/Ulsteinvik. BGR, BGS
and NIVA are all partners in the European Network
of Excellence ‘CO2GEONET’, which
coordinates research on geological storage of
CO2 (http://www.co2geonet.com).
The key part of the project was the Japanese
Benthic Chamber system, which was provided by
KANSO Technos. This system was developed for
studying effects of CO2 on benthic communities
on the deep-sea floor. The Japanese contribution
was supported by the Japanese Ministry of Economy,
Trade and Industry (METI). NIVA’s work
was supported by a grant from the European Network
of Excellence, CO2GEONET, a grant from the Norwegian
Research Council and an internal research grant
from NIVA.
The Benthic Chamber is a free float system which
is deployed and brought to the surface without
using wires etc. for deployment and retrieval.
The benthic chamber system is equipped with three
chambers which all enclose a section of the in
situ sediment. Two chambers were used for the
addition of CO2 and the third chamber was used
as a control with no addition of CO2. The enclosed
area in each chamber was 200 mm x 200 mm and
the height was 280 mm. All chamber operations
were pre-programmed prior to deployment.
Experiments were successfully carried out twice,
and gave valuable results on the behaviour of
micro-organisms to elevated concentrations of
CO2.
Read
more in the report
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