State PCS - Madhya Pradesh (MP PCS)

• 05 Aug 2025

Well-Drilling Initiative for CO2 Mineralisation

Why in News?

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal (IISER Bhopal), in collaboration with Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-National Geophysical Research Institute (CSIR-NGRI), has initiated a well-drilling project as part of the DeCarbFaroe Programme. 

Key Points

• DeCarbFaroe Programme: This programme focuses on exploring CO2 mineralisation in basalt for carbon storage purposes, a crucial aspect of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology aimed at addressing climate change. 
  • The project spans across nine countries in Europe and Asia, promoting scientific collaboration and knowledge exchange for advancing sustainable energy transitions. India plays a central role in this international effort.
• Collaboration and International Insights: The project extends from PERBAS, an international programme assessing the safety of carbon storage in flood basalts.
  • PERBAS incorporates valuable lessons from successful CO2 mineralisation trials conducted in Iceland and the United States, where CO2 was mineralised in basalt formations within two years. 
• Financial Support: The Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, provides financial backing for both the PERBAS and DeCarbFaroe initiatives. 
• CO2 Capture and Storage in Basalt Formations: CCS technology works by capturing CO2  from industrial emissions and injecting it deep underground for long-term storage.
  • The captured CO2 is mixed with water and injected into geological formations, such as saline aquifers or Deccan Trap basalt rocks.
    • Basalt formations (Deccan Traps) facilitate rapid CO2 mineralization, a process in which CO2 reacts with basalt to form stable carbonate minerals within a few years.
      • This mineralisation ensures long-term carbon storage with minimal risk of CO2 leakage, making it a safer option for long-term sequestration.
• Significance: As India emerges as the third-largest carbon emitter globally, with significant reliance on coal, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology becomes essential. CCS allows for the continued use of coal while mitigating its environmental impact. 
  • Projections by the Energy Information Administration (2009) suggest that developing nations will contribute 59% of global energy growth and 94% of the increase in coal usage by 2030, exacerbating greenhouse gas emissions.