In the Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) theme we continue the longterm

experiments of the seal capacity of mudstone in petrophysical laboratory but with a

re-design of the experimental set-up that allows for CO₂-Brine saturation prior to CO₂

injection. A second project is in ‘blue carbon’; carbon sequestration by blue carbon

ecosystems has been proposed to play a significant role in offsetting national CO₂. The goal

of the proposed blue carbon project is to quantify the extent of blue carbon ecosystems in

~70 atolls that were mapped by the Global Reef Expedition. A third project addresses both,

carbonate production by marine fish and their importance in the global carbon cycle.

Carbonate grains produced by fish produce organic matter and carbonate minerals that are

subsequently excreted to the water column. The production of this “ichythyocarbonate,”

has been greatly underestimated. A study aims to quantitatively define the role of

ichthyocarbonate in the global carbon cycle.

Project Objectives:

• Determine how diet impacts ichthyocarbonate production rate and composition through controlled experiments.

• Improve understanding of how ichthyocarbonate contributes to carbon fluxes in the global carbon cycle.

Project Objectives:

• Quantify the extent of blue carbon ecosystems in ~70 atolls around the world.

• Estimate potential carbon stocks in these atolls by leveraging > 30 publications on carbon sequestration in coastal ecosystems.

Project Objectives:

• Re-design an experimental set-up that allows for CO2-Brine saturation prior to CO2 injection.

• Evaluate how the pre saturated CO2-Brine mixture alters the seal capacity of mixed carbonate-siliciclastic samples.

• Run experiments to assess the amount of dissolution and possible breach of samples.