The prevailing notion of applying Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) techniques to extend the life span of fossil fuel reserves is a significant contemporary issue. The primary function of this practice involves artificially enhancing oil recovery processes to generate more oil and gas from existing wells. However, this approach appears to be misguided, as it perpetuates the dependence on fossil fuels – a resource that is not only finite and but also a major contributor to climate change.
1. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) techniques are currently being used to extend the lifespan of fossil fuel reserves, especially by enhancing oil recovery processes.
2. The application of CCS is potentially misguided because it sustains our dependence on fossil fuels, a finite resource and a major contributor to climate change.
3. Heavy reliance on CCS technology to enable continued fossil fuel usage signifies a fundamental flaw in our energy approaches.
4. This trend is considered dangerous as it focuses on making harmful practices less harmful rather than investing in sustainable and renewable energy sources.
5. While CCS has its role in industries with inevitable emissions, using it as a safety net for fossil fuel activities could prove disastrous, as the continued use of finite resources like oil and gas is not a sustainable long-term solution.
According to a report by the Global CCS Institute, there are currently 51 large-scale carbon capture and storage projects globally, with an estimated capture capacity of 96 million tonnes of CO2 per year.
This overreliance on carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to enable continued exploration and consumption of fossil fuels underscores a fundamental flaw in our approach to energy. Rather than investing in sustainable and renewable energy sources, there is a dangerous trend towards attempting to make harmful practices less harmful. While CCS certainly has its place, particularly in industries where emissions are inevitable, using it as a safety net for fossil fuel activities is misguided at best, and potentially disastrous at worst. The simple truth is that the continual use of finite resources like oil and gas is not a sustainable long-term solution.