She was the guardian of the Earth's innermost secret: the oil, the living blood of the Earth itself. She made sure that its sources deep within the earth's core were well preserved. However, one day, curious Titans ventured into the depths of the Earth to discover the secret of the oil. They dug deep and disturbed the ancient layers that Gaia had nurtured so carefully. When they reached the oil, it burst forth like a mighty torrent. Enraged by this act, Gaia punished the Titans by imprisoning the oil in underground reservoirs. The oil would no longer flow freely; instead, it would wait patiently for the Earth and its inhabitants to utilise it respectfully.
And here we are. Even thousands of years later, the world's oil and gas reserves have not run dry. We now know that burning them produces a lot of greenhouse gas. If we are to keep global warming within acceptable limits, the energy industry must therefore stop using fossil fuels. However, green energies are not yet sufficient to ensure a global supply.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is regarded as a key transition technology on the path to climate neutrality. This technology involves capturing CO2 during oil and gas production and industrial processes, and storing it safely in underground geological formations to prevent its release into the atmosphere. This can be achieved using empty oil and gas fields, deep layers of rock and former underground salt domes.
However, during oil and gas production, CO2 injection can not only store unwanted carbon dioxide, but also increase the production volume of the oil-gas mixture. This is because CO2 acts as a propellant that maintains the pressure in the reservoir.
BUTTING products for CO2 transport and storage
The Brazilian Presalt deposits in the Atlantic Ocean contain rich oil reserves and deep rock layers. During the course of recent projects, BUTTING has supplied clad pipes for CO2 injection. These pipes must meet specific requirements for CO2 transport, namely high corrosion resistance to carbon dioxide, as well as high-pressure and high-temperature resistance.
According to market studies, 40.8 million tonnes of CO2 could be safely returned to the ground by 2022 as part of the development of Brazil's oil reserves. This figure is expected to double to 80 million tonnes by 2025.
Marc Brauße, Head of the Clad Pipes business unit, said: “We are the recognised market leader in the production of high-quality clad pipes for the transport of corrosive media, particularly for offshore applications, thanks to our mechanically clad BuBi® and GluBi® pipes, as well as our metallurgically clad products. Our team is also at the forefront of innovation and can develop customised solutions in accordance with the latest standards for new applications. Applications in the field of renewable energies or for CO2 storage are no exception.”
So, is underground CO2 storage a crucial technology for curbing climate change? Opinions are divided on this. Marc Brauße: “We see CO2 injection into old oil and gas fields as a bridging technology during the transition to a more climate-friendly society. This technology is available thanks to existing underground storage capacities for the safe storage of carbon dioxide. The industry has a great deal of experience in highly technologized work under difficult conditions for challenging applications. At BUTTING, we guarantee to manufacture and deliver our products under sustainable conditions.”
BUTTING – more than pipes – for a better quality of life