Of the many methods that have been proposed to reduce the amount of CO2 that is released to the atmosphere, geological storage of CO2 is starting to be tested in many commercial-scale projects worldwide. Widespread deployment of such technology will depend on demonstrating that it is feasible to contain CO2 for a sufficiently long period, and gaining acceptance for the technology from policy makers and the general public.
Public acceptance of the technology will depend on whether it can be demonstrated to be safe and its impact on the environment is limited to an acceptable level. Hence there is a clear requirement for a capability to undertake safety and performance assessments for site-specific applications of this technology. Such assessments will help to identify the potential impacts to humans and the environment from releases of the stored CO2. Experience gained in other industries can be valuable; exciting methodologies and tools can be adapted and further developed to be specific to the geological storage of CO2.