Item

Abstract

CLEAN was a scientific programme in support of a pilot Enhanced Gas Recovery (EGR) project which was designed to be carried out in cooperation with the site owner GDF SUEZ E&P Deutschland GmbH (GDF SUEZ). This joint research project was conducted in the years 2008 – 2011 by a German research and development (R&D) alliance of 16 partners from science and industry. The Altensalzwedel block, a separate geological section of the Altmark natural gas field, which is almost completely exploited, had been selected by GDF SUEZ for this purpose. The operator also developed and provided the infrastructure required for the implementation of the pilot project above and below ground. The aim of the project CLEAN was to develop and test technologies, which enable to store for a long time significant amounts of CO2 economically, ecologically and safe in a depleted natural gas reservoir. Despite the fact that permission for active injection was not issued by the mining authority during the period of the project, important results fostering the understanding of processes linked with EGR were achieved. These provide the technological, logistic and conceptual prerequisites for implementing a CO2-based EGR project in the Altmark and provide a benchmark for similar projects in the world.