Second Annual Meeting of the DOE Ocean Carbon Sequestration Research Program Contractors/Grantees

Summary

The workshop was attended by about 30 researchers and DOE program managers from the Office of Science and the Office of Fossil Energy. The meeting was held for the DOE/BER Ocean Carbon Sequestration Program at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) in Moss Landing, California, on October 29-30, 2001. The program focuses on two methods of enhancing carbon sequestration in the ocean: 1) direct injection of a relatively pure stream of carbon dioxide generated at, for example, a power plant or industrial source; and 2) enhancing the net oceanic uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) by phytoplankton that is exported to the deep ocean resulting in the sequestration of the carbon. Researchers from MBARI reported on their groundbreaking use of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to examine the chemistry and biological impact of direct injection of a 15-liter pool of liquid CO2 at depths of 3600 meters off the California Coast. Results from this BER research program will allow an objective evaluation of the long-term effectiveness and potential environmental consequences of ocean carbon sequestration as a carbon management option.