Project Information Sheet

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Project Details

Project Information Sheet 2002-07

Midcontinent Interactive Digital Carbon Atlas and Relational database (MIDCARB)

Funding Source:	U.S. Department of Energy and the National Energy Technology Laboratory
Period of Contract:	1 Jul 2000 to 30 Jun 2005
Status:	completed — Definition of status type
Project Director:	John A. Rupp

Issue

Current federal energy policy assumes that hydrocarbons will continue to be the primary source of energy for the United States and the world well into the 21st century. There is concern about increasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and its possible role in global climate change. For this reason, it may become necessary to manage carbon dioxide (CO₂). Sequestering CO₂ in geological formations may be one way to safely trap carbon over long periods of time.

Objective

The purpose of MIDCARB is to facilitate the evaluation of geological sequestration of CO₂ in five states (Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, and Ohio) by compiling all pertinent geological information useful for such evaluations into a database. When completed, the database will allow users to estimate the amount of CO₂ emitted by various sources (such as power plants, refineries, and other fossil fuel consuming industries) and relate these volumes to geologic reservoirs that can provide safe and secure sequestration over time.

Approach

We will characterize, at the local and regional levels, the distribution of stationary sources of CO₂, and the potential capacity of geological formations for CO₂ sequestration. Potential CO₂ sequestration targets include producing and depleted oil and gas fields, unconventional oil and gas reservoirs, uneconomic coal seams, and saline aquifers. These data will then be integrated into a linked system that accesses information from the five different states and presents them through a Web site.

Products

The MIDCARB Consortium will develop an Internet map server (IMS) site and relational database management system. The goal is to increase the utility and scope of the online information pertaining to CO₂ sequestration by improving the quality and the amount of material, and the ease of access.

Benefits

MIDCARB will provide private- and public-sector decision makers online access to digital and hard copy information, digital databases, new cutting-edge scientific and policy studies, and geographic locations of CO₂ sources and potential CO₂ sequestration sites. Digital access to pertinent information will be critical to evaluating CO₂ mitigation policies, directing needed research, and understanding the technical, economical, social, and environmental challenges of CO₂ sequestration.

Locations Affected:

Outside Indiana

state

Indiana House Districts Affected:

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2
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81
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Indiana Senate Districts Affected:

1
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19

2
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29

3
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
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4
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
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49

5
50
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9

Information Updated February 1, 2007