Impact of CO₂ impurity on CO₂ compression, liquefaction and transportation

The impurities present in carbon dioxide (CO₂) streams for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) schemes are extremely important for CO₂ pipeline and ship transportation affecting, for instance, the range of operation, safety considerations, fracture, cracking, corrosion control, dispersion in the event of a release, fluid density, operating pressure and temperature and the quantity of CO₂ that can be transported. The range and levels of potential impurities present in captured CO₂ from CO₂ capture facilities will differ between sources and also between the capture technologies installed at the CO₂ emission sources. However, the potential CO₂ specifications that could enter the transport and storage systems, particularly from industrial sources, remain relatively under-researched. Consequently, the effect of these potential impurities in CO₂ streams on CO₂ transportation also needs to be understood. This paper summarises the main findings of an IEAGHG study, "Impact of CO₂ Impurity on CO₂ Compression, Liquefaction and Transportation", commissioned to identify potential impurities and address the consequences of their impact on CO₂ transportation.