Potential CO2 storage facilities in Russia could hold 4.6 Gt of gas; to cover domestic needs, provide reserve for partner countries - state commission

KAZAN. Aug 28 (Interfax) - Russia has much potential in terms of storing carbon dioxide, and the overall volume of storing potential CO2 is at least 4.6 Gt, State Commission for Mineral Resource Reserves (GKZ), Igor Shpurov said during the Underground Structures 2023 conference.

"The volume of the storage facilities should be at least 4.6 giga-tonnes. This is a hefty volume that could allow us to utilize not only our own CO2 emissions, but also help our partner countries use our resources for commercial purposes, including our Asian partners," Shpurov said during the conference.

Shpurov urged subsoil users to move from discussions about utilizing and disposing CO2 in favor of storage with the prospects for its further use, including as part of new industries.

"We have appealed to subsoil users not to say 'disposal' and 'burial', as this sets us back two to three years and puts our work in the waste bin, which we have been trying to avoid in recent years. When we talk about the CCUS system, excavation, storage, and use of carbon, then we are talking about a climate gas storage system."