Performance of the SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope), Raman Spectroscopy, and Industrial Computed Tomography used for characterization of the vesicular volcanic rock as applied in Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)

The use of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology is considered an effective tactic to curb climate change. Storage in underground geological formations such as unconventional shale formations, depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs, saline aquifers, and coal seams. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), carbon dioxide mineralization can reduce about 10–15% of total global emissions, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Igneous rock reservoirs exist in more than 20 countries and in more than 300 basins or blocks around the world. In contrast to sedimentary formations where silicate minerals represent a mineral retention gap, injection of CO₂ into suitable igneous (volcanic) rocks such as basalt can create rapid carbonation and mineral retention. Volcanic rock is a designation given in petrology and geology to extrusive igneous rocks. It is a type of rock formed by the cooling of magma on the surface and underground. The surface magma is called lava and can be expelled through a central conduit or through fissures. In reality, the porous system of volcanic rocks is formed by a complex structure of vesicles, microcracks and fractures resulting from the interaction between primary and secondary processes. Vesicles, in this type of rock, are gas bubbles formed in supersaturated volatile lava (especially water vapor), after rising to the surface. In this case, gamma radiation tomography provides a detailed two-dimensional view of the distribution of minerals in the pores, while scanning electron microscopy allows high-resolution analysis of mineral morphology and texture. Furthermore, Raman spectroscopy provides information about the crystalline structure of the minerals present in the sample. (author)