Observations of CO2 clathrate hydrate formation and dissolution under deep-ocean disposal conditions

Disposal of anthropogenic emissions of CO2 may be required to mitigate rises in atmospheric levels of this greenhouse gas if other measures are ineffective and the worst global warming scenarios begin to occur. Long-term storage of large quantities of CO2 has been proposed, but the feasibility of large land and ocean disposal options remains to be established. Determining the fate of liquid CO2 injected into the ocean at depths greater than 500 m is complicated by uncertainties associated with the physical behavior of CO2 under these conditions, in particular the possible formation of the ice-like CO2 clathrate hydrate. Resolving this issue is key to establishing the technical feasibility of this option. Experimental and theoretical work in this area is reported