ICO₂N stands for Integrated CO₂ Network. It is a proposed carbon capture and storage system (CCS) for Canada. ICO₂N will ultimately consist of a CO₂ capture and storage policy framework and the construction of the infrastructure for a CCS system. Such a system will have three key elements:

• facilities to capture CO₂ at its source,
• a pipeline backbone and distribution system to transport CO₂,
• and injection facilities at enhanced oil recovery sites or long-term disposal locations.

The ICO₂N group has been communicating and working with the Alberta Government and the Canadian Government on the development of a CCS system. Companies participating in the proposal include Agrium Inc., Air Products Canada Inc., Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., ConocoPhillips Company, EPCOR, Husky Energy Inc., Imperial Oil Ltd., Keyera, Nexen Inc., Shell Canada Ltd., Sherritt International Corporation, Suncor Energy Inc., Syncrude Canada Ltd., Total E&P Canada Ltd., TransAlta Corporation.

The ICO₂N carbon capture and storage initiative would involve three steps:

• Collecting CO₂ at the source. These sources include coal or natural gas fired power plants, oil and natural gas processing facilities, chemical and fertilizer plants and other industrial users of hydrocarbon fuels. These are known in Canada as "large final emitters" or LFEs.
• Transporting the CO₂ through an underground pipeline system. Like natural gas moved via pipeline, CO₂ would be transported under pressure long distances at low cost.
• Injecting the CO₂ into deep underground geological formations such as saline aquifers and natural gas and petroleum reservoirs depleted by extraction. Captured CO₂ can also be used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) projects. Once injected, it can be safely stored indefinitely.

CCS is not a new or untested idea. It is a proven, technically viable, environmentally safe means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. CCS is a globally recognized approach, along with renewable energy and energy efficiency, to addressing climate change. CCS is one strategy in an overall greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction program endorsed around the world. Other countries are moving ahead with their CCS initiatives, and ICO₂N represents an excellent opportunity for Canada to move ahead too.

Yes. Carbon capture and storage is not a new or untested idea. CCS is a proven, technically viable, environmentally safe means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For example, CO₂ leakage of any significant volume from a pipeline would be detected quickly. A much smaller CO₂ leak would be expected to dissipate into the air without any noticeable effect on vegetation or health risk to populations. However, a long-term leak from a storage location would reduce the original greenhouse gas reduction benefit of storing the CO₂ and this can be accounted for.

Careful monitoring of any CCS storage site would be required. The costs of this monitoring will likely provide an incentive for industry participants to move the CO₂ to one or two central storage locations, rather than to have many storage sites close to source points. The Weyburn CO₂ project in southeast Saskatchewan is currently testing a number of effective monitoring techniques. These tests will likely lead to the development of a world-wide protocol.

The possibility of capturing CO₂ is present at any location with LFEs like steel mills, cement plants, refinery and chemical plants, and fossil fuel power plants. However, there are limited suitable storage sites across the Canadian Shield, which covers most of Ontario and Quebec. Some old petroleum reservoirs in southwest Ontario could be storage sites, but they are small and shallow, and could not hold large volumes of CO₂. Better candidate reservoirs may exist in the Michigan basin which is not too distant, but would require an international CO₂ transfer agreement.

In the Maritime Provinces, the most likely storage location would be the Stellarton coal basin and other coal basins in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. This storage site would require further research into possibility of storing CO₂in coal beds, which is scientifically promising but as yet unproven. Quebec also mentioned capture and storage as one initiative that would be part of its climate change plan undertaken with the federal government as part of the EcoTrust.

The proposed ICO₂N project is multi-industry and multi-province in scope, and is open to any industry and any jurisdiction that wishes to capture CO₂ and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The electric power generation, coal, fertilizer, oil and gas, and metal refining sectors are all represented within the ICO₂N group.

No. CCS is ideally suited for Large Final Emitters such as thermal energy plants, oil and gas facilities and cement, chemical and other industrial plants. It is much more cost effective to capture and store these kinds of CO₂ emissions than any other conceivable program to collect CO₂ from emissions sources such as vehicles, for instance.

A CCS program such as ICO₂N would be just one part of a greenhouse gas reduction strategy that would also need to include such elements as increased energy efficiency of vehicles and industries, decreased reliance on fossil fuels, promotion of alternative energy sources and public education.

CCS is also not the complete answer. Many industrial facilities and companies are exploring and investing in other initiatives such as renewable energy and improved energy efficiency to meet the climate change challenge.

ICO₂N welcomes the recent announcement of a complementary project by a group of 19 companies to identify deep saline aquifers suitable for the permanent storage of CO₂ in Alberta.

The proposed Alberta Saline Aquifer Project undertakes a portion of the fieldwork required for the successful implementation of the single, integrated Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) network being proposed by the ICO₂N group of companies, four of whom are also participating in this new initiative.

The ICO₂N proposal encompasses the implementation of a large scale network that will capture CO₂ at the point of emission and transport it via pipeline to sites where it can be used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and permanently stored in depleted oil and gas fields or in other geologic formations such as saline aquifers.

The ICO₂N proposal also considers the economic framework and government policy necessary to make such a large-scale system possible. ICO₂N has been actively involved with various levels of government for more than two years to help advance CCS in Canada.

A market for captured CO₂ primarily for use EOR activities is an important element of the proposed ICO₂N initiative, especially in the early stages to help cover high initial start-up costs. However, it has always been understood that industry will produce more CO₂ than can be used for EOR purposes.

Direct storage of CO₂ will also be necessary and, in addition to fully depleted oil and gas fields, saline aquifers are potential storage sites. The work that will be accomplished by ASAP in identifying deep saline aquifers will be invaluable for successful implementation of the proposed ICO₂N initiative.