The report titled “Turkey’s Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage Potential,” prepared by the Resource, Environment, and Climate Association (REC), was shared with the public at a meeting held in Istanbul.
The report evaluates carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies, considered one of the tools to achieve net zero emissions globally by 2050, comprehensively in terms of Turkey’s 2053 net zero target and provides recommendations.
The report highlights the absence of CCUS implementation in Turkey at present, mentioning that the areas where detailed studies have been conducted for potential storage are only oil and gas fields, with a total capacity estimated at 108 million tons of carbon dioxide.
While emphasizing the significantly higher geological storage capacity in aquifer areas in Turkey, the report notes that the potential capacity in these areas has not yet been calculated.
It is considered that the suitable petroleum fields for carbon storage are concentrated in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey, whereas suitable aquifer fields are believed to be in the Black Sea region.
The report mentions that current research indicates Turkey has sufficient capacity for the permanent geological storage of carbon dioxide, emphasizing that this capacity should be compatible with the role assigned to CCUS in climate policy projections.
The report suggests prioritizing the use of CCUS technologies in the manufacturing industry, where there are limited technical alternatives for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Rifat Ünal Sayman, the Chairman of the REC Board of Directors, stated in his assessment of the report that establishing infrastructure is necessary for transporting captured carbon dioxide to storage areas in Turkey.
Sayman stated, “Just as we currently distribute oil to different areas through a distribution network, we also need to establish a network to store the captured carbon dioxide.”
source: aa.com.tr/ prepared by Melisa Beğiç