CO2 Transport

The captured CO2 is compressed and transported and then injected  into geologic formations.
CO2 transportation via pipelines is commercially well established. For instance, in the table below are listed  the main existing CO2 onshore pipelines in US used for EOR (Enhanced Oil Recovery) operations, with their capacities, diameters and elevation. 

  
CO2 is typically transported in a dense phase (supercritical phase), at a temperature between 4-38°C and a pressure ranging between 86-147 bar; typically, CO2 velocity is of ca. 1.4 m/s, in order: 

• to minimize the energy required for compression and to make the needed pipeline diameter as small as possible;
• to avoid the formation of two-phase flow, that could create problems during both the CO2 compression and transportation phase.

CO2 purity is another critical issue: the presence of impurities can affect CO2 properties, reducing density and viscosity and increasing vapour pressure. Consequently, a particular attention is paid to CO2 purity for transport reasons.

The main components of a pipeline are represented by:

• A compressor, supplied by a capture plant,
• Boosters pump, handling the CO2 in liquid phase
• Metering stations containing instruments suitable to measure flow, pressure, temperature, density, moisture contents and composition.
• Pipeline