Who we are

GeoCquest is an international research consortium between the University of Cambridge, University of Melbourne and Stanford University. The consortium is sponsored by BHP and focused on CCS research. CO2CRC Ltd is an Associate.

GeoCquest brings together expertise from a range of disciplines – geologists, geochemists, geomodellers and reservoir engineers. Our aim is to fully investigate the complexity of reservoir character and its impact on CO₂ storage.

What we do

GeoCquest is undertaking leading-edge research aimed at developing a better understanding of CO₂ behaviour in heterogeneous rocks. It is focused on three key parameters – capacity (how much CO₂ the rocks can store), injectivity (how much CO₂ can be injected into the rocks and containment (how much CO₂ can be safely held in the rocks, essentially forever).  To date the GeoCquest project team has developed new insight , innovative characterisation methods, and advanced reservoir modelling approaches that demonstrate how small scale geological heterogeneities in reservoir rocks have a profound impact on CO₂ migration and plume behaviour.

What is carbon capture and storage

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is the collective name given to a range of geological, chemical and engineering technologies and processes, which can be brought together to make deep cuts in CO₂ emissions from a range of large-scale sources, such as gas separation, blue hydrogen production, steel-making and power generation. CCS can also be applied to direct capture of CO₂ from the atmosphere. The first step in the CCS process is to capture the CO₂ using for example solvents or membranes. Once captured, the CO₂ is compressed to a liquid-like (supercritical) state, transported by pipeline (though ship transport is being considered for some projects) and then injected deep into a sedimentary basin where it remains trapped in porous reservoir rocks.