Carbon Capture Using Industrial Hydroxides for EOR- Opportunities,Challenges and the Way Ahead

To alleviate CO2 emissions, the most dominating factor towards increasing global warming, carbon capture and storage(CCS) proves to be promising. Combining various CCS technologies, the use of cheaper and abundant fossil fuels still elevate the industrial growth. In the meantime, CO2 emissions also witness a decrement. Out of various amine-based solvents, mono-ethanol-amine(MEA) is the only one in use in various post-combustion plants for carbon capture from flue gases. The regular refilling and repacking of MEA to make up for losses as a result of high volatility and solvent degradation is one limitation of MEA.
Hydroxides like sodium hydroxide can rectify the existing drawbacks because NaOH is known to have higher CO2 absorption than MEA. But NaOH has its deficiencies like it cannot be regenerated post-capture and NaHCO3 is the reason for it as at 160-degree-Celcius it decomposes to give Na2CO3, H2O and CO2. At very severe conditions, Na2CO3 forms Na2O. The severity of these conditions is as high as providing 800-degree-Celcius temperature.
Usage of NaOH is preferred for flooding and oil recovery in reservoirs after the capture because it doesn't require recovery. NaOH provides suitable milieu for micelle formation when used in alkali-surfactant-polymer. By injecting CO2 laden NaOH, CO2 sequestration is eased and extra oil is produced due to alteration of oil miscibility because of the presence of bubbled CO2. Further substitution of NaOH with other hydroxides is also a possibility which can be examined based on oil-field conditions. Exploring these possibilities may enhance CO2 capture and oil recovery.