Pipeline transportation of carbon dioxide (CO_2) dates back to the early 1970's with the construction of the Canyon Reef Carriers & Val Verde pipeline in Texas USA. Since that time about 7200 kilometers of CO_2 pipeline have been built in North America (mostly in the USA), some in Asia (Turkey) and Africa and one offshore Europe. The experience of such pipelines is predominantly for the transportation of naturally occurring and relatively pure CO_2 for the purpose of enhanced oil recovery (EOR). With international concern over global warming and concerns over greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, various carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) initiatives are becoming viable options for managing manmade industrial greenhouse gases, forecasted to rise to about 44,000 million metric tonnes by 2030, Mohitpour 2008. The impurities can significantly affect the CO_2 phase diagram, influencing pipeline capacity, fracture control properties and most importantly pipeline operation and emergency response related to release and dispersion of CO_2 and toxic impurities such as H_2S. This paper will provide a first hand view of salient design features of pipeline transportation of CO_2 containing impurities typical of those captured from flue stacks. It will provide general guidance and a basis for design, construction and operation of pipelines transporting CO_2 with impurities for sequestration and EOR.
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