Project to turn carbon emissions into stone gains momentum with big prize
geologist peter clement Has been working in the Oman desert for over 15 years, study natural chemical reactions In rare deep-earth rocks, these rocks suck carbon from the air and lock it into solid mineral forms.His goal: to use and speed up these reactions Carbon removal on an industrial scale.Based in large part on his research, the Omani entrepreneur recently established 44.01, a company dedicated to scaling up and commercializing the process.company is Just won the $1.2 million Earthshot prize It was held in a televised ceremony in Boston by Prince William, heir to the British throne. Established in 2021, the award aims to support five cutting-edge environmental businesses each year until 2030. We spoke with Kelemen about the science behind the project, its current status, and its future prospects.
Geologist Peter Kelemen investigates an outcrop of exposed mantle rock in Oman. The lightweight material is a carbon-based mineral that reacts with rocks to form solid deposits. (Kevin Krajik/Earth Institute)
Tell me about the rocks of Oman, and what makes them special.
The mountains along the coast of northern Oman and the United Arab Emirates host a large chunk of oceanic crust and upper mantle that was pushed to the edge of the Arabian continent starting 96 million years ago. It is 350 kilometers long, 50 kilometers wide and several kilometers thick. It is sloped, exposing rocks that formed over 20 kilometers below the sea floor. Surface exposures of the mantle are extremely rare, and this is the largest in the world. Spectacular canyons run through it, so you can literally step inside what was once the inside of the Earth. Rocks like these react rapidly with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and in surface waters to form solid carbonate minerals such as limestone. This process is spontaneous. So we’ve been looking to understand how it works, and then devise ways to speed it up in order to store large amounts of CO2 on human timescales. We focus on injecting carbon dioxide dissolved in water into the ground. It can use a lot of water, and of course water is very precious in the Middle East, so we look for areas close to the coast where there is essentially an unlimited supply.
How did 44.01 start and what was your involvement?
My colleague Jürg Matter (who worked at Columbia University) and I first approached Omani entrepreneur Talal Hasan around 2017, when he was working for Oman’s sovereign wealth fund. Talal hopes to persuade the government to invest in carbon dioxide sequestration in mantle rocks. But he has since left the fund to start 44.01 with a childhood friend. Jürg now works with them about half the time. I plan to take on more advisory roles.
Where does carbon come from? ?
44.01 Acquired from the Swiss company Climeworks a solar device that removes carbon dioxide directly from the air. They operate it near Muscat, the capital of Oman. For pilot studies, we can also use CO2 captured from smokestack sources, such as the many gas-fired power plants, desalination plants and other industrial operations in Oman and the UAE.
How far has the company come and how will it make money?
We have obtained government permits and have carried out some small pilot projects at former scientific drilling sites. We are now planning two larger pilot projects, both expected to take place in 2023. Ideally, we will have substantial results by the time of COP28 in the UAE in 2023. Eventually, we hope, some government or group of governments will pay them to lock up carbon at $30 a ton. Globally, such costs end up being several percent of GDP, comparable to the current cost of solid waste management.
What difficulties might the project face?
The main problem is that the rock is not very porous. This leads to two difficulties. First, it is difficult to circulate fluids rapidly through rocks, and second, the pore spaces can eventually become clogged with newly formed carbonate minerals. However, we are encouraged by the fact that rocks in some places are naturally completely carbonized. That is, every atom of magnesium and calcium in them combines with carbon dioxide to form a solid mineral. So we know this can happen, and we know how it works. We performed theoretical calculations and performed laboratory-scale experiments. But ultimately, only field-scale experiments will allow us to improve methods to do so at reasonable cost.
Are there similar rocks elsewhere?
Yes, but Oman and UAE are the best. The next largest outcrops are in New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea. They’re a great place to take CO2 from the air, but I think we need to prove that the process works in the Arabian Peninsula before trying it on the islands in the Southwest Pacific. There are other, smaller areas that could come into play, including parts of California and Oregon. However, these places are water limited and I hope local stakeholders will be concerned about this. Then there are the small coastal outcrops in southeast Alaska that have a lot of potential and plenty of water, but they’re so remote that I think we need a proof of concept before we can justify doing business there.
Do you continue your research in Oman or elsewhere?
In addition to the formation of solid carbonate minerals, the reaction of surface water with mantle rocks can also form free hydrogen gas. It is widely seen as a potential replacement for fossil fuels, especially natural gas and oil, for transportation and home heating. It can also be used to generate electricity if extracted from natural resources at low cost. We are continuing our academic research on the rate of hydrogen formation and looking at ways it can be accelerated. In the U.S. and Canada, we’re also looking at how some minerals can not only lock up carbon, but also help extract nickel and cobalt — building blocks that will be widely used in electric vehicles and renewable energy generation for decades to come.
Did you go to the awards ceremony?
Do not. The Earthshot organization wanted to limit their carbon footprint, so instead of flying dozens of people from around the world to Boston, they organized an awards event in Oman for the 44.01 people there and filmed it. The resulting video, along with similar footage of other winners, was shown at the awards ceremony.
