Potential for coastal carbon capture : Study

MUSCAT, SEPT 8

A potentially landmark study supported by Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) has uncovered lab-based evidence to enhance natural sequestration of climate warming carbon dioxide through a process known as ‘Coastal Carbon Capture’ (CCC).

According to the multinational scientists behind the study, carbon sequestration can be accelerated by spreading a type of crushed rock – found in abundance in the Sultanate of Oman – along the country’s shores. These olivine-bearing rocks, when spread out as crushed particles along the country’s expansive coastline, can trap CO2 through mineralisation, potentially capturing millions of tonnes of the greenhouse gas annually.

"This study is a major step forward," said Dr Arshad Ali, Lead Researcher on the project. "While our research is currently laboratory-based, more large-scale studies are needed, and it may take years before it is widely adopted. However, with Oman’s rich deposits of deep-earth rocks, formed 95 million years ago, and its extensive 3,165 sq-km coastline, it is an ideal location for a pilot project.”

Dr Ali, a geochemist at SQU, was also joined in the study by scientists from the University of Baluchistan (Pakistan), and Kagoshima University (Japan). In remarks to the Observer, he said the Coastal Carbon Capture study promises to bring “optimism to environmental stakeholders worldwide” working jointly to achieve climate mitigation goals set out in the Paris Agreement.

“This research could be crucial in addressing the harmful effects of CO2 on our climate, as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that 310 billion tonnes of CO2 must be removed by 2100 to meet global warming targets and limit temperature rise,” the geochemist noted.

The study, he said, outlines a process that involves combining rocks, water, and CO2 to combat rising atmospheric CO2 levels and its absorption by oceans. “By grinding certain rocks into sand, scientists can increase their surface area, allowing them to interact more effectively with water and CO2. This interaction transforms the rock's minerals into new minerals that incorporate water and CO2. These secondary minerals can continue absorbing CO2 as the sand interacts with both the atmosphere and seawater, creating a long-term solution for carbon storage,” Dr Ali explained.

Importantly, the Coastal Carbon Capture approach also has the potential to mitigate CO2 absorption in seawater – a natural process that also contributes to ocean acidification. Acidic water, the scientist warns, hampers the development of marine organisms' skeletons and affects their reproduction, resulting in fewer catches and a reduced food supply. If not addressed now, Ocean Acidification has the potential to impact the livelihoods of billions of people who directly or indirectly rely on ocean resources, he adds.

“When rock sand is introduced, the opposite effect occurs. This indicates that enhanced coastal weathering using rock sand can capture CO2 while lowering seawater acidity by forming secondary minerals. This research could serve as a model for applying enhanced coastal weathering, given the global availability of suitable rocks and the presence of coastal and open ocean environments.”

To help validate these nascent findings, Dr Ali has appealed for government and stakeholder support in conducting a full-fledged pilot here in Oman. “We’re excited about the possibility of launching such a project in Oman if academia, government, and industry collaborate to provide the necessary funding, infrastructure, and permits. Now is the time to act if we want to achieve the ambitious net-zero goals outlined in Oman Vision 2040," he added.