Technical and economic feasibility of the capture and geological storage of CO2 from a bio-fuel distillery: CPER Artenay project

AbstractThis paper first focuses on the environmental benefits of the CCS system applied to a bio-ethanol distillery before estimating its feasibility under geological and economic constraints.First, the calculation of CO2 balance in this application shows that the introduction of CO2 capture and sto rage in biomass energy systems (B-CCS) can si gnificantly increase the CO2 abat ement potential of the system and even leads to negative carbon emissions. Besides, a preliminary geological investigation reveals that the studied area has a good storage potential although the presence of major faults, while the low capture costs of CO2 from biomass fermentation emphasize the economic potential o f such a solution

Spread of a SARS-CoV-2 variant through Europe in the summer of 2020.

Following its emergence in late 2019, the spread of SARS-CoV-21,2 has been tracked by phylogenetic analysis of viral genome sequences in unprecedented detail3–5. Although the virus spread globally in early 2020 before borders closed, intercontinental travel has since been greatly reduced. However, travel within Europe resumed in the summer of 2020. Here we report on a SARS-CoV-2 variant, 20E (EU1), that was identified in Spain in early summer 2020 and subsequently spread across Europe. We find no evidence that this variant has increased transmissibility, but instead demonstrate how rising incidence in Spain, resumption of travel, and lack of effective screening and containment may explain the variant’s success. Despite travel restrictions, we estimate that 20E (EU1) was introduced hundreds of times to European countries by summertime travellers, which is likely to have undermined local efforts to minimize infection with SARS-CoV-2. Our results illustrate how a variant can rapidly become dominant even in the absence of a substantial transmission advantage in favourable epidemiological settings. Genomic surveillance is critical for understanding how travel can affect transmission of SARS-CoV-2, and thus for informing future containment strategies as travel resumes. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited

[PP. 27.24] DIAGNOSTIC ACCURACY AND DIAGNOSTIC GAIN OF CRITERIA TO INTERPRET UNILATERALLY SELECTIVE ADRENAL VEIN SAMPLING (AVS) RESULTS

Objective: 10–20% of AVS performed in Excellence centers for primary aldosteronism (PA) are not bilaterally selective. The ratio of cortisol-corrected aldosterone concentration between adrenal vein and inferior vena cava (unilateral ratio, UR) has been proposed to interpret unilaterally selective AVS [1]:UR<0.5could suggest unilateral PA on the opposite side; UR >5.5 could suggest unilateral PA on the same side, and UR 0.5–5.5 would be inconclusive. Design and method: This retrospective study evaluates the diagnostic value of the UR on AVS data collected over10 years in a referral centre. French AVS-consensus criteria (selectivity index >2, lateralisation ratio >4) were used for AVS interpretation. We first assessed the numbers of cases with left and right UR both <0.5 or both >5.5, because in these cases the interpretation of unilaterally selective AVS will depend only on the side of successful adrenal vein cannulation, not on the side of the disease. We then assessed the sensitivity, specificity and PPV of these criteria for the diagnosis of unilateral PA. Cases with left and right UR both <0.5 or both >5.5 were counted as false positives for these calculations. We finally assessed the diagnostic impact of using the unilateral criteria in case of unilaterally selective AVS. Results: -537AVS were performed from 2001–2010, 64(12%) were not bilaterally selective using the reference criteria (28unilaterally selective and 36 bilaterally non-selective), 287 (53%) were diagnostic of bilateral PA, 99 (18%) of left PA and 87 (16%) of right PA [Table 1]. -Among 473 bilaterally selective AVS, 7 (1.5%) had left and right UR both <0.5 and 32 (7%) had left and right UR both >5.5 [Table 2]. -Sensitivity of UR <0.5 to detect unilateral PA was 55%, specificity 91%, PPV79%. -Sensitivity of UR >5.5 was 51%, specificity71%, PPV53% [Table3]. -Using these criteria to interpret 28 unilaterally selective AVS led to diagnose 2right PA but 0left PA with a contralateral UR <0.5, 10 right PA and 6left PA with an ipsilateral UR >5.5, the remaining 10 cases staying inconclusive. However, among the 16 unilateral PA diagnosed with an ipsilateral UR >5.5, we must expect 8 false positives

Phéochromocytome et paragangliome

International audiencePhaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGL) are rare neuroendocrine tumors that arise from the adrenal medulla or sympathetic and parasympathetic ganglia. These tumors produce most often catecholamines in excess, causing hypertension and sometimes severe acute cardiovascular complications. The diagnosis is based on plasma or urines metanephrines measurements and on conventional and nuclear medicine imaging. Catecholamines-producing PPGL is very unlikely if levels are normal. The diagnosis of PPGL cannot be made without visualization of a tumor. Therapeutic management consists mostly of surgical excision, after drug preparation, and should be done in referral centers. About 40% of pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas occur in the context of an autosomal inherited syndrome, making genetic testing essential. The follow-up must be prolonged because a metastatic evolution or a recurrence can be observed in about 15% of the cases

From geology to economics: Technico-economic feasibility of a biofuel-CCS system

International audienceThis paper presents a method to estimate the technical and economic feasibility of capturing and geologically storing CO 2 resulting from biomass fermentation. The methodology is applied to the case of bio-refineries in the Paris Basin, France. The first step is to build a 3D geological model of the area studied and to choose the optimal injection location from geological and environmental constraints. Then, based on this information, the design of the CCS system (pipeline length, number and type of wellbores, surface equipment ...) and the estimation of the technical feasibility (sufficient storage capacity, risk analysis and management ...) can be performed. The last step is the estimation of the environmental benefits of this system (through a carbon and energy footprint) and its economic long term feasibility thanks to a discounted cash flow analysis. The impact of geological constraints on the economic feasibility of the system is estimated through a sensitivity assessment on the number of required injection wellbore

Selection and Characterization of Geological Sites able to Host a Pilot-Scale CO2 Storage in the Paris Basin (GéoCarbone-PICOREF) Choix et caractérisation de sites géologiques propices à l’installation d’un pilote pour le stockage de CO2 dans le bassin de Paris (GéoCarbone-PICOREF)

The objective of the GéoCarbone-PICOREF project was to select and characterize geological sites where CO2 storage in permeable reservoir could be tested at the pilot scale. Both options of storage in deep saline aquifer and in depleted hydrocarbon field were considered. The typical size envisioned for the pilot was 100 kt CO2 per year. GéoCarbone-PICOREF initially focused on a “Regional Domain”, ca. 200 × 150 km, in the Paris Basin. It was attractive for the following reasons: detailed geological data is available, due to 50 years of petroleum exploration; basin-scale deep saline aquifers are present, with a preliminary estimate of storage capacity which is at the Gt CO2 level, namely the carbonate Oolithe Blanche Formation, of Middle Jurassic age, generally located between 1500 and 1800 m depths in the studied area, and several sandstone formations of Triassic age, located between 2000 and 3000 m; several depleted oil fields exist: although offering storage capacities at a much lower level, they do represent very well constrained geological environments, with proven sealing properties; several sources of pure CO2 were identified in the area, at a flow rate compatible with the pilot size, that would avoid capture costs. 750 km of seismic lines were reprocessed and organized in six sections fitted on well logs. This first dataset provided improved representations of: the gross features of the considered aquifers in the Regional Domain; the structural scheme; lateral continuity of the sealing cap rocks. An inventory of the environmental characteristics was also made, including human occupancy, protected areas, water resource, natural hazards, potential conflicts of use with other resources of the subsurface, etc. From all these criteria, a more restricted geographical domain named the “Sector”, ca. 70 × 70 km, was chosen, the most appropriate for further selection of storage site(s). The geological characterization of the Sector has been as exhaustive as possible, with the reprocessing of additional 450 km of seismic lines, and the collection of a complete well-data base (146 petroleum wells). At this scale a relatively detailed characterization of the sedimentary layers could be done, in particular the formations potentially rich in aquifer units. For the Middle Jurassic carbonates observations were made on analogue sediments outcropping 150 km to the east of the Sector. A geological and numerical 3-D representation of the whole sedimentary pile of the Sector area was built. It forms a basis for constructing grids used by codes able to simulate various processes induced by CO2 injection (displacement of the fluids, pressure build-up and release, mechanical deformation, mineral interactions, control of the parameters used to check the local sealing efficiency, etc.). In parallel with that work on aquifers, GéoCarbone-PICOREF has access to all the petroleum data, including production data and reservoir modelling, of the Saint-Martin de Bossenay oil field, localized in the eastern part of the Sector. This was an opportunity to apply a comparable methodology and to test the capabilities of modelling codes to the specific case of a depleted hydrocarbon field, and to show some of the advantages of such a context with respect to a pilot-scale CO2 injection. <br> Le projet GéoCarbone-PICOREF avait pour objectif de caractériser des sites propices à la réalisation d’un pilote national de stockage du CO2 en réservoir géologique perméable. Deux types de réservoir ont été examinés : des aquifères profonds, et des gisements d’hydrocarbures en voie d’épuisement. Les sites devaient être choisis de manière que le pilote puisse tester des problématiques qui concernent les futurs stockages de grande taille. GéoCarbone-PICOREF a d’abord sélectionné une “Zone régionale” d’environ 200 × 150 km dans le bassin de Paris, qui présente les avantages suivants : l’information géologique y est largement disponible, grâce aux travaux d’exploration pétrolière depuis 50 ans ; de grands aquifères salins y sont présents, dans les carbonates du Jurassique moyen situés en général entre 1500 et 1800 m de profondeur, et dans les formations gréseuses du Trias, entre 2000 et 3000 m; il existe plusieurs gisements d’hydrocarbures en voie d’épuisement : offrant des capacités de stockage moindres, leur intérêt est d’être bien connus sur le plan géologique et d’être dotés de bonnes qualités en termes de piégeage géologique. Après avoir retraité 750 km de lignes sismiques, et avoir assemblé celles-ci selon six coupes calées sur des données de puits, on a précisé sur la Zone régionale : les grandes caractéristiques des aquifères concernés ; la localisation des failles ; la continuité des couches très peu perméables situées au-dessus des réservoirs. Ces études ont permis de choisir un “Secteur”, d’environ 70 × 70 km, au sein duquel on a ensuite affiné l’investigation géologique : 450 km supplémentaires de lignes sismiques, collecte exhaustive des données de puits, caractérisation fine des propriétés réservoir. Des observations de terrain ont été faites sur des roches équivalentes portées à l’affleurement. Un modèle géologique et informatique complet du Secteur a été construit à partir de ces données. Il permet de générer des maillages pour la simulation de divers comportements attendus suite à l’injection de CO2 (déplacement et dissipation du gaz dans les couches réservoir, modification des pressions et des contraintes, déformation mécanique des terrains, interaction entre l’eau acidifiée et les minéraux, etc.). Parallèlement, le projet a pu avoir accès à toutes les données pétrolières du gisement de Saint-Martin de Bossenay, situé dans la partie Est du Secteur. Grâce à cette opportunité, on a montré quel parti pouvait être tiré, pour un pilote, d’un gisement d’hydrocarbures déjà largement exploité, doté d’un piège géologique qui a retenu des hydrocarbures pendant des millions d’années, et sur lequel un opérateur industriel dispose d’une infrastructure et d’un savoir-faire