CONTAIN D11 : integrated final results and conclusions

Carbon capture and storage is a technology capable of reducing CO2 outputs on a large scale; the concept usually requires CO2 to be removed from post-combustion flue gases and sequestered in geological formations. Depleted gas fields constitute “the most important storage type for the UK” and will provide a large and important potential future offshore storage capacity (DECC, 2012). Over the last 4 years, the CONTAIN research project has focussed on the geomechanical behaviour of depleted hydrocarbon fields in response to injection with CO2, combining a modelling and experimental approach with the public perceptions of CCS into three work packages. The project has provided a better understanding of the hydromechanical impacts of depletion on caprocks and the effect of subsequent CO2 injection, in order to assist with the implementation of CCS in this type of reservoir. Work package 1 outlined a phenomenological approach to assessing possible deformation during operation. Focus was placed on rock mechanics and transport experiments on material from the geologies of target formations in the North Sea, providing information that could be incorporated into numerical simulations. Work package 2 expanded this understanding by considering fractured caprock. Numerical modelling was used to study the deformation of an initially intact caprock caused by the depletion of an underlying reservoir during oil extraction. Deformation and flow were geomechanically modelled in three dimensions using a fully coupled poroelastic model, incorporating discrete fractures and faults into the caprock. Work package 3 offered new and valuable insight on future public awareness campaigns aimed at gaining acceptance of CCS. Qualitative expert interviews have been used, a CCS expert survey and a public survey across four countries to gain an understanding of perceptions of CCS risks and benefits, and has allowed for comparison of views on CCS between experts and public. In addition, the work package has explored the impact of different message framings on CCS attitudes. The findings of each work package are summarised in this report, with each work package represented by a report chapter. A synthesis of the findings and discussion of the work as a whole follows

Abel integral equations: Applications and analytic properties

SIGLECopy held by FIZ Karlsruhe; available from UB/TIB Hannover / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

Economic valuation of preventing beach erosion: comparing existing and non-existing beach markets with stated and revealed preferences

Altres ajuts: CSO2013-42513-PPredicted climate change is likely to increase beach erosion in the future, inducing higher costs of beach maintenance. Hence, additional funds for their protection will be required. We examine the willingness to pay (WTP) of beach visitors for preventing beach erosion in the form of daily beach entrance fees in Crikvenica, Croatia, by applying the contingent valuation method. This is the first beach valuation study for this country in transition which has emerged as an important Mediterranean tourist destination. The novelty of our study is that it compares WTP estimates for an existing and a non-existing beach market. This is done by conducting a survey at the beach where an entrance fee is already levied and at the nearest open-access beach. Based on the initial (follow-up) valuation question the stated WTP per adult per day for avoiding beach erosion equals €1.69 (€1.26) for the paid beach and €2.08 (€1.84) for the free beach. In addition, the travel cost method is employed. It reveals that consumer surpluses for visiting the paid and the free beach amount to €2.57 and €1.74, respectively