A comprehensive review of CO2 subsurface storage: Integrity, safety, and economic viability

• Published in: Energy Geoscience Vol. 6; no. 3; p. 100441
• Main Authors: Alsubaih, Ahmed, Sepehrnoori, Kamy, Mojdeh, Delshad, Lopez, Manriquez Alberto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.09.2025
• Subjects: Caprocks; Reservoir; Storage integrity; Wellbore; Caprocks; Wellbore; Reservoir; Storage integrity
• ISSN: 2666-7592; 2666-7592
• DOI: 10.1016/j.engeos.2025.100441

Anthropogenic emissions reached 37.4 Gt/a in 2023, intensifying the need for effective carbon storage in subsurface formations to mitigate global warming. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) has emerged as a viable solution, with over 43 operational sites worldwide and projections for more than 840 projects by 2040, potentially storing 2225 Mt CO2 annually. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of CCS technologies, focusing on the integrity, safety, and economic viability of storage sites, which are crucial for long-term success. It identifies knowledge gaps in existing research, revealing that most studies address specific aspects of CCS but lack integrated approaches combining data, technologies, risks, and economic assessments. Some studies emphasize numerical modeling and fault reactivation risks but overlook issues such as cement degradation and casing corrosion, which are critical to preventing wellbore leakage. Others explore CO2-rock interactions without considering cement integrity or focus on cement degradation without accounting for other field-scale risks. This review bridges these gaps by examining failures across wellbores, reservoirs, and caprocks, including cement integrity, casing corrosion, uplifting, fault activation, and seismicity due to injection. It also covers numerical modeling, experimental work, and monitoring techniques to ensure CCS integrity. Additionally, this review assesses economic risks to build confidence in CCS deployment, offering a comprehensive framework to ensure secure and long-term CO2 storage in subsurface formations. [Display omitted] •The integrity and safety mechanisms of CO2 storage sites.•The application of advanced monitoring and ML optimization for CCS projects.•The economic viability and risk assessment of CCS projects.