The increasing use of fossil fuels worldwide causes build-up of the at
hmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration. This paper discusses wh
ether permanent deposition of CO2 on the seabed in the form of hydrate
s is technically feasible. Hydrates are crystalline material built up
of water and one or more hydrate forming components, such as light hyd
rocarbons or CO2. Hydrates look much like snow or ice, and at elevated
pressures they are formed at temperatures well above the freezing poi
nt of water. This paper mainly focuses on the deposition and formation
processes of CO2 hydrates, taking the solubility of carbon dioxide in
sea water and the stability of the CO2 hydrates formed into account.
High pressure experiments on CO2 and sea water in a flow simulator hav
e been performed. Special attention has been paid to the stability of
the hydrates formed, and the solubility of CO2 in sea water.