Potential for CO2 Geosequestration in Kenya: A suitability analysis of the Lamu basin
Mnyika Godwin Mzumbi; Reg No. I13/0360/2011
Supervisor: Prof. D. Olago
Abstract
The recent trends in climate change have been linked to increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases
driven by anthropogenic emissions. Among measures proposed for curbing this increase is Carbon Capture
and Sequestration (CCS) in geological media. CCS incorporates three technologies comprising; (a) carbon
capture, (b) compression and transportation, and (c) injection into geological media which is the focus of
this paper. Sedimentary basins which host these geological formations are suitable to varied extents
determined by such factors as their tectonic settings.
A basin scale suitability assessment of the Lamu basin is presented based on geological and socio-economic
attributes. The main screening parameters used comprised; size and depth, tectonic and structural settings,
seismicity, geothermo-hydrodynamic regimes, basin maturity and resources. The assessed attributes have
been used to constrain GIS layers delineating possible CCS trap areas in the preliminary prospective map
produced. Following this assessment, the Lamu basin can be considered geologically suitable for
geosequestration given its stable tectonic settings, good depth and size. However, the western flanks of the
basin and the coastal strip are unsuitable due to shallowness, population and protected zones respectively.