Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science » in reply to Re: relax...

Liquid CO2 on Earth

Almost.

A lot of natural gas reservoirs contain some CO2 impurity (a few % up to 75% in some cases). Some reservoirs contain no useful hydrocarbons and just 99% pure CO2. These are often tapped as cheap sources of food-grade CO2.

There are two origins for these deposits (which can be distinguished from the isotope ratios of the CO2). Some are of direct volcanic origin and are often associated with H2S, HF, HCl and other volcanic brews. The biggest reservoirs, though come from deep sedimentary basins where thick carbonate sequences have been buried deep and hot and are breaking down like in a cement furnace. CaCO3 + Heat -> CaO + CO2.

I said "Almost" because Earth is mostly too warm for liquid CO2. By the time you're deep enough for the pressure to hold in the gas (around 75 atmospheres/950 psi), the temperature has risen past the critical point of CO2 (31.1 C) and the material can no longer be distinguished between liquid and gas. It is a supercritical fluid.

But there is plenty of this. In the right places in Siberia, I'm sure there will be reservoirs of liquid CO2 as well.

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