Technology for burying 100 tons of CO2 underground daily

The technology developed by startup 44.01 involves mixing CO₂ with water and then injecting it into fractures within peridotite rock at a depth of approximately 1 km underground.

Oman-based 44.01 is pioneering a new process that can permanently sequester CO₂ underground, significantly reducing this greenhouse gas from the atmosphere, as reported by Interesting Engineering on July 15. Named after the molecular weight of CO₂, 44.01 has validated its technology in Oman and hopes to expand globally.

Startup 44.01 accelerates the natural process of CO₂ mineralization from decades to less than a year. (Photo: 44.01).

This startup mixes CO₂ with water before pumping it down a deep borehole of 1 km. Here, the mixture permeates into the fractures of peridotite, a naturally fractured rock. The rock isolates CO₂ through a carbon mineralization process, where certain minerals react with CO₂ to form solid carbonates. This means that carbon is trapped underground and cannot return to the atmosphere.

Peridotite is typically found deep within the Earth, but in Oman, quarries are located closer to the surface. This proximity allows scientists to observe the carbon isolation capabilities of peridotite. The technology from 44.01 accelerates the isolation process by injecting CO₂-rich water into the fractures of peridotite. “Instead of taking decades as in nature, we only take a few months,” said Talal Hasan, founder and CEO of the startup.

44.01 aims to commercialize its technology in Oman and the UAE before expanding globally. The company has completed pilot projects in these two countries. Initial tests show that the new technology can currently sequester about 50 to 60 tons of CO₂ per day. Upon commercialization, 44.01 aims to sequester 100 tons of CO₂ per day per borehole.

While carbon capture and sequestration technology can play a crucial role in mitigating the impacts of climate change, many scientists caution against viewing it as a silver bullet. Instead, countries need to drastically reduce their use of fossil fuels—the primary source of emissions. The amount of CO₂ that needs to be removed from the atmosphere is immense, requiring a global effort, even if the fossil fuel industry were to stop emitting CO₂ into the atmosphere today.