Block Energy confirms rapid CO₂ mineralization in Georgia’s Caucasus CCS pilot

(WO) — Block Energy plc said results from its Phase 1 carbon capture and storage (CCS) pilot in Georgia confirm rapid and permanent mineralization of injected carbon dioxide, marking a technical milestone for the project.

Post-injection sampling and third-party laboratory analysis showed that between 70% and 100% of the CO₂ injected in August 2025 has mineralized within the reservoir. The company said the CO₂ precipitated into solid carbonate minerals in situ, providing evidence of permanent storage.

As part of the pilot, 13.6 tons of CO₂ and a tracer compound were injected into the Middle Eocene reservoir through the PAT-49 well at the Patardzeuli field. Four connected monitoring wells were sampled during the monitoring phase, with formation water and surface gas measurements collected in line with international carbon and mineralization standards.

No gaseous CO₂ was detected at surface, and formation water samples were independently analyzed by a laboratory in Azerbaijan. OPC, Block’s technical advisor, concluded that geochemical analysis of the samples demonstrated 70% to 100% mineralization within three months of injection.

Tracer concentrations increased in the monitoring wells as expected, while dissolved CO₂ levels remained low, supporting the conclusion that the injected CO₂ had converted into solid minerals within the reservoir.

Block said the pilot materially de-risks the project and provides a technical foundation for field-wide scale-up and commercialization. Early assessments estimate the Middle Eocene reservoir could store up to 151.5 million metric tons of CO₂ through mineralization under a mid-case scenario.

Paul Haywood, chief executive officer of Block Energy, said the results validate the underlying storage mechanism.

“These results are a major technical milestone for Block. Post-injection sampling and third-party laboratory analysis has confirmed rapid and permanent mineralization of CO2 in the reservoir, materially de-risking the project and enabling us to take the next steps toward development and commercialization,” Haywood said.

He added that the project benefits from existing infrastructure and proximity to industrial CO₂ sources.

“Mineralization provides a fundamentally different and higher-integrity form of storage as compared with conventional CCS and delivers permanent storage without the reliance on long-term trapping mechanisms,” Haywood said.

Block said Phase 2 plans include refining storage capacity estimates, advancing independent certification of permanent storage, and evaluating commercialization pathways, including third-party storage and integration opportunities with joint venture partner Rustavi Azot, a subsidiary of Indorama Corporation.

Prakash Kejriwal, group director of Indorama Corporation, said the pilot supports continued development.

“The interim results from the pilot conducted by Block’s team are very encouraging and provide a strong foundation for Phase 2 activities,” Kejriwal said.