The US Energy Department (DOE) announced Tuesday that an experimental project in Canada to inject carbon dioxide into oil fields for its permanent storage in geologic formations proved to be successful.

The test removed 5 million tons of the Earth's leading greenhouse gas, while raising the daily crude output of the Weyburn oil field in Saskatchewan, Canada, by 10,000 barrels, said a DOE statement.

If the methodology could be applied worldwide, one-third to one-half of the carbon dioxide emissions to be released into the atmosphere could be eliminated over the next century, and billions of barrels of additional oil could be recovered, the department said.

Greenhouse gases can trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to global warming if their emissions continue without being limited.

The Weyburn Project is a joint effort by the US Energy Department, the Canadian government and private industry. Carbon dioxide comes from the Great Plains Synfuels plant in Beulah, N.D., where it is a byproduct from coal gasification.

"The success of the Weyburn Project could have incredible implications on reducing CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions and increasing America's oil production," said Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman in a statement released by his office. Bodman is visiting the Middle East.

In the Weyburn Project, the carbon dioxide when pumped into the oil reservoir increased the pressure and brought more oil to the surface. The technology can raise oil recovery by up to 60 percent, and extend the life of oil fields by decades as well.

The technology can also provide a permanent repository for the carbon dioxide in geologic formations, the DOE added.

The next phase of the Weyburn Project is expected to focus on improving injection efficiency and the process of refining.

Source: Xinhua