Conceptual Framework for CO2 Geological Storage in Salt Diapirsof the Abandoned Chinguetti Field, Mauritanian Coastal Basin

A robust offshore CO2 storage solution emerges from the abandoned Chinguetti Field, part of Mauritania's UNESCO-listed Ksour of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt, and Oualata. The study reveals that salt diapirs in this field can securely store over 2.5 gigatons of CO2, leveraging their ultra-low permeability and high ductility for long-term containment. Geomechanical analysis confirms safe injection below fracture pressure thresholds, minimizing leakage risks. Reusing existing wells further enhances cost-efficiency and operational control. This approach offers a scalable, technically viable method to mitigate CO2 emissions from Mauritania's energy sector, which contributed nearly one-third of the country's 13.96 million tons of CO2-equivalent emissions in 2024.

Dahmane, B., Aliouane, L., & Rigane, A. (2026). Conceptual Framework for CO2 Geological Storage in Salt Diapirsof the Abandoned Chinguetti Field, Mauritanian Coastal Basin. First EAGE/ALNAFT Workshop – Unlocking Hydrocarbon Potential of West Mediterranean Offshore Frontier Basin of Algeria, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.3997/2214-4609.2026651037