Scientists in carbon dioxide claim

A harmful greenhouse-effect gas produced by power stations could be safely disposed of for millions of years in rocks deep below the North Sea, British scientists claim.

Researchers from the British Geological Survey who are investigating ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions say the technology already exists to compress carbon dioxide into a liquid and pipe it underground. According to the scientists, permeable rocks under the North Sea could be used to store vast amounts of the gas, preventing it from entering the atmosphere to contribute to global warming. As a side benefit, the gas could be pumped into depleted oil fields where the remaining oil is too thick to be extracted under normal conditions. The gas would thin the oil, allowing it to be recovered.

A spokesman for the British Geological Survey said: "It is a simple fact that the safe and economical disposal of [carbon dioxide] is becoming an international priority."