Interdisciplinary Research on Open Ocean Alkalinization

Adding fast-reacting alkaline substances directly to the open ocean is a promising pathway to achieving permanent carbon dioxide (CO2) removal at scales exceeding 1 gigaton (Gt) of CO2 per year. This approach, open ocean alkalinization (O-OAE), is projected to be achievable at relatively low costs and with low environmental impacts. However, further research is needed to address key scientific and engineering questions before large-scale implementation can be realized.

CSEi is building a comprehensive research program to investigate these key areas of O-OAE, spanning four broad topics:

1. Assessing the engineering requirements and economic feasibility of the large-scale production of calcium oxide (CaO) or magnesium oxide (MgO) + CaO mixtures produced by calcining limestone or dolomite with carbon capture and storage.
2. Assessing the engineering requirements and economic feasibility of transporting and distributing alkali hydroxides across the vast ocean surface.
3. Conducting ecological and geochemical studies to better understand the impacts of adding alkalinity to the ocean and its effectiveness in removing carbon from the atmosphere.
4. Exploring governance and economic mechanisms that could support responsible deployment of O-OAE at scale.

In addition to the individual research projects focused on O-OAE listed elsewhere on this site (e.g., Ocean Deacidification Project and Leading Indicators: Marine Microbial Community Gene Expression Responses to Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement), CSEi is initiating the following projects in 2025:

• Collaborating with engineering consultants and equipment vendors to develop studies on the engineering requirements and feasibility of producing alkali materials.
• Conducting laboratory experiments to evaluate the dissolution rates and sinking behavior of various alkali material candidates to inform effective and scalable strategies for O-OAE.
• Developing a global framework for identifying promising locations for large-scale alkalinity production by analyzing proximity to sedimentary rock, cost-effective energy, geologic CO₂ storage, and efficient ocean distribution infrastructure across major ocean basins.