Resequestration

Resequestration is the process of reapplying or restoring sequestration, typically after an initial storage step has been challenged by leakage, degradation, or disturbance. The term appears in discussions across climate mitigation, soil science, and environmental geochemistry, and it describes efforts to restore or enhance long-term storage of substances that have been captured or immobilized.

In carbon capture and storage (CCS), resequestration may occur when stored CO2 shows signs of migration or leakage. Responses can include re-injection, strengthening containment barriers, and enhanced monitoring and risk management to maintain long-term storage. The aim is to restore or extend the duration of sequestration and reduce the likelihood of ongoing emissions.

In soil and ecosystem contexts, resequestration refers to rebuilding soil organic carbon stocks after losses caused by land-use change, erosion, drought, or fire. Management practices such as reduced tillage, cover crops, continuous vegetation, and addition of organic amendments are intended to increase carbon inputs and promote re-sequestration in soils.

In geochemistry and contaminated-site management, resequestration can denote re-immobilization of contaminants or nutrients in sediments and soils after disturbance or mobilization. Mechanisms may include mineral precipitation, adsorption, or changes in pH that trap substances again.

Challenges for resequestration include long time scales, measurement uncertainties, and the permanence of stored materials. Effective practice often requires robust monitoring, verification, and risk assessment to ensure the benefits persist over the intended timescales.

See also: sequestration, carbon capture and storage, soil carbon sequestration, environmental remediation.