The numerous CO2 reservoirs in the Colorado Plateau region of the United States are
natural analogues for potential geologic CO2 sequestration repositories. To better
understand the risk of leakage from reservoirs used for long-term underground CO2
storage, we examine evidence for CO2 migration along two normal faults from a
reservoir in east-central Utah. CO2 -charged springs, geysers, and a hydrocarbon seep
are localised along these faults. These include natural springs that have been active for
long periods of time, and springs that were induced by recent drilling. The CO2 -charged
spring waters have deposited travertine mounds and carbonate veins. The faults cut
siltstones, shales, and sandstones and the fault rocks are fine-grained, clay-rich gouge,
generally thought to be barriers to fluid flow. The geologic and geochemical data are
consistent with these faults being conduits for CO2 to the surface. Consequently, the
injection of CO2 into faulted geologic reservoirs, including faults with clay gouge, must
be carefully designed and monitored to avoid slow seepage or fast rupture to the
biosphere
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