An overview of the IEA greenhouse gas R&D programme regional geologic storage capacity studies

AbstractMapping of CO2 geological storage resources provides an important element in the planning of widespread CO2 capture and storage (CCS) deployment. Recent high-level studies by the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme (IEAGHG) have estimated realistic global capacity available in depleted oil and depleted gas fields to be 130 and 65 Gt, respectively, based on mass balance considerations from hydrocarbon reserve information. However, comparable estimates for deep saline formation (DSF) storage require an analytical approach that considers the fraction of pore space in storage formations that could be occupied by injected CO2. Many regional mapping initiatives have shown that potential DSF storage capacities are typically at least an order of magnitude higher than in depleted fields.Computationally similar methodologies to estimate DSF storage resources have been developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF); in both, a storage coefficient, E (or efficiency factor), is used to derive resource estimates. The E coefficient takes account of various geological and technical factors that could restrict the amount of pore space available for storage but does not take into account economic, regulatory, and source-sink matching considerations.IEAGHG and DOE commissioned a study in 2008 by the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC), to improve the accuracy of storage coefficients for DSF. As there was insufficient real-world CO2 injection data to derive a representative range for E, geological input parameters were derived from global hydrocarbon reservoir data as a proxy for DSF. Modeling allowed derivation of probabilistic ranges of storage coefficients at both site-specific and formation levels for clastic, carbonate, and dolomite lithologies. The overall mean value of E for all lithologies was calculated as 2.6% at the formation level. A key assumption made in the study was that DSF will predominantly act as “open” systems, whereby pressure and displaced formation fluids can be safely dissipated through the wider storage formation and adjacent strata

CO2 storage risk minimization through systematic identification and assessment of faults: a Williston Basin case study

AbstractThe Williston Basin is considered a tectonically stable area with only a few major inactive faults. Over the last 50 years, extensive hydrocarbon exploration in the basin has demonstrated that smaller faults do exist and closer evaluation is necessary to determine the nature of this faulting. An area near the town of Dickinson, North Dakota, has been identified as a potential location for CO2 storage/enhanced oil recovery. A thorough geologic assessment of the area has identified structural anomalies that may indicate the presence of faulting, which, in turn, may affect precise CO2 storage site selection

Design and Implementation of a Scalable, Automated, Semi-Permanent Seismic Array for Detecting CO2 Extent during Geologic CO2 Injection

A proof-of-concept demonstration using a scalable, automated, semipermanent, seismic array (SASSA) is being conducted to test a novel seismic method for detecting and tracking an injected CO2plume as it traverses discreet points within a reservoir in southeastern Montana at Bell Creek oil field which is undergoing commercial CO2enhanced oil recovery (EOR). This document serves to describe the technical design of the project infrastructure, the operational approach, corresponding data collection, and data-processing activities

Model development of the Aquistore CO2 storage project

AbstractThe Plains CO2 Reduction (PCOR) Partnership, through the Energy & Environmental Research Center, is collaborating with Petroleum Technology Research Centre in site characterization; risk assessment; public outreach; and monitoring, verification, and accounting activities at the Aquistore project. The PCOR Partnership constructed a static geological model to assess the potential volumetric storage capacity of the Aquistore site and provide the foundation for dynamic simulation for the dynamic CO2 storage capacity. Results of the predictive simulations will be used in the risk assessment process to define an overall monitoring plan and assure stakeholders that the injected CO2 will remain safely stored

CO2 storage risk minimization through systematic identification and assessment of faults: a Williston Basin case study

AbstractThe Williston Basin is considered a tectonically stable area with only a few major inactive faults. Over the last 50 years, extensive hydrocarbon exploration in the basin has demonstrated that smaller faults do exist and closer evaluation is necessary to determine the nature of this faulting. An area near the town of Dickinson, North Dakota, has been identified as a potential location for CO2 storage/enhanced oil recovery. A thorough geologic assessment of the area has identified structural anomalies that may indicate the presence of faulting, which, in turn, may affect precise CO2 storage site selection

CO2 Enhanced Oil Recovery Life Cycle Analysis Model (Rev. 2)

In “How green is my oil?” by Azzolina et al., the authors presented an integrated life-cycle model for CO2-EOR where the CO2 is sourced from a coal-fired power plant. The model was developed entirely in Microsoft Excel® to improve transparency and provide a useful tool for other practitioners. This model is an updated version of the model from the article. The cells have been unlocked so they can be modified. Azzolina, N.A., Peck, W.D., Hamling, J.A., Gorecki, C.D., Ayash, S.C., Doll, T.E., Nakles, D.V., and Melzer, L.S., 2016, How green is my oil? a detailed look at greenhouse gas accounting for CO2-enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR) sites: International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, v. 51, p. 369–379. DOI: /10.1016/j.ijggc.2016.06.008. Acknowledgment: This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory under Award Number DE-FC26-05NT42592.https://commons.und.edu/eerc-publications/1000/thumbnail.jp