In addition to conducting an assessment of the geologic carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration potential for the Nation, the USGS Geologic Carbon Sequestration Project will conduct relevant research that will be needed to refine the current and future CO2 storage assessments. This research will include: geochemical characterization of CO2 interactions with organic-rich seals and other reservoir rocks with emphasis on CO2 retention; characterization of reservoir compartmentalization and injectivity; problems associated with enhanced oil and gas recovery and potential methods for assessing CO2 storage potential; research related to the storage of CO2 in coal seams; and aggregation methods to report resource numbers on basin, State, and National scales and statistical methods to handle dependencies.
Geochemistry Research
The objective of the geochemical research task is to investigate CO2-water-rock interactions applicable to laboratory and field experiments of CO2 sequestration, including mobilization of toxic metals and organics. The goal is to modify SOLMINEQ (Solution-mineral equilibrium computation software) or develop a separate computer package to simulate CO2-water-rock interactions under a wide range of... [+]
field and experimental conditions, including solution compositions, temperatures and fluid pressures, including CO
2 partial pressures. The ultimate goal is to relate these reactions to reservoir injectivity, capacity and integrity. Understanding leakage of brine and supercritical CO
2 with mobilized organics and metals into U.S. drinking water (USDW) is another long-term objective of these studies.
Contact: Yousif Kharaka
Email: ykharaka@usgs.gov
Petrophysical Rock Properties
Petrophysical Rock Properties
In support of the national CO2 assessment activities, research will address issues related to subsurface petrophysical rock properties; specifically those issues related to compartmentalization due to overpressured and underpressured reservoir intervals, and factors controlling CO2 subsurface injectivity.
Slideshow: CO2 Fluid Flow Modeling to Derive... [+]
the Time Scales of Lateral Fluid Migration - By Lauri Burke PhD [Adobe Flash]
Contact: Phil Nelson
Email: pnelson@usgs.gov
Enhanced Oil and Gas Recovery
and CO
2 Storage Potential
Enhanced Oil and Gas Recovery and CO2 Storage Potential
In 2007, the Energy Independence and Security Act (Public Law 110–140) authorized the USGS to conduct a national assessment of geologic storage resources for carbon dioxide. The legislation also asked USGS to estimate the “potential volumes of oil and gas recoverable by injection and sequestration of industrial carbon dioxide in potential sequestration... [+]
formations". There are significant gaps in our understanding about which oil and gas reservoirs are suitable for enhanced oil recovery operations. The purpose of this research task is to identify the geologic and engineering parameters that need to be included in a USGS methodology to evaluate the recoverable hydrocarbon resources and potential CO
2 sequestration volumes in existing oil and gas reservoirs in the Nation. To address this issue, a workshop was held in 2011 to identify the key areas of research that need to be undertaken to develop a methodology to estimate the amount of hydrocarbons that might be produced as a result of CO
2 geologic sequestration activities. The results of the workshop will be incorporated into a
summary report.
Contact: Mahendra Verma
Email: mverma@usgs.gov
Unconventional Reservoirs
and CO
2 Storage
Unconventional Reservoirs and CO2 Storage
The current USGS National CO2 assessment measures potential subsurface storage volumes only in existing pore space of sandstones, limestones, or dolostones (Brennan and others, 2010). Other lithologies such as coal, shale, mafic rocks (i.e. basalt), and ultramafic rocks (i.e. peridotite or serpentinite) can trap CO2 through adsorption or mineralogic reaction, but are not addressed in the current assessment... [+]
methodology. More research is needed to understand the physical and chemical CO
2-trapping processes of these unconventional reservoirs before an assessment methodology can be developed and their National storage potential can be assessed. Potential issues of CO
2 adsorption in coal and shale include 1) the potential of dissolved organics in CO
2-saturated coal seams or organic-rich layers to become mobilized and mixed with groundwater, 2) the swelling behavior of the coal structure and the loss of permeability in CO
2-saturated coal seams, and 3) the effects of injected CO
2 on existing microbial methane producing populations. Potential issues for CO
2 storage in mafic or ultramafic include 1) the reaction of CO
2 to form stable carbonates; 2) CO
2 storage volume dependence on cation content in basalts (different compositions would yield different reaction volumes), and phases present (e.g. olivine or serpentine) in ultramafics; 3) fracture content (a greater fracture density would allow greater surface area of reaction), and 4) groundwater quality. The primary objectives for this task is to hold workshops and compile reports summarizing the state of knowledge concerning the use of coal seams, shale, and mafic/ultramafic rocks as a potential reservoirs for the long-term storage of CO
2, and suggest preliminary methodologies for future assessments.
Contact: Kevin Jones
Email: kevinjones@usgs.gov
Induced Seismicity
The objective of the induced seismicity task is to support interdisciplinary research on the potential impacts of induced seismicity on geologic carbon sequestration in conjunction with parallel efforts supported by the USGS Geothermal Resource Investigations Project and the Earthquake Hazards Program. There is a potential seismic hazard associated with geologic carbon sequestration projects, which could involve the... [+]
injection of vast quantities of CO
2 into sedimentary basins located in or near major urban centers of the United States. A multidisciplinary approach including research in seismology, crustal deformation, reservoir rock properties, in situ stress and fracture permeability, heat transport, fluid flow and other study areas will be used to develop a better understanding of the physical processes responsible for induced seismicity. A few research examples include 1) determining the distribution of earthquake frequency of occurrence as a function of magnitude that is likely to result from a specified injection operation, 2) determining the magnitude of the largest induced earthquake from a specific injection operation, 3) determining the probability of ground motion exceeding a given level and significant injury or structural damage at a particular site due to induced earthquakes, and 4) determining if earthquakes induced by deep fluid-injection and production operations can be influenced by altering operational procedures in ways that do not compromise project objectives.
Contact: Colin Williams
Email: colin@usgs.gov
Statistical Aggregation
The objective of this research task is to develop statistical methods to aggregate storage assessment capacity estimates to a basin and national scale for the National Geologic Carbon Dioxide Sequestration Assessment Project results. This work will involve cooperation with statisticians who have worked on the USGS National Oil and Gas Assessment and the World Oil and Gas Assessment projects... [+]
Additional Information:
View a hypothetical example of the aggregation of a set of storage assessment units.
Contact: Ricardo Olea
Email:
rolea@usgs.gov
USGS Professional Profile