Case study - Dynamic pressure-limited capacity and costs of CO2 storage in the Mount Simon sandstone

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, Steven T.; Jahediesfanjani, Hossein

2017-01-01

Widespread deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) is likely necessary to be able to satisfy baseload electricity demand, to maintain diversity in the energy mix, and to achieve climate and other objectives at the lowest cost. If all of the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from stationary sources (such as fossil-fuel burning power plants, and other industrial plants) in the United States needed to be captured and stored, it could be possible to store only a small fraction of this CO2 in oil and natural gas reservoirs, including as a result of CO2 utilization for enhanced oil recovery. The vast majority would have to be stored in saline-filled reservoirs (Dahowski et al., 2005). Given a lack of long-term commercial-scale CCS projects, there is considerable uncertainty in the risks, dynamic capacity, and their cost implications for geologic storage of CO2. Pressure buildup in the storage reservoir is expected to be a primary source of risk associated with CO2 storage, and could severely limit CO2 injection rates (dynamic storage capacities). Most cost estimates for commercial-scale deployment of CCS estimate CO2 storage costs under assumed availability of a theoretical capacity to store tens, hundreds, or even thousands of gigatons of CO2, without considering geologic heterogeneities, pressure limitations, or the time dimension. This could lead to underestimation of the costs of CO2 storage (Anderson, 2017). This paper considers the impacts of pressure limitations and geologic heterogeneity on the dynamic CO2 storage capacity and storage (injection) costs. In the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)’s National Assessment of Geologic CO2 Storage Resources (USGS, 2013), the mean estimate of the theoretical storage capacity in the Mount Simon Sandstone was about 94 billion metric tons of CO2. However, our results suggest that the pressure-limited capacity after 50 years of injection could be only about 4% of the theoretical geologic storage capacity in this formation. Because this is far less than emissions of CO2 from stationary sources in the region around the Mount Simon Sandstone, the costs to accommodate the potential annual demand for CO2 storage in this formation could be significantly greater than current estimates. Our results could have implications for how long and to what extent decision makers can expect to be able to deploy CCS before transitioning to other low- or zero-carbon energy technologies.

Multifluid geo-energy systems: Using geologic CO 2 storage for geothermal energy production and grid-scale energy storage in sedimentary basins

DOE PAGES

Buscheck, Thomas A.; Bielicki, Jeffrey M.; Edmunds, Thomas A.; ...

2016-05-05

We present an approach that uses the huge fluid and thermal storage capacity of the subsurface, together with geologic carbon dioxide (CO 2) storage, to harvest, store, and dispatch energy from subsurface (geothermal) and surface (solar, nuclear, fossil) thermal resources, as well as excess energy on electric grids. Captured CO 2 is injected into saline aquifers to store pressure, generate artesian flow of brine, and provide a supplemental working fluid for efficient heat extraction and power conversion. Concentric rings of injection and production wells create a hydraulic mound to store pressure, CO 2, and thermal energy. This energy storage canmore » take excess power from the grid and excess/waste thermal energy, and dispatch that energy when it is demanded and thus enable higher penetration of variable renewable energy technologies (e.g., wind, solar). CO 2 stored in the subsurface functions as a cushion gas to provide enormous pressure-storage capacity and displace large quantities of brine, some of which can be treated for a variety of beneficial uses. Geothermal power and energy-storage applications may generate enough revenues to compensate for CO 2 capture costs. While our approach can use nitrogen (N 2), in addition to CO 2, as a supplemental fluid, and store thermal energy, this study focuses using CO 2 for geothermal energy production and grid-scale energy storage. We conduct a techno-economic assessment to determine the levelized cost of electricity of using this approach to generate geothermal power. We present a reservoir pressure-management strategy that diverts a small portion of the produced brine for beneficial consumptive use to reduce the pumping cost of fluid recirculation, while reducing the risk of seismicity, caprock fracture, and CO 2 leakage.« less

High storage rates of anthropogenic CO_{2} in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murata, Akihiko; Kumamoto, Yu-ichiro; Sasaki, Ken-ichi

2017-04-01

Using high-quality data for CO2-system and related properties collected 17 years apart through international observation programs, we examined decadal-scale increases of anthropogenic CO2 along a zonal section at nominal 62˚ S ranging from 30˚ E to 160˚ E in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean. In contrast to previous studies, increases of anthropogenic CO2 were largest (> 9.0 μmol kg-1) in Antarctic Bottom Water, where little storage of anthropogenic CO2 has been reported. Significant increases of anthropogenic CO2 in bottom and/or deep waters were detected through the section, although they became reduced in magnitude and depth range west of 110˚ E. Vertical distributions of anthropogenic CO2 showed significant positive correlations with decadal-scale changes in CFC-12, a proxy of circulation and ventilation, meaning that the distributions were mainly controlled by physical processes. Comparison of increases of anthropogenic CO2 between calculation methods with and without total alkalinity presented differences of increases of anthropogenic CO2west of 50˚ E. This is probably because decreases in production of particulate inorganic carbons in the Southern Ocean. The highest storage rate of anthropogenic CO2 was estimated to be 1.1 ± 0.6 mol m-2 a-1 at longitudes 130˚ -160˚ E. The results highlight storage rates higher than ever reported in the Southern Ocean, where very low storage of anthropogenic CO2 has been evidenced.

Convective dissolution of carbon dioxide in saline aquifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neufeld, Jerome A.; Hesse, Marc A.; Riaz, Amir; Hallworth, Mark A.; Tchelepi, Hamdi A.; Huppert, Herbert E.

2010-11-01

Geological carbon dioxide (CO2) storage is a means of reducing anthropogenic emissions. Dissolution of CO2 into the brine, resulting in stable stratification, increases storage security. The dissolution rate is determined by convection in the brine driven by the increase of brine density with CO2 saturation. We present a new analogue fluid system that reproduces the convective behaviour of CO2-enriched brine. Laboratory experiments and high-resolution numerical simulations show that the convective flux scales with the Rayleigh number to the 4/5 power, in contrast with a classical linear relationship. A scaling argument for the convective flux incorporating lateral diffusion from downwelling plumes explains this nonlinear relationship for the convective flux, provides a physical picture of high Rayleigh number convection in a porous medium, and predicts the CO2 dissolution rates in CO2 accumulations. These estimates of the dissolution rate show that convective dissolution can play an important role in enhancing storage security.

Using Pressure and Volumetric Approaches to Estimate CO2 Storage Capacity in Deep Saline Aquifers

DOE PAGES

Thibeau, Sylvain; Bachu, Stefan; Birkholzer, Jens; ...

2014-12-31

Various approaches are used to evaluate the capacity of saline aquifers to store CO 2, resulting in a wide range of capacity estimates for a given aquifer. The two approaches most used are the volumetric “open aquifer” and “closed aquifer” approaches. We present four full-scale aquifer cases, where CO 2 storage capacity is evaluated both volumetrically (with “open” and/or “closed” approaches) and through flow modeling. These examples show that the “open aquifer” CO 2 storage capacity estimation can strongly exceed the cumulative CO 2 injection from the flow model, whereas the “closed aquifer” estimates are a closer approximation to themore » flow-model derived capacity. An analogy to oil recovery mechanisms is presented, where the primary oil recovery mechanism is compared to CO 2 aquifer storage without producing formation water; and the secondary oil recovery mechanism (water flooding) is compared to CO 2 aquifer storage performed simultaneously with extraction of water for pressure maintenance. This analogy supports the finding that the “closed aquifer” approach produces a better estimate of CO 2 storage without water extraction, and highlights the need for any CO 2 storage estimate to specify whether it is intended to represent CO 2 storage capacity with or without water extraction.« less

Analytical and Numerical Models of Pressurization for CO2 Storage in Deep Saline Formations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wildgust, N.; Cavanagh, A.

2010-12-01

Deep saline formations are expected to store gigatonnes of CO2 over the coming decades, making a significant contribution to greenhouse gas mitigation. At present, our experience of deep saline formation storage is limited to a small number of demonstration projects that have successfully injected megatonnes of captured CO2. However, concerns have been raised over pressurization, and related brine displacement, in deep saline formations, given the anticipated scale of future storage operations. Whilst industrial-scale demonstration projects such as Sleipner and In Salah have not experienced problems, generic flow models have indicated that, in some cases, pressure may be an issue. The problem of modeling deep saline formation pressurization has been approached in a number of different ways by researchers, with published analytical and numerical solutions showing a wide range of outcomes. The divergence of results (either supporting or negating the pressurization issue) principally reflects the a priori choice of boundary conditions. These approaches can be summed up as either 'open' or 'closed': a) open system models allow the formation pressure to dissipate laterally, resulting in reasonable storage scenarios; b) closed system models predict pressurization, resulting in a loss of injectivity and/or storage formation leakage. The latter scenario predicts that storage sites will commonly fail to accommodate injected CO2 at a rate sufficient to handle routine projects. Our models aim to demonstrate that pressurization, and the related brine displacement issue, need to be addressed at a regional scale with geologically accurate boundary conditions. Given that storage formations are unlikely to have zero-flow boundaries (closed system assumption), the boundary contribution to pressure relief from low permeability shales may be significant. At a field scale, these shales are effectively perfect seals with respect to multiphase flow, but are open with respect to single phase flow and pressure dissipation via brine displacement at a regional scale. This is sometimes characterized as a 'semi-closed' system. It follows that the rate at which pressure can be dissipated (and CO2 injected) is highly sensitive to the shale permeability. A common range from sub-millidarcy (10-17 m2) to sub-nanodarcy (10-22 m2) is considered, and the empirical relationships of permeability with respect to porosity and threshold pressure are reviewed in light of the regional scale of CO2 storage in deep saline formations. Our model indicates that a boundary permeability of about a microdarcy (10-18 m2) is likely to provide sufficient pressure dissipation via brine displacement to allow for routine geological storage. The models also suggest that nanodarcy shales (10-21 m2) will result in significant pressurization. There is regional evidence, from the North Sea, that typical shale permeabilities at depths associated with CO2 storage (1-3 km) are likely to favor storage, relegating pressurization to a manageable issue.

Brine Flow Up a Borehole Caused by Pressure Perturbation From CO2 Storage: Static and Dynamic Evaluations

EPA Science Inventory

Industrial-scale storage of CO2 in saline sedimentary basins will cause zones of elevated pressure, larger than the CO2 plume itself. If permeable conduits (e.g., leaking wells) exist between the injection reservoir and overlying shallow aquifers, brine could be pushed upwards al...

Large-scale CO2 storage — Is it feasible?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johansen, H.

2013-06-01

CCS is generally estimated to have to account for about 20% of the reduction of CO2 emissions to the atmosphere. This paper focuses on the technical aspects of CO2 storage, even if the CCS challenge is equally dependent upon finding viable international solutions to a wide range of economic, political and cultural issues. It has already been demonstrated that it is technically possible to store adequate amounts of CO2 in the subsurface (Sleipner, InSalah, Snøhvit). The large-scale storage challenge (several Gigatons of CO2 per year) is more an issue of minimizing cost without compromising safety, and of making international regulations.The storage challenge may be split into 4 main parts: 1) finding reservoirs with adequate storage capacity, 2) make sure that the sealing capacity above the reservoir is sufficient, 3) build the infrastructure for transport, drilling and injection, and 4) set up and perform the necessary monitoring activities. More than 150 years of worldwide experience from the production of oil and gas is an important source of competence for CO2 storage. The storage challenge is however different in three important aspects: 1) the storage activity results in pressure increase in the subsurface, 2) there is no production of fluids that give important feedback on reservoir performance, and 3) the monitoring requirement will have to extend for a much longer time into the future than what is needed during oil and gas production. An important property of CO2 is that its behaviour in the subsurface is significantly different from that of oil and gas. CO2 in contact with water is reactive and corrosive, and may impose great damage on both man-made and natural materials, if proper precautions are not executed. On the other hand, the long-term effect of most of these reactions is that a large amount of CO2 will become immobilized and permanently stored as solid carbonate minerals. The reduced opportunity for direct monitoring of fluid samples close to the reservoir, the general pressure build up, and the reactive nature of CO2, have created a need for new research and knowledge, to be used in conjunction with operating competence from the oil and gas industry. Experimental work on fluid flow, deformation and reaction, as well as simulations to predict the future performance of the injected CO2, are much more important in connection with CO2 storage, as compared with conventional oil and gas production. To conclude this overview of the CO2 storage challenge, the technical feasibility of large-scale CO2 storage has been demonstrated. The cost is however going to be significant, especially in the initial phase. The public acceptance of CCS, and the willingness to pay the bill, will depend on several important factors: a serious acceptance of the climate problem, economic and political regulations that are globally fair, and the willingness of each and one of us to accept a higher price for energy.

U.S. DOE NETL methodology for estimating the prospective CO 2 storage resource of shales at the national and regional scale

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Levine, Jonathan S.; Fukai, Isis; Soeder, Daniel J.

While the majority of shale formations will serve as reservoir seals for stored anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrocarbon-bearing shale formations may be potential geologic sinks after depletion through primary production. Here in this paper we present the United States-Department of Energy-National Energy Technology Laboratory (US-DOE-NETL) methodology for screening-level assessment of prospective CO 2 storage resources in shale using a volumetric equation. Volumetric resource estimates are produced from the bulk volume, porosity, and sorptivity of the shale and storage efficiency factors based on formation-scale properties and petrophysical limitations on fluid transport. Prospective shale formations require: (1) prior hydrocarbon production using horizontalmore » drilling and stimulation via staged, high-volume hydraulic fracturing, (2) depths sufficient to maintain CO 2 in a supercritical state, generally >800 m, and (3) an overlying seal. The US-DOE-NETL methodology accounts for storage of CO 2 in shale as a free fluid phase within fractures and matrix pores and as an sorbed phase on organic matter and clays. Uncertainties include but are not limited to poorly-constrained geologic variability in formation thickness, porosity, existing fluid content, organic richness, and mineralogy. Knowledge of how these parameters may be linked to depositional environments, facies, and diagenetic history of the shale will improve the understanding of pore-to-reservoir scale behavior, and provide improved estimates of prospective CO 2 storage.« less

U.S. DOE NETL methodology for estimating the prospective CO 2 storage resource of shales at the national and regional scale

DOE PAGES

Levine, Jonathan S.; Fukai, Isis; Soeder, Daniel J.; ...

2016-05-31

While the majority of shale formations will serve as reservoir seals for stored anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrocarbon-bearing shale formations may be potential geologic sinks after depletion through primary production. Here in this paper we present the United States-Department of Energy-National Energy Technology Laboratory (US-DOE-NETL) methodology for screening-level assessment of prospective CO 2 storage resources in shale using a volumetric equation. Volumetric resource estimates are produced from the bulk volume, porosity, and sorptivity of the shale and storage efficiency factors based on formation-scale properties and petrophysical limitations on fluid transport. Prospective shale formations require: (1) prior hydrocarbon production using horizontalmore » drilling and stimulation via staged, high-volume hydraulic fracturing, (2) depths sufficient to maintain CO 2 in a supercritical state, generally >800 m, and (3) an overlying seal. The US-DOE-NETL methodology accounts for storage of CO 2 in shale as a free fluid phase within fractures and matrix pores and as an sorbed phase on organic matter and clays. Uncertainties include but are not limited to poorly-constrained geologic variability in formation thickness, porosity, existing fluid content, organic richness, and mineralogy. Knowledge of how these parameters may be linked to depositional environments, facies, and diagenetic history of the shale will improve the understanding of pore-to-reservoir scale behavior, and provide improved estimates of prospective CO 2 storage.« less

Natural analogues for CO2 storage sites - analysis of a global dataset

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miocic, Johannes; Gilfillan, Stuart; McDermott, Christopher; Haszeldine, R. Stuart

2013-04-01

Carbon Capture and Storage is the only industrial scale technology currently available to reduce CO2 emissions from fossil-fuelled power plants and large industrial source to the atmosphere and thus mitigate climate change. CO2 is captured at the source and transported to subsurface storage sites, such as depleted oil and gas fields or saline aquifers. In order to have an effect on emissions and to be considered safe it is crucial that the amount of CO2 leaking from storage sites to shallow aquifers or the surface remains very low (<1% over 1000 years). Some process that influence the safety of a reservoir, such as CO2-rock-brine interactions, can be studied using experiments on both laboratory and field-scale. However, long-term processes such as the development of leakage pathways can only be understood by either predictive modelling or by studying natural CO2 reservoirs as analogues for long term CO2 storage sites. Natural CO2 reservoirs have similar geological trapping mechanisms as anticipated for CO2 storage sites and often have held CO2 for a geological period of time (millions of years) without any indication for leakage. Yet, migration of CO2 from reservoirs to the surface is also common and evidenced by gas seeps such as springs and soil degassing. We have compiled and analysed a dataset comprising of more than 50 natural CO2 reservoirs from different settings all around the globe to provide an overview of the factors that are important for the retention of CO2 in the subsurface and what processes lead to leakage of CO2 from the reservoir. Initial results indicate that if the reservoir is found to be leaking, CO2 migration is along faults and not through caprock layers. This indicates that faults act as fluid pathways and play an important role when characterizing a storage site. Additionally, it appears that overpressure of the overburden and the state of CO2 in the reservoir influence the likelihood of migration and hence the safety of a reservoir.

Lifetime of carbon capture and storage as a climate-change mitigation technology

PubMed Central

Szulczewski, Michael L.; MacMinn, Christopher W.; Herzog, Howard J.; Juanes, Ruben

2012-01-01

In carbon capture and storage (CCS), CO2 is captured at power plants and then injected underground into reservoirs like deep saline aquifers for long-term storage. While CCS may be critical for the continued use of fossil fuels in a carbon-constrained world, the deployment of CCS has been hindered by uncertainty in geologic storage capacities and sustainable injection rates, which has contributed to the absence of concerted government policy. Here, we clarify the potential of CCS to mitigate emissions in the United States by developing a storage-capacity supply curve that, unlike current large-scale capacity estimates, is derived from the fluid mechanics of CO2 injection and trapping and incorporates injection-rate constraints. We show that storage supply is a dynamic quantity that grows with the duration of CCS, and we interpret the lifetime of CCS as the time for which the storage supply curve exceeds the storage demand curve from CO2 production. We show that in the United States, if CO2 production from power generation continues to rise at recent rates, then CCS can store enough CO2 to stabilize emissions at current levels for at least 100 y. This result suggests that the large-scale implementation of CCS is a geologically viable climate-change mitigation option in the United States over the next century. PMID:22431639

Modeling basin- and plume-scale processes of CO2 storage for full-scale deployment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, Q.; Birkholzer, J.T.; Mehnert, E.

Integrated modeling of basin- and plume-scale processes induced by full-scale deployment of CO{sub 2} storage was applied to the Mt. Simon Aquifer in the Illinois Basin. A three-dimensional mesh was generated with local refinement around 20 injection sites, with approximately 30 km spacing. A total annual injection rate of 100 Mt CO{sub 2} over 50 years was used. The CO{sub 2}-brine flow at the plume scale and the single-phase flow at the basin scale were simulated. Simulation results show the overall shape of a CO{sub 2} plume consisting of a typical gravity-override subplume in the bottom injection zone of highmore » injectivity and a pyramid-shaped subplume in the overlying multilayered Mt. Simon, indicating the important role of a secondary seal with relatively low-permeability and high-entry capillary pressure. The secondary-seal effect is manifested by retarded upward CO{sub 2} migration as a result of multiple secondary seals, coupled with lateral preferential CO{sub 2} viscous fingering through high-permeability layers. The plume width varies from 9.0 to 13.5 km at 200 years, indicating the slow CO{sub 2} migration and no plume interference between storage sites. On the basin scale, pressure perturbations propagate quickly away from injection centers, interfere after less than 1 year, and eventually reach basin margins. The simulated pressure buildup of 35 bar in the injection area is not expected to affect caprock geomechanical integrity. Moderate pressure buildup is observed in Mt. Simon in northern Illinois. However, its impact on groundwater resources is less than the hydraulic drawdown induced by long-term extensive pumping from overlying freshwater aquifers.« less

Large temporal scale and capacity subsurface bulk energy storage with CO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saar, M. O.; Fleming, M. R.; Adams, B. M.; Ogland-Hand, J.; Nelson, E. S.; Randolph, J.; Sioshansi, R.; Kuehn, T. H.; Buscheck, T. A.; Bielicki, J. M.

2017-12-01

Decarbonizing energy systems by increasing the penetration of variable renewable energy (VRE) technologies requires efficient and short- to long-term energy storage. Very large amounts of energy can be stored in the subsurface as heat and/or pressure energy in order to provide both short- and long-term (seasonal) storage, depending on the implementation. This energy storage approach can be quite efficient, especially where geothermal energy is naturally added to the system. Here, we present subsurface heat and/or pressure energy storage with supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) and discuss the system's efficiency, deployment options, as well as its advantages and disadvantages, compared to several other energy storage options. CO2-based subsurface bulk energy storage has the potential to be particularly efficient and large-scale, both temporally (i.e., seasonal) and spatially. The latter refers to the amount of energy that can be stored underground, using CO2, at a geologically conducive location, potentially enabling storing excess power from a substantial portion of the power grid. The implication is that it would be possible to employ centralized energy storage for (a substantial part of) the power grid, where the geology enables CO2-based bulk subsurface energy storage, whereas the VRE technologies (solar, wind) are located on that same power grid, where (solar, wind) conditions are ideal. However, this may require reinforcing the power grid's transmission lines in certain parts of the grid to enable high-load power transmission from/to a few locations.

Assessment of CO2 Storage Potential in Naturally Fractured Reservoirs With Dual-Porosity Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

March, Rafael; Doster, Florian; Geiger, Sebastian

2018-03-01

Naturally Fractured Reservoirs (NFR's) have received little attention as potential CO2 storage sites. Two main facts deter from storage projects in fractured reservoirs: (1) CO2 tends to be nonwetting in target formations and capillary forces will keep CO2 in the fractures, which typically have low pore volume; and (2) the high conductivity of the fractures may lead to increased spatial spreading of the CO2 plume. Numerical simulations are a powerful tool to understand the physics behind brine-CO2 flow in NFR's. Dual-porosity models are typically used to simulate multiphase flow in fractured formations. However, existing dual-porosity models are based on crude approximations of the matrix-fracture fluid transfer processes and often fail to capture the dynamics of fluid exchange accurately. Therefore, more accurate transfer functions are needed in order to evaluate the CO2 transfer to the matrix. This work presents an assessment of CO2 storage potential in NFR's using dual-porosity models. We investigate the impact of a system of fractures on storage in a saline aquifer, by analyzing the time scales of brine drainage by CO2 in the matrix blocks and the maximum CO2 that can be stored in the rock matrix. A new model to estimate drainage time scales is developed and used in a transfer function for dual-porosity simulations. We then analyze how injection rates should be limited in order to avoid early spill of CO2 (lost control of the plume) on a conceptual anticline model. Numerical simulations on the anticline show that naturally fractured reservoirs may be used to store CO2.

Pore-scale simulation of CO2-water-rock interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, H.; Molins, S.; Steefel, C. I.; DePaolo, D. J.

2017-12-01

In Geologic Carbon Storage (GCS) systems, the migration of scCO2 versus CO2-acidifed brine ultimately determines the extent of mineral trapping and caprock integrity, i.e. the long-term storage efficiency and security. While continuum scale multiphase reactive transport models are valuable for large scale investigations, they typically (over-)simplify pore-scale dynamics and cannot capture local heterogeneities that may be important. Therefore, pore-scale models are needed in order to provide mechanistic understanding of how fine scale structural variations and heterogeneous processes influence the transport and geochemistry in the context of multiphase flow, and to inform parameterization of continuum scale modeling. In this study, we investigate the interplay of different processes at pore scale (e.g. diffusion, reactions, and multiphase flow) through the coupling of a well-developed multiphase flow simulator with a sophisticated reactive transport code. The objectives are to understand where brine displaced by scCO2 will reside in a rough pore/fracture, and how the CO2-water-rock interactions may affect the redistribution of different phases. In addition, the coupled code will provide a platform for model testing in pore-scale multiphase reactive transport problems.

Subtask – CO 2 storage and enhanced bakken recovery research program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sorensen, James; Hawthorne, Steven; Smith, Steven

Small improvements in productivity could increase technically recoverable oil in the Bakken Petroleum System by billions of barrels. The use of CO 2 for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in tight oil reservoirs is a relatively new concept. The large-scale injection of CO 2 into the Bakken would also result in the geological storage of significant amounts of CO 2. The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) has conducted laboratory and modeling activities to examine the potential for CO 2 storage and EOR in the Bakken. Specific activities included the characterization and subsequent modeling of North Dakota study areas as wellmore » as dynamic predictive simulations of possible CO 2 injection schemes to predict the potential CO 2 storage and EOR in those areas. Laboratory studies to evaluate the ability of CO 2 to remove hydrocarbons from Bakken rocks and determine minimum miscibility pressures for Bakken oil samples were conducted. Data from a CO 2 injection test conducted in the Elm Coulee area of Montana in 2009 were evaluated with an eye toward the possible application of knowledge gained to future injection tests in other areas. A first-order estimation of potential CO 2 storage capacity in the Bakken Formation in North Dakota was also conducted. Key findings of the program are as follows. The results of the research activities suggest that CO 2 may be effective in enhancing the productivity of oil from the Bakken and that the Bakken may hold the ability to geologically store between 120 Mt and 3.2 Gt of CO 2. However, there are no clear-cut answers regarding the most effective approach for using CO 2 to improve oil productivity or the storage capacity of the Bakken. The results underscore the notion that an unconventional resource will likely require unconventional methods of both assessment and implementation when it comes to the injection of CO 2. In particular, a better understanding of the fundamental mechanisms controlling the interactions between CO 2, oil, and other reservoir fluids in these unique formations is necessary to develop accurate assessments of potential CO 2 storage and EOR in the Bakken. In addition, existing modeling and simulation software packages do not adequately address or incorporate the unique properties of these tight, unconventional reservoirs in terms of their impact on CO 2 behavior. These knowledge gaps can be filled by conducting scaled-up laboratory activities integrated with improved modeling and simulation techniques, the results of which will provide a robust foundation for pilot-scale field injection tests. Finally, field-based data on injection, fluid production, and long-term monitoring from pilot-scale CO 2 injection tests in the Bakken are necessary to verify and validate the findings of the laboratory- and modeling-based research efforts. This subtask was funded through the EERC–U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Program on Research and Development for Fossil Energy-Related Resources Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC26-08NT43291. Nonfederal funding was provided by the North Dakota Industrial Commission, Marathon Oil Corporation, Continental Resources Inc., and TAQA North, Ltd.« less

Optimizing and Quantifying CO 2 Storage Resource in Saline Formations and Hydrocarbon Reservoirs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bosshart, Nicholas W.; Ayash, Scott C.; Azzolina, Nicholas A.

In an effort to reduce carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions from large stationary sources, carbon capture and storage (CCS) is being investigated as one approach. This work assesses CO 2 storage resource estimation methods for deep saline formations (DSFs) and hydrocarbon reservoirs undergoing CO 2 enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Project activities were conducted using geologic modeling and simulation to investigate CO 2 storage efficiency. CO 2 storage rates and efficiencies in DSFs classified by interpreted depositional environment were evaluated at the regional scale over a 100-year time frame. A focus was placed on developing results applicable to future widespread commercial-scalemore » CO 2 storage operations in which an array of injection wells may be used to optimize storage in saline formations. The results of this work suggest future investigations of prospective storage resource in closed or semiclosed formations need not have a detailed understanding of the depositional environment of the reservoir to generate meaningful estimates. However, the results of this work also illustrate the relative importance of depositional environment, formation depth, structural geometry, and boundary conditions on the rate of CO 2 storage in these types of systems. CO 2 EOR occupies an important place in the realm of geologic storage of CO 2, as it is likely to be the primary means of geologic CO 2 storage during the early stages of commercial implementation, given the lack of a national policy and the viability of the current business case. This work estimates CO 2 storage efficiency factors using a unique industry database of CO 2 EOR sites and 18 different reservoir simulation models capturing fluvial clastic and shallow shelf carbonate depositional environments for reservoir depths of 1219 and 2438 meters (4000 and 8000 feet) and 7.6-, 20-, and 64-meter (25-, 66,- and 209-foot) pay zones. The results of this work provide practical information that can be used to quantify CO 2 storage resource estimates in oil reservoirs during CO 2 EOR operations (as opposed to storage following depletion) and the uncertainty associated with those estimates.« less

On the Role of Multi-Scale Processes in CO2 Storage Security and Integrity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pruess, K.; Kneafsey, T. J.

2008-12-01

Consideration of multiple scales in subsurface processes is usually referred to the spatial domain, where we may attempt to relate process descriptions and parameters from pore and bench (Darcy) scale to much larger field and regional scales. However, multiple scales occur also in the time domain, and processes extending over a broad range of time scales may be very relevant to CO2 storage and containment. In some cases, such as in the convective instability induced by CO2 dissolution in saline waters, space and time scales are coupled in the sense that perturbations induced by CO2 injection will grow concurrently over many orders of magnitude in both space and time. In other cases, CO2 injection may induce processes that occur on short time scales, yet may affect large regions. Possible examples include seismicity that may be triggered by CO2 injection, or hypothetical release events such as "pneumatic eruptions" that may discharge substantial amounts of CO2 over a short time period. This paper will present recent advances in our experimental and modeling studies of multi-scale processes. Specific examples that will be discussed include (1) the process of CO2 dissolution-diffusion-convection (DDC), that can greatly accelerate the rate at which free-phase CO2 is stored as aqueous solute; (2) self- enhancing and self-limiting processes during CO2 leakage through faults, fractures, or improperly abandoned wells; and (3) porosity and permeability reduction from salt precipitation near CO2 injection wells, and mitigation of corresponding injectivity loss. This work was supported by the Office of Basic Energy Sciences and by the Zero Emission Research and Technology project (ZERT) under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231 with the U.S. Department of Energy.

Improved understanding of geologic CO{sub 2} storage processes requires risk-driven field experiments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oldenburg, C.M.

2011-06-01

The need for risk-driven field experiments for CO{sub 2} geologic storage processes to complement ongoing pilot-scale demonstrations is discussed. These risk-driven field experiments would be aimed at understanding the circumstances under which things can go wrong with a CO{sub 2} capture and storage (CCS) project and cause it to fail, as distinguished from accomplishing this end using demonstration and industrial scale sites. Such risk-driven tests would complement risk-assessment efforts that have already been carried out by providing opportunities to validate risk models. In addition to experimenting with high-risk scenarios, these controlled field experiments could help validate monitoring approaches to improvemore » performance assessment and guide development of mitigation strategies.« less

Jumpstarting commercial-scale CO 2 capture and storage with ethylene production and enhanced oil recovery in the US Gulf

DOE PAGES

Middleton, Richard S.; Levine, Jonathan S.; Bielicki, Jeffrey M.; ...

2015-04-27

CO 2 capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology has yet to be widely deployed at a commercial scale despite multiple high-profile demonstration projects. We suggest that developing a large-scale, visible, and financially viable CCUS network could potentially overcome many barriers to deployment and jumpstart commercial-scale CCUS. To date, substantial effort has focused on technology development to reduce the costs of CO 2 capture from coal-fired power plants. Here, we propose that near-term investment could focus on implementing CO 2 capture on facilities that produce high-value chemicals/products. These facilities can absorb the expected impact of the marginal increase in the costmore » of production on the price of their product, due to the addition of CO 2 capture, more than coal-fired power plants. A financially viable demonstration of a large-scale CCUS network requires offsetting the costs of CO 2 capture by using the CO 2 as an input to the production of market-viable products. As a result, we demonstrate this alternative development path with the example of an integrated CCUS system where CO 2 is captured from ethylene producers and used for enhanced oil recovery in the U.S. Gulf Coast region.« less

Comparison of geomechanical deformation induced by megatonne-scale CO2 storage at Sleipner, Weyburn, and In Salah

PubMed Central

Verdon, James P.; Kendall, J.-Michael; Stork, Anna L.; Chadwick, R. Andy; White, Don J.; Bissell, Rob C.

2013-01-01

Geological storage of CO2 that has been captured at large, point source emitters represents a key potential method for reduction of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. However, this technology will only be viable if it can be guaranteed that injected CO2 will remain trapped in the subsurface for thousands of years or more. A significant issue for storage security is the geomechanical response of the reservoir. Concerns have been raised that geomechanical deformation induced by CO2 injection will create or reactivate fracture networks in the sealing caprocks, providing a pathway for CO2 leakage. In this paper, we examine three large-scale sites where CO2 is injected at rates of ∼1 megatonne/y or more: Sleipner, Weyburn, and In Salah. We compare and contrast the observed geomechanical behavior of each site, with particular focus on the risks to storage security posed by geomechanical deformation. At Sleipner, the large, high-permeability storage aquifer has experienced little pore pressure increase over 15 y of injection, implying little possibility of geomechanical deformation. At Weyburn, 45 y of oil production has depleted pore pressures before increases associated with CO2 injection. The long history of the field has led to complicated, sometimes nonintuitive geomechanical deformation. At In Salah, injection into the water leg of a gas reservoir has increased pore pressures, leading to uplift and substantial microseismic activity. The differences in the geomechanical responses of these sites emphasize the need for systematic geomechanical appraisal before injection in any potential storage site. PMID:23836635

Comparison of geomechanical deformation induced by megatonne-scale CO2 storage at Sleipner, Weyburn, and In Salah.

PubMed

Verdon, James P; Kendall, J-Michael; Stork, Anna L; Chadwick, R Andy; White, Don J; Bissell, Rob C

2013-07-23

Geological storage of CO2 that has been captured at large, point source emitters represents a key potential method for reduction of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. However, this technology will only be viable if it can be guaranteed that injected CO2 will remain trapped in the subsurface for thousands of years or more. A significant issue for storage security is the geomechanical response of the reservoir. Concerns have been raised that geomechanical deformation induced by CO2 injection will create or reactivate fracture networks in the sealing caprocks, providing a pathway for CO2 leakage. In this paper, we examine three large-scale sites where CO2 is injected at rates of ~1 megatonne/y or more: Sleipner, Weyburn, and In Salah. We compare and contrast the observed geomechanical behavior of each site, with particular focus on the risks to storage security posed by geomechanical deformation. At Sleipner, the large, high-permeability storage aquifer has experienced little pore pressure increase over 15 y of injection, implying little possibility of geomechanical deformation. At Weyburn, 45 y of oil production has depleted pore pressures before increases associated with CO2 injection. The long history of the field has led to complicated, sometimes nonintuitive geomechanical deformation. At In Salah, injection into the water leg of a gas reservoir has increased pore pressures, leading to uplift and substantial microseismic activity. The differences in the geomechanical responses of these sites emphasize the need for systematic geomechanical appraisal before injection in any potential storage site.

Science in bullet points: How to compile scientific results to underpin guidelines for CO2 storage for the German transposition of the European CCS Directive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Streibel, Martin

2015-04-01

In 2012 the German Parliament passed the transposition of the EC Directive 2009/31/EC the "Carbon Dioxide Storage Law" (KSpG). The law focuses on the demonstration of the CO2 storage technology and mainly regulates the storage part of the Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) chain. As the law has a conceptual character, appendix 1 provides a description of criteria for the characterisation and assessment of a potential CO2 storage site starting with field data ending with requirements for dynamic modelling of the storage complex. Appendix 2 describes the expected monitoring system during all relevant phases of a life cycle of a CO2 storage site. The criteria given in the appendices are of general nature, which reflects on one hand that the CO2 storage technology is still being developed and on the other hand that site specific aspects needs to be considered. In 2004 the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany launched the programme GEOTECHNOLOGIEN with one key aspect being the development of technologies for a sustainable storage of carbon dioxide in geological formations. Within this research field more than 30 projects in three phases have been funded until the end of 2014. In order to benefit from the gathered knowledge and use the experiences for the policy/law making process the umbrella project AUGE has been launched in October 2012 with a life time of three years. The aim of the project is to review and compile all results of projects funded during the three phases to underpin the appendices of the KSpG. In the first part of the paper the most important findings of the project with regard to the overall risk of a geological CO2 storage and the procedure of compiling the guidance document will be discussed. Milestones of this project were • the compilation of the results of national, European and international projects; • interviews with stakeholders; • a workshops to define state of the art for certain involved technologies and existing gaps; • a workshop to understand the limitations of existing simulation tools for large scale CO2 storage. In a second part of the paper it is discussed what kind of guidance documents are actually still required for regulation of large scale CO2 storage sites.

Prospective CO 2 saline resource estimation methodology: Refinement of existing US-DOE-NETL methods based on data availability

DOE PAGES

Goodman, Angela; Sanguinito, Sean; Levine, Jonathan S.

2016-09-28

Carbon storage resource estimation in subsurface saline formations plays an important role in establishing the scale of carbon capture and storage activities for governmental policy and commercial project decision-making. Prospective CO 2 resource estimation of large regions or subregions, such as a basin, occurs at the initial screening stages of a project using only limited publicly available geophysical data, i.e. prior to project-specific site selection data generation. As the scale of investigation is narrowed and selected areas and formations are identified, prospective CO 2 resource estimation can be refined and uncertainty narrowed when site-specific geophysical data are available. Here, wemore » refine the United States Department of Energy – National Energy Technology Laboratory (US-DOE-NETL) methodology as the scale of investigation is narrowed from very large regional assessments down to selected areas and formations that may be developed for commercial storage. In addition, we present a new notation that explicitly identifies differences between data availability and data sources used for geologic parameters and efficiency factors as the scale of investigation is narrowed. This CO 2 resource estimation method is available for screening formations in a tool called CO 2-SCREEN.« less

Prospective CO 2 saline resource estimation methodology: Refinement of existing US-DOE-NETL methods based on data availability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goodman, Angela; Sanguinito, Sean; Levine, Jonathan S.

Carbon storage resource estimation in subsurface saline formations plays an important role in establishing the scale of carbon capture and storage activities for governmental policy and commercial project decision-making. Prospective CO 2 resource estimation of large regions or subregions, such as a basin, occurs at the initial screening stages of a project using only limited publicly available geophysical data, i.e. prior to project-specific site selection data generation. As the scale of investigation is narrowed and selected areas and formations are identified, prospective CO 2 resource estimation can be refined and uncertainty narrowed when site-specific geophysical data are available. Here, wemore » refine the United States Department of Energy – National Energy Technology Laboratory (US-DOE-NETL) methodology as the scale of investigation is narrowed from very large regional assessments down to selected areas and formations that may be developed for commercial storage. In addition, we present a new notation that explicitly identifies differences between data availability and data sources used for geologic parameters and efficiency factors as the scale of investigation is narrowed. This CO 2 resource estimation method is available for screening formations in a tool called CO 2-SCREEN.« less

Migration of carbon dioxide included micro-nano bubble water in porous media and its monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takemura, T.; Hamamoto, S.; Suzuki, K.; Koichi, O.

2017-12-01

The distributed CO2 storage is the small scale storage and its located near the emission areas. In the distributed CO2 storage, the CO2 is neutralized by sediment and underground water in the subsurface region (300-500m depth). Carbon dioxide (CO2) included micro-nano bubbles is one approach in neutralizing CO2 and sediments by increasing CO2 volume per unit volume of water and accelerating the chemical reaction. In order to design underground treatment for CO2 gas in the subsurface, it is required to elucidate the behavior of CO2 included micro-nano bubbles in the water. In this study, we carried out laboratory experiment using the soil tank, and measure the amount of leakage of CO2 gas at the surface. In addition, the process of migration of carbon dioxide included micro-nano bubble was monitored by the nondestructive method, wave velocity and resistivity.

Intermediate Scale Laboratory Testing to Understand Mechanisms of Capillary and Dissolution Trapping during Injection and Post-Injection of CO 2 in Heterogeneous Geological Formations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Illangasekare, Tissa; Trevisan, Luca; Agartan, Elif

2015-03-31

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) represents a technology aimed to reduce atmospheric loading of CO 2 from power plants and heavy industries by injecting it into deep geological formations, such as saline aquifers. A number of trapping mechanisms contribute to effective and secure storage of the injected CO 2 in supercritical fluid phase (scCO 2) in the formation over the long term. The primary trapping mechanisms are structural, residual, dissolution and mineralization. Knowledge gaps exist on how the heterogeneity of the formation manifested at all scales from the pore to the site scales affects trapping and parameterization of contributing mechanismsmore » in models. An experimental and modeling study was conducted to fill these knowledge gaps. Experimental investigation of fundamental processes and mechanisms in field settings is not possible as it is not feasible to fully characterize the geologic heterogeneity at all relevant scales and gathering data on migration, trapping and dissolution of scCO 2. Laboratory experiments using scCO 2 under ambient conditions are also not feasible as it is technically challenging and cost prohibitive to develop large, two- or three-dimensional test systems with controlled high pressures to keep the scCO 2 as a liquid. Hence, an innovative approach that used surrogate fluids in place of scCO 2 and formation brine in multi-scale, synthetic aquifers test systems ranging in scales from centimeter to meter scale developed used. New modeling algorithms were developed to capture the processes controlled by the formation heterogeneity, and they were tested using the data from the laboratory test systems. The results and findings are expected to contribute toward better conceptual models, future improvements to DOE numerical codes, more accurate assessment of storage capacities, and optimized placement strategies. This report presents the experimental and modeling methods and research results.« less

Assessing the health risks of natural CO2 seeps in Italy

PubMed Central

Roberts, Jennifer J.; Wood, Rachel A.; Haszeldine, R. Stuart

2011-01-01

Industrialized societies which continue to use fossil fuel energy sources are considering adoption of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology to meet carbon emission reduction targets. Deep geological storage of CO2 onshore faces opposition regarding potential health effects of CO2 leakage from storage sites. There is no experience of commercial scale CCS with which to verify predicted risks of engineered storage failure. Studying risk from natural CO2 seeps can guide assessment of potential health risks from leaking onshore CO2 stores. Italy and Sicily are regions of intense natural CO2 degassing from surface seeps. These seeps exhibit a variety of expressions, characteristics (e.g., temperature/flux), and location environments. Here we quantify historical fatalities from CO2 poisoning using a database of 286 natural CO2 seeps in Italy and Sicily. We find that risk of human death is strongly influenced by seep surface expression, local conditions (e.g., topography and wind speed), CO2 flux, and human behavior. Risk of accidental human death from these CO2 seeps is calculated to be 10-8 year-1 to the exposed population. This value is significantly lower than that of many socially accepted risks. Seepage from future storage sites is modeled to be less that Italian natural flux rates. With appropriate hazard management, health risks from unplanned seepage at onshore storage sites can be adequately minimized. PMID:21911398

U.S. Department of Energy's site screening, site selection, and initial characterization for storage of CO2 in deep geological formations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rodosta, T.D.; Litynski, J.T.; Plasynski, S.I.; Hickman, S.; Frailey, S.; Myer, L.

2011-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is the lead Federal agency for the development and deployment of carbon sequestration technologies. As part of its mission to facilitate technology transfer and develop guidelines from lessons learned, DOE is developing a series of best practice manuals (BPMs) for carbon capture and storage (CCS). The "Site Screening, Site Selection, and Initial Characterization for Storage of CO2 in Deep Geological Formations" BPM is a compilation of best practices and includes flowchart diagrams illustrating the general decision making process for Site Screening, Site Selection, and Initial Characterization. The BPM integrates the knowledge gained from various programmatic efforts, with particular emphasis on the Characterization Phase through pilot-scale CO2 injection testing of the Validation Phase of the Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (RCSP) Initiative. Key geologic and surface elements that suitable candidate storage sites should possess are identified, along with example Site Screening, Site Selection, and Initial Characterization protocols for large-scale geologic storage projects located across diverse geologic and regional settings. This manual has been written as a working document, establishing a framework and methodology for proper site selection for CO2 geologic storage. This will be useful for future CO2 emitters, transporters, and storage providers. It will also be of use in informing local, regional, state, and national governmental agencies of best practices in proper sequestration site selection. Furthermore, it will educate the inquisitive general public on options and processes for geologic CO2 storage. In addition to providing best practices, the manual presents a geologic storage resource and capacity classification system. The system provides a "standard" to communicate storage and capacity estimates, uncertainty and project development risk, data guidelines and analyses for adequate site characterization, and guidelines for reporting estimates within the classification based on each project's status. 

Hyperspectral Geobotanical Remote Sensing for Monitoring and Verifying CO 2 Containment Final Report CRADA No. TC-2036-02

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pickles, W. L.; Ebrom, D. A.

This collaborative effort was in support of the CO 2 Capture Project (CCP), to develop techniques that integrate overhead images of plant species, plant health, geological formations, soil types, aquatic, and human use spatial patterns for detection and discrimination of any CO 2 releases from underground storage formations. The goal of this work was to demonstrate advanced hyperspectral geobotanical remote sensing methods to assess potential leakage of CO 2 from underground storage. The timeframes and scales relevant to the long-term storage of CO 2 in the subsurface make remote sensing methods attractive. Moreover, it has been shown that individual fieldmore » measurements of gas composition are subject to variability on extremely small temporal and spatial scales. The ability to verify ultimate reservoir integrity and to place individual surface measurements into context will be crucial to successful long-term monitoring and verification activities. The desired results were to produce a defined and tested procedure that could be easily used for long-term monitoring of possible CO 2 leakage from underground CO 2 sequestration sites. This testing standard will be utilized on behalf of the oil industry.« less

Mineral trapping of CO2 in operated geothermal reservoirs - Numerical simulations on various scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kühn, Michael; Stanjek, Helge; Peiffer, Stefan; Clauser, Christoph

2013-04-01

A novel approach to store CO2 not only by hydrodynamic trapping within a reservoir, but to convert dissolved CO2 into the geochemically more stable form of calcite in a reaction with calcium obtained from dissolution of sulphates and alkalinity from feldspars or fly ashes is described here. The presentation gives answers to the key questions: • Where are potential geothermal reservoirs with anhydrite abundant? • Does the transfer of anhydrite into calcite work at all and what are the reaction rates? • What are probable alkalinity sources and how fast are they available? Numerical simulation is a means to quantify the entire process of CO2 storage and to deepen the understanding of the detailed chemical processes. We performed numerical simulations on multiple scales. The relevant scales reach from the micro or thin section scale (ca. 1 cm) to the reservoir scale (ca. 10 km). The idea is to provide constraints for smaller scale models from the larger scale and derive functionality from smaller scale models of processes which cannot be resolved in larger scale models, due to restrictions of discretization of the applied numerical mesh. With regard to the 3 questions above we can conclude that the combination of CO2 storage and geothermal energy production is generally feasible because candidate sites are available, anhydrite is transformable into calcite and alkalinity can be provided by fly ashes (Back et al. 2010) or even in-situ (Kühn and Clauser 2006). Based on our laboratory investigations and numerical studies we are able to estimate the storage potential for mineral trapping of CO2 in geothermal reservoirs (Kühn et al. 2009). On the one hand the maximum is unfortunately less than a million tons over the life time of a geothermal heating plant. On the other hand significant storage capacities are available in geological formations with regard to hydrodynamic trapping for millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide. This is why under the current circumstances the combination of geothermal energy production and CO2 storage is not economical. Acknowledgements: The work presented here was part of the CO2Trap project in the research and development program GEOTECHNOLOGIEN funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the German Research Foundation (DFG) (grant 03G0614A-C). References Back M., Kühn M., Stanjek H., Peiffer S. (2008) Reactivity of alkaline lignite fly ashes towards CO2 in water. Environmental Science & Technology 42(12), 4520-4526, doi: 10.1021/es702760v. Kühn M., Clauser C. (2006) Mineral trapping of CO2 in geothermal reservoirs. Chemie Ingenieur Technik 78(4), 425-434, doi: 10.1002/cite.200600019 (in German). Kühn M., Clauser C., Vosbeck K., Stanjek H., Meyn V., Back M., Peiffer S. (2009) Mineral trapping of CO2 in operated hydrogeothermal reservoirs. In: Grobe M., Pashin J. C., Dodge R. L. (eds.) Carbon dioxide sequestration in geological media—State of the science: AAPG Studies in Geology 59, p. 545-552.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hite, Roger

The project site is located in Livingston Parish, Louisiana, approximately 26 miles due east of Baton Rouge. This project proposed to evaluate an early Eocene-aged Wilcox oil reservoir for permanent storage of CO 2. Blackhorse Energy, LLC planned to conduct a parallel CO 2 oil recovery project in the First Wilcox Sand. The primary focus of this project was to examine and prove the suitability of South Louisiana geologic formations for large-scale geologic sequestration of CO 2 in association with enhanced oil recovery applications. This was to be accomplished through the focused demonstration of small-scale, permanent storage of CO 2more » in the First Wilcox Sand. The project was terminated at the request of Blackhorse Energy LLC on October 22, 2014.« less

CarbonSAFE Illinois - Macon County

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Whittaker, Steve

CarbonSAFE Illinois is a a Feasibility study to develop an established geologic storage complex in Macon County, Illinois, for commercial-scale storage of industrially sourced CO2. Feasibility activities are focused on the Mt. Simon Storage Complex; a step-out well will be drilled near existing storage sites (i.e., the Midwest Geological Sequestration Consortium’s Illinois Basin – Decatur Project and the Illinois Industrial Carbon Capture and Storage Project) to further establish commercial viability of this complex and to evaluate EOR potential in a co-located oil-field trend. The Archer Daniels Midland facility (ethanol plant), City Water, Light, and Power in Springfield, Illinois (coal-fired powermore » station), and other regional industries are potential sources of anthropogenic CO2 for storage at this complex. Site feasibility will be evaluated through drilling results, static and dynamic modeling, and quantitative risk assessment. Both studies will entail stakeholder engagement, consideration of infrastructure requirements, existing policy, and business models. Project data will help calibrate the National Risk Assessment Partnership (NRAP) Toolkit to better understand the risks of commercial-scale carbon storage.« less

Analysis of CO2 trapping capacities and long-term migration for geological formations in the Norwegian North Sea using MRST-co2lab

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Møll Nilsen, Halvor; Lie, Knut-Andreas; Andersen, Odd

2015-06-01

MRST-co2lab is a collection of open-source computational tools for modeling large-scale and long-time migration of CO2 in conductive aquifers, combining ideas from basin modeling, computational geometry, hydrology, and reservoir simulation. Herein, we employ the methods of MRST-co2lab to study long-term CO2 storage on the scale of hundreds of megatonnes. We consider public data sets of two aquifers from the Norwegian North Sea and use geometrical methods for identifying structural traps, percolation-type methods for identifying potential spill paths, and vertical-equilibrium methods for efficient simulation of structural, residual, and solubility trapping in a thousand-year perspective. In particular, we investigate how data resolution affects estimates of storage capacity and discuss workflows for identifying good injection sites and optimizing injection strategies.

The potential of near-surface geophysical methods in a hierarchical monitoring approach for the detection of shallow CO2 seeps at geological storage sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sauer, U.; Schuetze, C.; Dietrich, P.

2013-12-01

The MONACO project (Monitoring approach for geological CO2 storage sites using a hierarchic observation concept) aims to find reliable monitoring tools that work on different spatial and temporal scales at geological CO2 storage sites. This integrative hierarchical monitoring approach based on different levels of coverage and resolutions is proposed as a means of reliably detecting CO2 degassing areas at ground surface level and for identifying CO2 leakages from storage formations into the shallow subsurface, as well as CO2 releases into the atmosphere. As part of this integrative hierarchical monitoring concept, several methods and technologies from ground-based remote sensing (Open-path Fourier-transform infrared (OP-FTIR) spectroscopy), regional measurements (near-surface geophysics, chamber-based soil CO2 flux measurement) and local in-situ measurements (using shallow boreholes) will either be combined or used complementary to one another. The proposed combination is a suitable concept for investigating CO2 release sites. This also presents the possibility of adopting a modular monitoring concept whereby our monitoring approach can be expanded to incorporate other methods in various coverage scales at any temporal resolution. The link between information obtained from large-scale surveys and local in-situ monitoring can be realized by sufficient geophysical techniques for meso-scale monitoring, such as geoelectrical and self-potential (SP) surveys. These methods are useful for characterizing fluid flow and transport processes in permeable near-surface sedimentary layers and can yield important information concerning CO2-affected subsurface structures. Results of measurements carried out a natural analogue site in the Czech Republic indicate that the hierarchical monitoring approach represents a successful multidisciplinary modular concept that can be used to monitor both physical and chemical processes taking place during CO2 migration and seepage. The application of FTIR spectroscopy in combination with soil gas surveys and geophysical investigations results in a comprehensive site characterization, including atmospheric and near-surface CO2 distribution, as well as subsurface structural features. We observed a correlation of higher CO2 concentration and flux rates at the meso-scale that coincides with distinct geophysical anomalies. Here, we found prominent SP anomalies and zones of lower resistivity in the geoelectrical images compared to undisturbed regions nearby. This presentation will discuss the results we obtained and illustrate the influence of CO2 on electrical parameters measured under field conditions in relation to environmental parameters.

The geospatial and economic viability of CO 2 storage in hydrocarbon depleted fractured shale formations

DOE PAGES

Bielicki, Jeffrey M.; Langenfeld, Julie K.; Tao, Zhiyuan; ...

2018-05-26

Hydrocarbon depleted fractured shale (HDFS) formations could be attractive for geologic carbon dioxide (CO 2) storage. Shale formations may be able to leverage existing infrastructure, have larger capacities, and be more secure than saline aquifers. We compared regional storage capacities and integrated CO 2 capture, transport, and storage systems that use HDFS with those that use saline aquifers in a region of the United States with extensive shale development that overlies prospective saline aquifers. We estimated HDFS storage capacities with a production-based method and costs by adapting methods developed for saline aquifers and found that HDFS formations in this regionmore » might be able to store with less cost an estimated ~14× more CO 2 on average than saline aquifers at the same location. The potential for smaller Areas of Review and less investment in infrastructure accounted for up to 84% of the difference in estimated storage costs. We implemented an engineering-economic geospatial optimization model to determine and compare the viability of storage capacity for these two storage resources. Across the state-specific and regional scenarios we investigated, our results for this region suggest that integrated CCS systems using HDFS could be more centralized, require less pipelines, prioritize different routes for trunklines, and be 6.4–6.8% ($5-10/tCO 2) cheaper than systems using saline aquifers. In conclusion, overall, CO 2 storage in HDFS could be technically and economically attractive and may lower barriers to large scale CO 2 storage if they can be permitted.« less

The geospatial and economic viability of CO 2 storage in hydrocarbon depleted fractured shale formations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bielicki, Jeffrey M.; Langenfeld, Julie K.; Tao, Zhiyuan

Hydrocarbon depleted fractured shale (HDFS) formations could be attractive for geologic carbon dioxide (CO 2) storage. Shale formations may be able to leverage existing infrastructure, have larger capacities, and be more secure than saline aquifers. We compared regional storage capacities and integrated CO 2 capture, transport, and storage systems that use HDFS with those that use saline aquifers in a region of the United States with extensive shale development that overlies prospective saline aquifers. We estimated HDFS storage capacities with a production-based method and costs by adapting methods developed for saline aquifers and found that HDFS formations in this regionmore » might be able to store with less cost an estimated ~14× more CO 2 on average than saline aquifers at the same location. The potential for smaller Areas of Review and less investment in infrastructure accounted for up to 84% of the difference in estimated storage costs. We implemented an engineering-economic geospatial optimization model to determine and compare the viability of storage capacity for these two storage resources. Across the state-specific and regional scenarios we investigated, our results for this region suggest that integrated CCS systems using HDFS could be more centralized, require less pipelines, prioritize different routes for trunklines, and be 6.4–6.8% ($5-10/tCO 2) cheaper than systems using saline aquifers. In conclusion, overall, CO 2 storage in HDFS could be technically and economically attractive and may lower barriers to large scale CO 2 storage if they can be permitted.« less

Two-phase flow visualization under reservoir conditions for highly heterogeneous conglomerate rock: A core-scale study for geologic carbon storage.

PubMed

Kim, Kue-Young; Oh, Junho; Han, Weon Shik; Park, Kwon Gyu; Shinn, Young Jae; Park, Eungyu

2018-03-20

Geologic storage of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) is considered a viable strategy for significantly reducing anthropogenic CO 2 emissions into the atmosphere; however, understanding the flow mechanisms in various geological formations is essential for safe storage using this technique. This study presents, for the first time, a two-phase (CO 2 and brine) flow visualization under reservoir conditions (10 MPa, 50 °C) for a highly heterogeneous conglomerate core obtained from a real CO 2 storage site. Rock heterogeneity and the porosity variation characteristics were evaluated using X-ray computed tomography (CT). Multiphase flow tests with an in-situ imaging technology revealed three distinct CO 2 saturation distributions (from homogeneous to non-uniform) dependent on compositional complexity. Dense discontinuity networks within clasts provided well-connected pathways for CO 2 flow, potentially helping to reduce overpressure. Two flow tests, one under capillary-dominated conditions and the other in a transition regime between the capillary and viscous limits, indicated that greater injection rates (potential causes of reservoir overpressure) could be significantly reduced without substantially altering the total stored CO 2 mass. Finally, the capillary storage capacity of the reservoir was calculated. Capacity ranged between 0.5 and 4.5%, depending on the initial CO 2 saturation.

Pore-scale modeling of wettability effects on CO2-brine displacement during geological storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basirat, Farzad; Yang, Zhibing; Niemi, Auli

2017-11-01

Wetting properties of reservoir rocks and caprocks can vary significantly, and they strongly influence geological storage of carbon dioxide in deep saline aquifers, during which CO2 is supposed to displace the resident brine and to become permanently trapped. Fundamental understanding of the effect of wettability on CO2-brine displacement is thus important for improving storage efficiency and security. In this study, we investigate the influence of wetting properties on two-phase flow of CO2 and brine at the pore scale. A numerical model based on the phase field method is implemented to simulate the two-phase flow of CO2-brine in a realistic pore geometry. Our focus is to study the pore-scale fluid-fluid displacement mechanisms under different wetting conditions and to quantify the effect of wettability on macroscopic parameters such as residual brine saturation, capillary pressure, relative permeability, and specific interfacial area. Our simulation results confirm that both the trapped wetting phase saturation and the normalized interfacial area increase with decreasing contact angle. However, the wetting condition does not appear to influence the CO2 breakthrough time and saturation. We also show that the macroscopic capillary pressures based on the pressure difference between inlet and outlet can differ significantly from the phase averaging capillary pressures for all contact angles when the capillary number is high (log Ca > -5). This indicates that the inlet-outlet pressure difference may not be a good measure of the continuum-scale capillary pressure. In addition, the results show that the relative permeability of CO2 can be significantly lower in strongly water-wet conditions than in the intermediate-wet conditions.

Preliminary Modelling of the Effect of Impurity in CO2 Streams on the Storage Capacity and the Plume Migration in Pohang Basin, Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Yongchan; Choi, Byoungyoung; Shinn, Youngjae

2015-04-01

Captured CO2 streams contain various levels of impurities which vary depending on the combustion technology and CO2 sources such as a power plant and iron and steel production processes. Common impurities or contaminants are non-condensable gases like nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen, and are also air pollutants like sulphur and nitrogen oxides. Specifically for geological storage, the non-condensable gases in CO2 streams are not favourable because they can decrease density of the injected CO2 stream and can affect buoyancy of the plume. However, separation of these impurities to obtain the CO2 purity higher than 99% would greatly increase the cost of capture. In 2010, the Korean Government announced a national framework to develop CCS, with the aim of developing two large scale integrated CCS projects by 2020. In order to achieve this goal, a small scale injection project into Pohang basin near shoreline has begun which is seeking the connection with a capture project, especially at a steel company. Any onshore sites that are suitable for the geological storage are not identified by this time so we turned to the shallow offshore Pohang basin where is close to a large-scale CO2 source. Currently, detailed site surveys are being undertaken and the collected data were used to establish a geological model of the basin. In this study, we performed preliminary modelling study on the effect of impurities on the geological storage using the geological model. Using a potential compositions of impurities in CO2 streams from the steel company, we firstly calculated density and viscosity of CO2 streams as a function of various pressure and temperature conditions with CMG-WINPROP and then investigated the effect of the non-condensable gases on storage capacity, injectivity and plume migrations with CMG-GEM. Further simulations to evaluate the areal and vertical sweep efficiencies by impurities were perform in a 2D vertical cross section as well as in a 3D simulation grid. Also, pressure increases caused by the impurities and the partitioning between CO2 and other non-condensable gases were explored. In addition, the possibility of using these contaminants as a tracer were examined.

Aggregation of carbon dioxide sequestration storage assessment units

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blondes, Madalyn S.; Schuenemeyer, John H.; Olea, Ricardo A.; Drew, Lawrence J.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey is currently conducting a national assessment of carbon dioxide (CO2) storage resources, mandated by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Pre-emission capture and storage of CO2 in subsurface saline formations is one potential method to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the negative impact of global climate change. Like many large-scale resource assessments, the area under investigation is split into smaller, more manageable storage assessment units (SAUs), which must be aggregated with correctly propagated uncertainty to the basin, regional, and national scales. The aggregation methodology requires two types of data: marginal probability distributions of storage resource for each SAU, and a correlation matrix obtained by expert elicitation describing interdependencies between pairs of SAUs. Dependencies arise because geologic analogs, assessment methods, and assessors often overlap. The correlation matrix is used to induce rank correlation, using a Cholesky decomposition, among the empirical marginal distributions representing individually assessed SAUs. This manuscript presents a probabilistic aggregation method tailored to the correlations and dependencies inherent to a CO2 storage assessment. Aggregation results must be presented at the basin, regional, and national scales. A single stage approach, in which one large correlation matrix is defined and subsets are used for different scales, is compared to a multiple stage approach, in which new correlation matrices are created to aggregate intermediate results. Although the single-stage approach requires determination of significantly more correlation coefficients, it captures geologic dependencies among similar units in different basins and it is less sensitive to fluctuations in low correlation coefficients than the multiple stage approach. Thus, subsets of one single-stage correlation matrix are used to aggregate to basin, regional, and national scales.

A HIERARCHICAL MODELING FRAMEWORK FOR GEOLOGICAL STORAGE OF CARBON DIOXIDE

EPA Science Inventory

Carbon Capture and Storage, or CCS, is likely to be an important technology in a carbonconstrained world. CCS will involve subsurface injection of massive amounts of captured CO₂, on a scale that has not previously been approached. The unprecedented scale of t...

Intelligent monitoring system for real-time geologic CO2 storage, optimization and reservoir managemen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dou, S.; Commer, M.; Ajo Franklin, J. B.; Freifeld, B. M.; Robertson, M.; Wood, T.; McDonald, S.

2017-12-01

Archer Daniels Midland Company's (ADM) world-scale agricultural processing and biofuels production complex located in Decatur, Illinois, is host to two industrial-scale carbon capture and storage projects. The first operation within the Illinois Basin-Decatur Project (IBDP) is a large-scale pilot that injected 1,000,000 metric tons of CO2 over a three year period (2011-2014) in order to validate the Illinois Basin's capacity to permanently store CO2. Injection for the second operation, the Illinois Industrial Carbon Capture and Storage Project (ICCS), started in April 2017, with the purpose of demonstrating the integration of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology at an ethanol plant. The capacity to store over 1,000,000 metric tons of CO2 per year is anticipated. The latter project is accompanied by the development of an intelligent monitoring system (IMS) that will, among other tasks, perform hydrogeophysical joint analysis of pressure, temperature and seismic reflection data. Using a preliminary radial model assumption, we carry out synthetic joint inversion studies of these data combinations. We validate the history-matching process to be applied to field data once CO2-breakthrough at observation wells occurs. This process will aid the estimation of permeability and porosity for a reservoir model that best matches monitoring observations. The reservoir model will further be used for forecasting studies in order to evaluate different leakage scenarios and develop appropriate early-warning mechanisms. Both the inversion and forecasting studies aim at building an IMS that will use the seismic and pressure-temperature data feeds for providing continuous model calibration and reservoir status updates.

Surface-downhole and crosshole geoelectrics for monitoring of brine injection at the Ketzin CO2 storage site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rippe, Dennis; Bergmann, Peter; Labitzke, Tim; Wagner, Florian; Schmidt-Hattenberger, Cornelia

2016-04-01

The Ketzin pilot site in Germany is the longest operating on-shore CO2 storage site in Europe. From June 2008 till August 2013, a total of ˜67,000 tonnes of CO2 were safely stored in a saline aquifer at depths of 630 m to 650 m. The storage site has now entered the abandonment phase, and continuation of the multi-disciplinary monitoring as part of the national project "CO2 post-injection monitoring and post-closure phase at the Ketzin pilot site" (COMPLETE) provides the unique chance to participate in the conclusion of the complete life cycle of a CO2 storage site. As part of the continuous evaluation of the functionality and integrity of the CO2 storage in Ketzin, from October 12, 2015 till January 6, 2015 a total of ˜2,900 tonnes of brine were successfully injected into the CO2 reservoir, hereby simulating in time-lapse the natural backflow of brine and the associated displacement of CO2. The main objectives of this brine injection experiment include investigation of how much of the CO2 in the pore space can be displaced by brine and if this displacement of CO2 during the brine injection differs from the displacement of formation fluid during the initial CO2 injection. Geophysical monitoring of the brine injection included continuous geoelectric measurements accompanied by monitoring of pressure and temperature conditions in the injection well and two adjacent observation wells. During the previous CO2 injection, the geoelectrical monitoring concept at the Ketzin pilot site consisted of permanent crosshole measurements and non-permanent large-scale surveys (Kiessling et al., 2010). Time-lapse geoelectrical tomographies derived from the weekly crosshole data at near-wellbore scale complemented by six surface-downhole surveys at a scale of 1.5 km showed a noticeable resistivity signature within the target storage zone, which was attributed to the CO2 plume (Schmidt-Hattenberger et al., 2011) and interpreted in terms of relative CO2 and brine saturations (Bergmann et al., 2012). During the brine injection, usage of a new data acquisition unit allowed the daily collection of an extended crosshole data set. This data set was complemented by an alternative surface-downhole acquisition geometry, which for the first time allowed for regular current injections from three permanent surface electrodes into the existing electrical resistivity downhole array without the demand of an extensive field survey. This alternative surface-downhole acquisition geometry is expected to be characterized by good data quality and well confined sensitivity to the target storage zone. Time-lapse geoelectrical tomographies have been derived from both surface-downhole and crosshole data and show a conductive signature around the injection well associated with the displacement of CO2 by the injected brine. In addition to the above mentioned objectives of this brine injection experiment, comparative analysis of the surface-downhole and crosshole data provides the opportunity to evaluate the alternative surface-downhole acquisition geometry with respect to its resolution within the target storage zone and its ability to quantitatively constrain the displacement of CO2 during the brine injection. These results will allow for further improvement of the deployed alternative surface-downhole acquisition geometries. References Bergmann, P., Schmidt-Hattenberger, C., Kiessling, D., Rücker, C., Labitzke, T., Henninges, J., Baumann, G., Schütt, H. (2012). Surface-Downhole Electrical Resistivity Tomography applied to Monitoring of the CO2 Storage Ketzin (Germany). Geophysics, 77, B253-B267. Kiessling, D., Schmidt-Hattenberger, C., Schuett, H., Schilling, F., Krueger, K., Schoebel, B., Danckwardt, E., Kummerow, J., CO2SINK Group (2010). Geoelectrical methods for monitoring geological CO2 storage: First results from cross-hole and surface-downhole measurements from the CO2SINK test site at Ketzin (Germany). International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 4(5), 816-826. Schmidt-Hattenberger, C., Bergmann, P., Kießling, D., Krüger, K., Rücker, C., Schütt, H., Ketzin Group (2011). Application of a Vertical Electrical Resistivity Array (VERA) for monitoring CO2 migration at the Ketzin site: First performance evaluation. Energy Procedia, 4, 3363-3370.

Geomechanical Framework for Secure CO 2 Storage in Fractured Reservoirs and Caprocks for Sedimentary Basins in theMidwest United States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sminchak, Joel

This report presents final technical results for the project Geomechanical Framework for Secure CO 2 Storage in Fractured Reservoirs and Caprocks for Sedimentary Basins in the Midwest United States (DE-FE0023330). The project was a three-year effort consisting of seven technical tasks focused on defining geomechanical factors for CO 2 storage applications in deep saline rock formations in Ohio and the Midwest United States, because geomechancial issues have been identified as a significant risk factor for large-scale CO 2 storage applications. A basin-scale stress-strain analysis was completed to describe the geomechanical setting for rock formations of Ordovician-Cambrian age in Ohio andmore » adjacent areas of the Midwest United States in relation to geologic CO 2 storage applications. The tectonic setting, stress orientation-magnitude, and geomechanical and petrophysical parameters for CO 2 storage zones and caprocks in the region were cataloged. Ten geophysical image logs were analyzed for natural fractures, borehole breakouts, and drilling-induced fractures. The logs indicated mostly less than 10 fractures per 100 vertical feet in the borehole, with mostly N65E principal stress orientation through the section. Geophysical image logs and other logs were obtained for three wells located near the sites where specific models were developed for geomechanical simulations: Arches site in Boone County, Kentucky; Northern Appalachian Basin site in Chautauqua County, New York; and E-Central Appalachian Basin site in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. For these three wells, 9,700 feet of image logs were processed and interpreted to provide a systematic review of the distribution within each well of natural fractures, wellbore breakouts, faults, and drilling induced fractures. There were many borehole breakouts and drilling-induced tensile fractures but few natural fractures. Concentrated fractures were present at the Rome-basal sandstone and basal sandstone-Precambrian contacts at the Arches and East-Central Appalachian Basin sites. Geophysical logs were utilized to develop local-scale geologic models by determining geomechanical and petrophysical parameters within the geologic formations. These data were ported to coupled fluid-flow and reservoir geomechanics multi-phase CO 2 injection simulations. The models were developed to emphasize the geomechanical layers within the CO 2 storage zones and caprocks. A series of simulations were completed for each site to evaluate whether commercial-scale CO 2 could be safely injected into each site, given site-specific geologic and geomechanical controls. This involved analyzing the simulation results for the integrity of the caprock, intermediate, and reservoir zones, as well quantifying the areal uplift at the surface. Simulation results were also examined to ensure that the stress-stress perturbations were isolated within the subsurface, and that there was only limited upward migration of the CO 2. Simulations showed capacity to inject more than 10 million metric tons of CO 2 in a single well at the Arches and East Central Appalachian Basin sites without excessive geomechanical risks. Low-permeability rock layers at the Northern Appalachian Basin study area well resulted in very low CO 2 injection capacity. Fracture models developed for the sites suggests that the sites have sparse fracture network in the deeper Cambrian rocks. However, there were indicators in image logs of a moderate fracture matrix in the Rose Run Sandstone at the Northern Appalachian Basin site. Dual permeability fracture matrix simulations suggest the much higher injection rates may be feasible in the fractured interval. Guidance was developed for geomechanical site characterization in the areas of geophysical logging, rock core testing, well testing, and site monitoring. The guidance demonstrates that there is a suitable array of options for addressing geomechanical issues at CO 2 storage sites. Finally, a review of Marcellus and Utica-Point Pleasant shale gas wells and CO 2 storage intervals indicates that these items are vertically separated, except for the Oriskany sandstone and Marcellus wells in southwest Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia. Together, project results present a more realistic portrayal of geomechanical risk factors related to CO 2 storage for existing and future coal-fired power plants in Ohio.« less

Wellbore Completion Systems Containment Breach Solution Experiments at a Large Scale Underground Research Laboratory : Sealant placement & scale-up from Lab to Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodman, H.

2017-12-01

This investigation seeks to develop sealant technology that can restore containment to completed wells that suffer CO2 gas leakages currently untreatable using conventional technologies. Experimentation is performed at the Mont Terri Underground Research Laboratory (MT-URL) located in NW Switzerland. The laboratory affords investigators an intermediate-scale test site that bridges the gap between the laboratory bench and full field-scale conditions. Project focus is the development of CO2 leakage remediation capability using sealant technology. The experimental concept includes design and installation of a field scale completion package designed to mimic well systems heating-cooling conditions that may result in the development of micro-annuli detachments between the casing-cement-formation boundaries (Figure 1). Of particular interest is to test novel sealants that can be injected in to relatively narrow micro-annuli flow-paths of less than 120 microns aperture. Per a special report on CO2 storage submitted to the IPCC[1], active injection wells, along with inactive wells that have been abandoned, are identified as one of the most probable sources of leakage pathways for CO2 escape to the surface. Origins of pressure leakage common to injection well and completions architecture often occur due to tensile cracking from temperature cycles, micro-annulus by casing contraction (differential casing to cement sheath movement) and cement sheath channel development. This discussion summarizes the experiment capability and sealant testing results. The experiment concludes with overcoring of the entire mock-completion test site to assess sealant performance in 2018. [1] IPCC Special Report on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (September 2005), section 5.7.2 Processes and pathways for release of CO2 from geological storage sites, page 244

Microfluidic and micro-core methods for enhanced oil recovery and carbon storage applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Phong

Injection of CO2 into the subsurface, for both storage and oil recovery, is an emerging strategy to mitigate atmospheric CO2 emissions and associated climate change. In this thesis microfluidic and micro-core methods were developed to inform combined CO2-storage and oil recovery operations and determine relevant fluid properties. Pore scale studies of nanoparticle stabilized CO2-in-water foam and its application in oil recovery to show significant improvement in oil recovery rate with different oils from around the world (light, medium, and heavy). The CO2 nanoparticle-stabilized CO2 foams generate a three-fold increase in oil recovery (an additional 15% of initial oil in place) as compared to an otherwise similar CO2 gas flood. Nanoparticle-stabilized CO2 foam flooding also results in significantly smaller oil-in-water emulsion sizes. All three oils show substantial additional oil recovery and a positive reservoir homogenization effect. A supporting microfluidic approach is developed to quantify the minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) -- a critical parameter for combined CO 2 storage and enhanced oil recovery. The method leverages the inherent fluorescence of crude oils, is faster than conventional technologies, and provides quantitative, operator-independent measurements. In terms of speed, a pressure scan for a single minimum miscibility pressure measurement required less than 30 min, in stark contrast to days or weeks with existing rising bubble and slimtube methods. In practice, subsurface geology also interacts with injected CO 2. Commonly carbonate dissolution results in pore structure, porosity, and permeability changes. These changes are measured by x-ray microtomography (micro-CT), liquid permeability measurements, and chemical analysis. Chemical composition of the produced liquid analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES) shows concentrations of magnesium and calcium. This work leverages established advantages of microfluidics in the new context of core-sample analysis, providing a simple core sealing method, small sample size, small volumes of injection fluids, fast characterization times, and pore scale resolution. Lastly, a microfluidic approach is developed to analyze the complex, multiphase fluid interactions in CO2 enhanced oil recovery at relevant reservoir temperature and pressure. Fluorescence imaging is applied to visualize and measure the effect of CO2 pressure on contact angles changes at the pore scale.

Assessment of brine migration risks along vertical pathways due to CO2 injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kissinger, Alexander; Class, Holger

2015-04-01

Global climate change, shortage of resources and the growing usage of renewable energy sources has lead to a growing demand for the utilization of subsurface systems. Among these competing uses are Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), geothermal energy, nuclear waste disposal, 'renewable' methane or hydrogen storage as well as the ongoing production of fossil resources like oil, gas and coal. Additionally, these technologies may also create conflicts with essential public interests such as water supply. For example, the injection of CO2 into the subsurface causes an increase in pressure reaching far beyond the actual radius of influence of the CO2 plume, potentially leading to large amounts of displaced salt water. In this work we focus on the large scale impacts of CO2 storage on brine migration but the methodology and the obtained results may also apply to other fields like waste water disposal, where large amounts of fluid are injected into the subsurface. In contrast to modeling on the reservoir scale the spatial scale required for this work is much larger in both vertical and lateral direction, as the regional hydrogeology has to be considered. Structures such as fault zones, hydrogeological windows in the Rupelian clay or salt domes are considered as potential pathways for displaced fluids into shallow systems and their influence has to be taken into account. We put the focus of our investigations on the latter type of scenario, since there is still a poor understanding of the role that salt diapirs would play in CO2 storage projects. As there is hardly any field data available on this scale, we compare different levels of model complexity in order to identify the relevant processes for brine displacement and simplify the modeling process wherever possible, for example brine injection vs. CO2 injection, simplified geometries vs. the complex formation geometry and the role of salt induced density differences on flow. Further we investigate the impact of the displaced brine due to CO2 injection and compare it to the natural fluid exchange between shallow and deep aquifers in order to asses possible damage.

Early opportunities of CO2 geological storage deployment in coal chemical industry in China

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wei, Ning; Li, Xiaochun; Liu, Shengnan

2014-11-12

Abstract: Carbon dioxide capture and geological storage (CCS) is regarded as a promising option for climate change mitigation; however, the high capture cost is the major barrier to large-scale deployment of CCS technologies. High-purity CO2 emission sources can reduce or even avoid the capture requirements and costs. Among these high-purity CO2 sources, certain coal chemical industry processes are very important, especially in China. In this paper, the basic characteristics of coal chemical industries in China is investigated and analyzed. As of 2013 there were more than 100 coal chemical plants in operation or in late planning stages. These emission sourcesmore » together emit 430 million tons CO2 per year, of which about 30% are emit high-purity and pure CO2 (CO2 concentration >80% and >99% respectively).Four typical source-sink pairs are studied by a techno-economic evaluation, including site screening and selection, source-sink matching, concept design, and experienced economic evaluation. The technical-economic evaluation shows that the levelized cost of a CO2 capture and aquifer storage project in the coal chemistry industry ranges from 14 USD/t to 17 USD/t CO2. When a 15USD/t CO2 tax and 15USD/t for CO2 sold to EOR are considered, the levelized cost of CCS project are negative, which suggests a net economic benefit from some of these CCS projects. This might provide China early opportunities to deploy and scale-up CCS projects in the near future.« less

Negative emissions technologies and carbon capture and storage to achieve the Paris Agreement commitments.

PubMed

Haszeldine, R Stuart; Flude, Stephanie; Johnson, Gareth; Scott, Vivian

2018-05-13

How will the global atmosphere and climate be protected? Achieving net-zero CO 2 emissions will require carbon capture and storage (CCS) to reduce current GHG emission rates, and negative emissions technology (NET) to recapture previously emitted greenhouse gases. Delivering NET requires radical cost and regulatory innovation to impact on climate mitigation. Present NET exemplars are few, are at small-scale and not deployable within a decade, with the exception of rock weathering, or direct injection of CO 2 into selected ocean water masses. To keep warming less than 2°C, bioenergy with CCS (BECCS) has been modelled but does not yet exist at industrial scale. CCS already exists in many forms and at low cost. However, CCS has no political drivers to enforce its deployment. We make a new analysis of all global CCS projects and model the build rate out to 2050, deducing this is 100 times too slow. Our projection to 2050 captures just 700 Mt CO 2  yr -1 , not the minimum 6000 Mt CO 2  yr -1 required to meet the 2°C target. Hence new policies are needed to incentivize commercial CCS. A first urgent action for all countries is to commercially assess their CO 2 storage. A second simple action is to assign a Certificate of CO 2 Storage onto producers of fossil carbon, mandating a progressively increasing proportion of CO 2 to be stored. No CCS means no 2°C.This article is part of the theme issue 'The Paris Agreement: understanding the physical and social challenges for a warming world of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels'. © 2018 The Author(s).

Negative emissions technologies and carbon capture and storage to achieve the Paris Agreement commitments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haszeldine, R. Stuart; Flude, Stephanie; Johnson, Gareth; Scott, Vivian

2018-05-01

How will the global atmosphere and climate be protected? Achieving net-zero CO2 emissions will require carbon capture and storage (CCS) to reduce current GHG emission rates, and negative emissions technology (NET) to recapture previously emitted greenhouse gases. Delivering NET requires radical cost and regulatory innovation to impact on climate mitigation. Present NET exemplars are few, are at small-scale and not deployable within a decade, with the exception of rock weathering, or direct injection of CO2 into selected ocean water masses. To keep warming less than 2°C, bioenergy with CCS (BECCS) has been modelled but does not yet exist at industrial scale. CCS already exists in many forms and at low cost. However, CCS has no political drivers to enforce its deployment. We make a new analysis of all global CCS projects and model the build rate out to 2050, deducing this is 100 times too slow. Our projection to 2050 captures just 700 Mt CO2 yr-1, not the minimum 6000 Mt CO2 yr-1 required to meet the 2°C target. Hence new policies are needed to incentivize commercial CCS. A first urgent action for all countries is to commercially assess their CO2 storage. A second simple action is to assign a Certificate of CO2 Storage onto producers of fossil carbon, mandating a progressively increasing proportion of CO2 to be stored. No CCS means no 2°C. This article is part of the theme issue `The Paris Agreement: understanding the physical and social challenges for a warming world of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels'.

Numerical investigation for the impact of CO2 geologic sequestration on regional groundwater flow

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yamamoto, H.; Zhang, K.; Karasaki, K.

Large-scale storage of carbon dioxide in saline aquifers may cause considerable pressure perturbation and brine migration in deep rock formations, which may have a significant influence on the regional groundwater system. With the help of parallel computing techniques, we conducted a comprehensive, large-scale numerical simulation of CO{sub 2} geologic storage that predicts not only CO{sub 2} migration, but also its impact on regional groundwater flow. As a case study, a hypothetical industrial-scale CO{sub 2} injection in Tokyo Bay, which is surrounded by the most heavily industrialized area in Japan, was considered, and the impact of CO{sub 2} injection on near-surfacemore » aquifers was investigated, assuming relatively high seal-layer permeability (higher than 10 microdarcy). A regional hydrogeological model with an area of about 60 km x 70 km around Tokyo Bay was discretized into about 10 million gridblocks. To solve the high-resolution model efficiently, we used a parallelized multiphase flow simulator TOUGH2-MP/ECO2N on a world-class high performance supercomputer in Japan, the Earth Simulator. In this simulation, CO{sub 2} was injected into a storage aquifer at about 1 km depth under Tokyo Bay from 10 wells, at a total rate of 10 million tons/year for 100 years. Through the model, we can examine regional groundwater pressure buildup and groundwater migration to the land surface. The results suggest that even if containment of CO{sub 2} plume is ensured, pressure buildup on the order of a few bars can occur in the shallow confined aquifers over extensive regions, including urban inlands.« less

Verification of geomechanical integrity and prediction of long-term mineral trapping for the Ketzin CO2 storage pilot site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kempka, Thomas; De Lucia, Marco; Kühn, Michael

2014-05-01

Static and dynamic numerical modelling generally accompany the entire CO2 storage site life cycle. Thereto, it is required to match the employed models with field observations on a regular basis in order to predict future site behaviour. We investigated the coupled processes at the Ketzin CO2 storage pilot site [1] using a model coupling concept focusing on the temporal relevance of processes involved (hydraulic, chemical and mechanical) at given time-scales (site operation, abandonment and long-term stabilization). For that purpose, long-term dynamic multi-phase flow simulations [2], [3] established the basis for all simulations discussed in the following. Hereby, pressure changes resulting in geomechanical effects are largest during site operation, whereas geochemical reactions are governed by slow kinetics resulting in a long-term stabilization. To account for mechanical integrity, which may be mainly affected during site operation, we incorporated a regional-scale coupled hydro-mechanical model. Our simulation results show maximum ground surface displacements of about 4 mm, whereas shear and tensile failure are not observed. Consequently, the CO2 storage operation at the Ketzin pilot site does not compromise reservoir, caprock and fault integrity. Chemical processes responsible for mineral trapping are expected to mainly occur during long-term stabilization at the Ketzin pilot site [4]. Hence, our previous assessment [3] was extended by integrating two long-term mineral trapping scenarios. Thereby, mineral trapping contributes to the trapping mechanisms with 11.7 % after 16,000 years of simulation in our conservative and with 30.9 % in our maximum reactivity scenarios. Dynamic flow simulations indicate that only 0.2 % of the CO2 injected (about 67,270 t CO2 in total) is in gaseous state, but structurally trapped after 16,000 years. Depending on the studied long-term scenario, CO2 dissolution is the dominating trapping mechanism with 68.9 % and 88.1 %, respectively. We verified the mechanical integrity of the storage system during site operation and predicted the trapping mechanisms for the Ketzin pilot site based on a time-dependent integration of relevant processes for a time period of 16,000 years. Supported by our coupled modelling results, we conclude that CO2 storage at the Ketzin site is safe and reliable on the pilot scale. References [1] Martens, S., Kempka, T., Liebscher, A., Lüth, S., Möller, F., Myrttinen, A., Norden, B., Schmidt-Hattenberger, C., Zimmer, M., Kühn, M. Europe's longest-operating on-shore CO2 storage site at Ketzin, Germany: a progress report after three years of injection. Environmental Earth Sciences 2012 67(2): 323-334. [2] Kempka, T., Kühn, M. Numerical simulations of CO2 arrival times and reservoir pressure coincide with observations from the Ketzin pilot site, Germany. Environmental Earth Sciences 2013 70(8): 3675-3685. [3] Kempka, T., Klein, E., De Lucia, M., Tillner, E., Kühn, M. Assessment of Long-term CO2 Trapping Mechanisms at the Ketzin Pilot Site (Germany) by Coupled Numerical Modelling. Energy Procedia 2013 37: 5419-5426. [4] Klein, E., De Lucia, M., Kempka, T., Kühn, M. Evaluation of long-term mineral trapping at the Ketzin pilot site for CO2 storage: An integrative approach using geochemical modelling and reservoir simulation. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 2013 19: 720-730.

Lattice Boltzmann simulations of supercritical CO2-water drainage displacement in porous media: CO2 saturation and displacement mechanism.

PubMed

Yamabe, Hirotatsu; Tsuji, Takeshi; Liang, Yunfeng; Matsuoka, Toshifumi

2015-01-06

CO2 geosequestration in deep aquifers requires the displacement of water (wetting phase) from the porous media by supercritical CO2 (nonwetting phase). However, the interfacial instabilities, such as viscous and capillary fingerings, develop during the drainage displacement. Moreover, the burstlike Haines jump often occurs under conditions of low capillary number. To study these interfacial instabilities, we performed lattice Boltzmann simulations of CO2-water drainage displacement in a 3D synthetic granular rock model at a fixed viscosity ratio and at various capillary numbers. The capillary numbers are varied by changing injection pressure, which induces changes in flow velocity. It was observed that the viscous fingering was dominant at high injection pressures, whereas the crossover of viscous and capillary fingerings was observed, accompanied by Haines jumps, at low injection pressures. The Haines jumps flowing forward caused a significant drop of CO2 saturation, whereas Haines jumps flowing backward caused an increase of CO2 saturation (per injection depth). We demonstrated that the pore-scale Haines jumps remarkably influenced the flow path and therefore equilibrium CO2 saturation in crossover domain, which is in turn related to the storage efficiency in the field-scale geosequestration. The results can improve our understandings of the storage efficiency by the effects of pore-scale displacement phenomena.

Intra-aggregate CO2 enrichment: a modelling approach for aerobic soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlotter, D.; Schack-Kirchner, H.

2013-02-01

CO2 concentration gradients inside soil aggregates, caused by the respiration of soil microorganisms and fungal hyphae, might lead to variations in the soil solution chemistry on a mm-scale, and to an underestimation of the CO2 storage. But, up to now, there seems to be no feasible method for measuring CO2 inside natural aggregates with sufficient spatial resolution. We combined a one-dimensional model for gas diffusion in the inter-aggregate pore space with a cylinder diffusion model, simulating the consumption/production and diffusion of O2 and CO2 inside soil aggregates with air- and water-filled pores. Our model predicts that for aerobic respiration (respiratory quotient = 1) the intra-aggregate increase in the CO2 partial pressure can never be higher than 0.9 kPa for siliceous, and 0.1 kPa for calcaric aggregates, independent of the level of water-saturation. This suggests that only for siliceous aggregates CO2 produced by aerobic respiration might cause a high small-scale spatial variability in the soil solution chemistry. In calcaric aggregates, however, the contribution of carbonate species to the CO2 transport should lead to secondary carbonates on the aggregate surfaces. As regards the total CO2 storage in aerobic soils, both siliceous and calcaric, the effect of intra-aggregate CO2 gradients seems to be negligible. To assess the effect of anaerobic respiration on the intra-aggregate CO2 gradients, the development of a device for measuring CO2 on a mm-scale in soils is indispensable.

Carbon Sequestration in Unconventional Reservoirs: Geophysical, Geochemical and Geomechanical Considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakharova, Natalia V.

In the face of the environmental challenges presented by the acceleration of global warming, carbon capture and storage, also called carbon sequestration, may provide a vital option to reduce anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions, while meeting the world's energy demands. To operate on a global scale, carbon sequestration would require thousands of geologic repositories that could accommodate billions of tons of carbon dioxide per year. In order to reach such capacity, various types of geologic reservoirs should be considered, including unconventional reservoirs such as volcanic rocks, fractured formations, and moderate-permeability aquifers. Unconventional reservoirs, however, are characterized by complex pore structure, high heterogeneity, and intricate feedbacks between physical, chemical and mechanical processes, and their capacity to securely store carbon emissions needs to be confirmed. In this dissertation, I present my contribution toward the understanding of geophysical, geochemical, hydraulic, and geomechanical properties of continental basalts and fractured sedimentary formations in the context of their carbon storage capacity. The data come from two characterization projects, in the Columbia River Flood Basalt in Washington and the Newark Rift Basin in New York, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy through Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Partnerships and TriCarb Consortium for Carbon Sequestration. My work focuses on in situ analysis using borehole geophysical measurements that allow for detailed characterization of formation properties on the reservoir scale and under nearly unaltered subsurface conditions. The immobilization of injected CO2 by mineralization in basaltic rocks offers a critical advantage over sedimentary reservoirs for long-term CO2 storage. Continental flood basalts, such as the Columbia River Basalt Group, possess a suitable structure for CO2 storage, with extensive reservoirs in the interflow zones separated by massive impermeable basalt in flow interiors. Other large igneous provinces and ocean floor basalts could accommodate centuries' worth of world's CO2 emissions. Low-volume basaltic flows and fractured intrusives may potentially serve as smaller-scale CO2 storage targets. However, as illustrated by the example of the Palisade sill in the Newark basin, even densely fractured intrusive basalts are often impermeable, and instead may serve as caprock for underlying formations. Hydraulic properties of fractured formations are very site-specific, but observations and theory suggest that the majority of fractures at depth remain closed. Hydraulic tests in the northern Newark basin indicate that fractures introduce strong anisotropy and heterogeneity to the formation properties, and very few of them augment hydraulic conductivity of these fractured formations. Overall, they are unlikely to provide enough storage capacity for safe CO 2 injection at large scales, but can be suitable for small-scale controlled experiments and pilot injection tests. The risk of inducing earthquakes by underground injection has emerged as one of the primary concerns for large-scale carbon sequestration, especially in fractured and moderately permeable formations. Analysis of in situ stress and distribution of fractures in the subsurface are important steps for evaluating the risks of induced seismicity. Preliminary results from the Newark basin suggest that local stress perturbation may potentially create favorable stress conditions for CO2 sequestration by allowing a considerable pore pressure increase without carrying large risks of fault reactivation. Additional in situ stress data are needed, however, to accurately constrain the magnitude of the minimum horizontal stress, and it is recommended that such tests be conducted at all potential CO 2 storage sites.

Predicting long-term performance of engineered geologic carbon dioxide storage systems to inform decisions amidst uncertainty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pawar, R.

2016-12-01

Risk assessment and risk management of engineered geologic CO2 storage systems is an area of active investigation. The potential geologic CO2 storage systems currently under consideration are inherently heterogeneous and have limited to no characterization data. Effective risk management decisions to ensure safe, long-term CO2 storage requires assessing and quantifying risks while taking into account the uncertainties in a storage site's characteristics. The key decisions are typically related to definition of area of review, effective monitoring strategy and monitoring duration, potential of leakage and associated impacts, etc. A quantitative methodology for predicting a sequestration site's long-term performance is critical for making key decisions necessary for successful deployment of commercial scale geologic storage projects where projects will require quantitative assessments of potential long-term liabilities. An integrated assessment modeling (IAM) paradigm which treats a geologic CO2 storage site as a system made up of various linked subsystems can be used to predict long-term performance. The subsystems include storage reservoir, seals, potential leakage pathways (such as wellbores, natural fractures/faults) and receptors (such as shallow groundwater aquifers). CO2 movement within each of the subsystems and resulting interactions are captured through reduced order models (ROMs). The ROMs capture the complex physical/chemical interactions resulting due to CO2 movement and interactions but are computationally extremely efficient. The computational efficiency allows for performing Monte Carlo simulations necessary for quantitative probabilistic risk assessment. We have used the IAM to predict long-term performance of geologic CO2 sequestration systems and to answer questions related to probability of leakage of CO2 through wellbores, impact of CO2/brine leakage into shallow aquifer, etc. Answers to such questions are critical in making key risk management decisions. A systematic uncertainty quantification approach can been used to understand how uncertain parameters associated with different subsystems (e.g., reservoir permeability, wellbore cement permeability, wellbore density, etc.) impact the overall site performance predictions.

An integrated investigation of lake storage and water level changes in the Paiku Co basin, central Himalayas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Yanbin; Yao, Tandong; Yang, Kun; Bird, Broxton W.; Tian, Lide; Zhang, Xiaowen; Wang, Weicai; Xiang, Yang; Dai, Yufeng; Lazhu; Zhou, Jing; Wang, Lei

2018-07-01

Since the late 1990s, lakes in the southern Tibetan Plateau (TP) have shrunk considerably, which contrasts with the rapid expansion of lakes in the interior TP. Although these spatial trends have been well documented, the underlying hydroclimatic mechanisms are not well understood. Since 2013, we have carried out comprehensive water budget observations at Paiku Co, an alpine lake in the central Himalayas. In this study, we investigate water storage and lake level changes on seasonal to decadal time scales based on extensive in-situ measurements and satellite observations. Bathymetric surveys show that Paiku Co has a mean and maximum water depth of 41.1 m and 72.8 m, respectively, and its water storage was estimated to be 109.3 × 108 m3 in June 2016. On seasonal scale between 2013 and 2017, Paiku Co's lake level decreased slowly between January and May, increased considerably between June and September, and then decreased rapidly between October and January. On decadal time scale, Paiku Co's lake level decreased by 3.7 ± 0.3 m and water storage reduced by (10.2 ± 0.8) × 108 m3 between 1972 and 2015, accounting for 8.5% of the total water storage in 1972. This change is consistent with a trend towards drier conditions in the Himalaya region during the recent decades. In contrast, glacial lakes within Paiku Co's basin expanded rapidly, indicating that, unlike Paiku Co, glacial meltwater was sufficient to compensate the effect of the reduced precipitation.

Micro-scale thermal imaging of CO2 absorption in the thermochemical energy storage of Li metal oxides at high temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morikawa, Junko; Takasu, Hiroki; Zamengo, Massimiliano; Kato, Yukitaka

2017-05-01

Li-Metal oxides (typical example: lithium ortho-silicate Li4SiO4) are regarded as a novel solid carbon dioxide CO2 absorbent accompanied by an exothermic reaction. At temperatures above 700°C the sorbent is regenerated with the release of the captured CO2 in an endothermic reaction. As the reaction equilibrium of this reversible chemical reaction is controllable only by the partial pressure of CO2, the system is regarded as a potential candidate for chemical heat storage at high temperatures. In this study, we applied our recent developed mobile type instrumentation of micro-scale infrared thermal imaging system to observe the heat of chemical reaction of Li4SiO4 and CO2 at temperature higher than 600°C or higher. In order to quantify the micro-scale heat transfer and heat exchange in the chemical reaction, the superimpose signal processing system is setup to determine the precise temperature. Under an ambient flow of carbon dioxide, a powder of Li4SiO4 with a diameter 50 micron started to shine caused by an exothermic chemical reaction heat above 600°C. The phenomena was accelerated with increasing temperature up to 700°C. At the same time, the reaction product lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) started to melt with endothermic phase change above 700°C, and these thermal behaviors were captured by the method of thermal imaging. The direct measurement of multiple thermal phenomena at high temperatures is significant to promote an efficient design of chemical heat storage materials. This is the first observation of the exothermic heat of the reaction of Li4SiO4 and CO2 at around 700°C by the thermal imaging method.

The FP7 ULTimateCO2 project: a study of the long term fate of CO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Audigane, Pascal; Waldmann, Svenja; Pearce, Jonathan; Dimier, Alain; Le Gallo, Yann; Frykman, Peter; Maurand, Nicolas; Gherardi, Fabrizio; Yalamas, Thierry; Cremer, Holger; Spiers, Chris; Nussbaum, Christophe

2014-05-01

The objectives of the European FP7 ULTimateCO2 project are to study specific processes that could influence the long-term fate of geologically stored CO2, mainly: the trapping mechanisms occurring in the storage reservoir, the influence of fluid-rock interactions on mechanical integrity of caprock and well vicinity, and also the modifications induced at the regional scale (brine displacement, fault reactivation, hydrogeology changes...). A comprehensive approach combining laboratory experiments, numerical modeling and natural analogue studies is developed to assess all the processes mentioned above. A collection of data has been generated from natural and industrial (oil industry) analogues on the fluid flow and mechanical properties, structure, and mineralogy of faults and fractures that could affect the long-term storage capacity of underground CO2 storage sites. To address geochemical trapping at reservoir scale, an experimental approach is developed using sandstone core materials in batch reactive mode with CO2 and impurities at reservoir pressure and temperature conditions. Three inter-related lines of laboratory experiments investigate the long-term evolution of the mechanical properties and sealing integrity of fractured and faulted caprocks using Opalinus clay of Mont Terri Gallery (Switzerland), an analogue for caprock well investigated in the past for nuclear waste disposal purpose. To evaluate the interactions between CO2 (and formation fluid) and the well environment (formation, cement, casing) and to assess the consequences of these interactions on the transport properties of well materials, a 1 to 1 scale experiment has been set in the Mont Terri Gallery Opalinus clay to reproduce classical well objects (cemented annulus, casing and cement plug) perforating caprock formations. An extensive program of numerical modeling is also developed to calibrate, to reproduce and to extrapolate the experimental results at longer time scales including uncertainty assessment methods. www.ultimateco2.eu

Rates of CO2 Mineralization in Geological Carbon Storage.

PubMed

Zhang, Shuo; DePaolo, Donald J

2017-09-19

Geologic carbon storage (GCS) involves capture and purification of CO 2 at industrial emission sources, compression into a supercritical state, and subsequent injection into geologic formations. This process reverses the flow of carbon to the atmosphere with the intention of returning the carbon to long-term geologic storage. Models suggest that most of the injected CO 2 will be "trapped" in the subsurface by physical means, but the most risk-free and permanent form of carbon storage is as carbonate minerals (Ca,Mg,Fe)CO 3 . The transformation of CO 2 to carbonate minerals requires supply of the necessary divalent cations by dissolution of silicate minerals. Available data suggest that rates of transformation are highly uncertain and difficult to predict by standard approaches. Here we show that the chemical kinetic observations and experimental results, when they can be reduced to a single cation-release time scale that describes the fractional rate at which cations are released to solution by mineral dissolution, show sufficiently systematic behavior as a function of pH, fluid flow rate, and time that the rates of mineralization can be estimated with reasonable certainty. The rate of mineralization depends on both the abundance (determined by the reservoir rock mineralogy) and the rate at which cations are released from silicate minerals by dissolution into pore fluid that has been acidified with dissolved CO 2 . Laboratory-measured rates and field observations give values spanning 8 to 10 orders of magnitude, but when they are evaluated in the context of a reservoir-scale reactive transport simulation, this range becomes much smaller. The reservoir scale simulations provide limits on the applicable conditions under which silicate mineral dissolution and subsequent carbonate mineral precipitation are likely to occur (pH 4.5 to 6, fluid flow velocity less than 5 m/year, and 50-100 years or more after the start of injection). These constraints lead to estimates of 200 to 2000 years for conversion of 60-90% of injected CO 2 when the reservoir rock has a sufficient volume fraction of divalent cation-bearing silicate minerals and confirms that when reservoir rock mineralogy is not favorable the fraction of CO 2 converted to carbonate minerals is minimal over 10 4 years. A sufficient amount of reactive minerals is typically about 20% by volume. Our approach may allow for rapid evaluation of mineralization potential of subsurface storage reservoirs and illustrates how reservoir scale modeling can be integrated with other observations to address key issues relating to engineering of geologic systems.

Summary of Carbon Storage Incentives and Potential Legislation: East Sub-Basin Project Task 3.1 Business and Financial Case Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Trabucchi, Chiara

The CarbonSAFE Illinois – East Sub-Basin project is conducting a pre-feasibility assessment for commercial-scale CO2 geological storage complexes. The project aims to identify sites capable of storing more than 50 million tons of industrially-sourced CO2. To support the business development assessment of the economic viability of potential sites in the East Sub-Basin and explore conditions under which a carbon capture and storage (CCS) project therein might be revenue positive, this document provides a summary of carbon storage incentives and legislation of potential relevance to the project.

Earth Battery: An Approach for Reducing the Carbon and Water Intensity of Energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buscheck, T. A.; Bielicki, J. M.; Randolph, J.

2016-12-01

Mitigating climate change requires a range of measures, including increased use of renewable and low-carbon energy and reducing the CO2 intensity of fossil energy use. Our approach, called the Earth Battery, uses the storage of supercritical CO2, N2, or pressurized air to enable utility-scale energy storage needed for increased use of variable renewable energy and low-carbon baseload power. When deployed with CO2, the Earth Battery is designed to address the major deployment barriers to CO2 capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) by managing overpressure and creating a business case for CO2 storage. We use the huge fluid and thermal storage capacity of the earth, together with overpressure driven by CO2, N2, or pressurized air storage, to harvest, store, and dispatch energy from subsurface (geothermal) and surface (solar, fossil) thermal resources, as well as excess energy from electric grids. The storage of CO2, N2, or air enables the earth to function as a low-carbon energy-system hub. Stored CO2, N2, or air plays three key roles: (1) as a supplemental fluid that creates pressure to efficiently recirculate working fluids that store and recover energy, (2) as a working fluid for efficient, low-water-intensity electricity conversion, and (3) as a shock absorber to allow diurnal and seasonal recharge/discharge cycles with minimal pressure oscillations, providing large pressure-storage capacity, with reduced risk of induced seismicity or leakage of stored CO2. To keep reservoir pressures in a safe range, a portion of the produced brine is diverted to generate water. Concentric rings of injection and production wells create a hydraulic divide to store pressure, CO2, N2/air, and thermal energy. Such storage can take excess power from the grid and excess thermal energy, and dispatch that energy when it is demanded. The system is pressurized and heated when power supply exceeds demand and depressurized when demand exceeds supply. The Earth Battery is designed for locations where a permeable geologic formation is overlain by an impermeable formation that constrains migration of buoyant CO2, N2/air, and heated brine. Such geologic conditions exist over half of the contiguous United States. This work was performed under the auspices of the USDOE by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Assessing Induced Seismicity Risk at CO 2 Storage Projects: Recent Progress and Remaining Challenges

DOE PAGES

White, Joshua A.; Foxall, William

2016-04-13

It is well established that fluid injection has the potential to induce earthquakes—from microseismicity to magnitude 5+ events—by altering state-of-stress conditions in the subsurface. This paper reviews recent lessons learned regarding induced seismicity at carbon storage sites. While similar to other subsurface injection practices, CO 2 injection has distinctive features that should be included in a discussion of its seismic hazard. Induced events have been observed at CO 2 injection projects, though to date it has not been a major operational issue. Nevertheless, the hazard exists and experience with this issue will likely grow as new storage operations come online.more » This review paper focuses on specific technical difficulties that can limit the effectiveness of current risk assessment and risk management approaches, and highlights recent research aimed at overcoming them. Finally, these challenges form the heart of the induced seismicity problem, and novel solutions to them will advance our ability to responsibly deploy large-scale CO 2 storage.« less

Simplified models of rates of CO2 mineralization in Geologic Carbon Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DePaolo, D. J.; Zhang, S.

2017-12-01

Geologic carbon storage (GCS) reverses the flow of carbon to the atmosphere, returning the carbon to long-term geologic storage. Models suggest that most of the injected CO2 will be "trapped" in the subsurface by physical means, but the most risk-free and permanent form of carbon storage is as carbonate minerals (Ca,Mg,Fe)CO3. The transformation of CO2 to carbonate minerals requires supply of divalent cations by dissolution of silicate minerals. Available data suggest that rates of transformation are difficult to predict. We show that the chemical kinetic observations and experimental results, when reduced to a single timescale that describes the fractional rate at which cations are released to solution by mineral dissolution, show sufficiently systematic behavior that the rates of mineralization can be estimated with reasonable certainty. Rate of mineralization depends on both the abundance (determined by the reservoir rock mineralogy) and the rate at which cations are released by dissolution into pore fluid that has been acidified with dissolved CO2. Laboratory-measured rates and field observations give values spanning 8 to 10 orders of magnitude, but when evaluated in the context of reservoir-scale reactive transport simulations, this range becomes much smaller. Reservoir scale simulations indicate that silicate mineral dissolution and subsequent carbonate mineral precipitation occur at pH 4.5 to 6, fluid flow velocity less than 5m/yr, and 50-100 years or more after the start of injection. These constraints lead to estimates of 200 to 2000 years for conversion of 60-90% of injected CO2 when the reservoir rock has a sufficient volume fraction of divalent cation-bearing silicate minerals (ca. 20%), and confirms that when reservoir rock mineralogy is not favorable the fraction of CO2 converted to carbonate minerals is minimal over 104 years. A sufficient amount of reactive minerals represents the condition by which the available cations per volume of rock plus pore space exceeds the locally trapped CO2 by a factor of two or more. Our approach may allow for rapid evaluation of mineralization potential of subsurface storage reservoirs, and illustrates how reservoir scale modeling can be integrated with other observations to address key issues for engineering geologic systems.

Quantification of CO2-FLUID-ROCK Reactions Using Reactive and Non-Reactive Tracers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matter, J.; Stute, M.; Hall, J. L.; Mesfin, K. G.; Gislason, S. R.; Oelkers, E. H.; Sigfússon, B.; Gunnarsson, I.; Aradottir, E. S.; Alfredsson, H. A.; Gunnlaugsson, E.; Broecker, W. S.

2013-12-01

Carbon dioxide mineralization via fluid-rock reactions provides the most effective and long-term storage option for geologic carbon storage. Injection of CO2 in geologic formations induces CO2 -fluid-rock reactions that may enhance or decrease the storage permanence and thus the long-term safety of geologic carbon storage. Hence, quantitative characterization of critical CO2 -fluid-rock interactions is essential to assess the storage efficiency and safety of geologic carbon storage. In an attempt to quantify in-situ fluid-rock reactions and CO2 transport relevant for geologic carbon storage, we are testing reactive (14C, 13C) and non-reactive (sodium fluorescein, amidorhodamine G, SF5CF3, and SF6) tracers in an ongoing CO2 injection in a basaltic storage reservoir at the CARBFIX pilot injection site in Iceland. At the injection site, CO2 is dissolved in groundwater and injected into a permeable basalt formation located 500-800 m below the surface [1]. The injected CO2 is labeled with 14C by dynamically adding calibrated amounts of H14CO3-solution into the injection stream in addition to the non-reactive tracers. Chemical and isotopic analyses of fluid samples collected in a monitoring well, reveal fast fluid-rock reactions. Maximum SF6 concentration in the monitoring well indicates the bulk arrival of the injected CO2 solution but dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentration and pH values close to background, and a potentially lower 14C to SF6 ratio than the injection ratio suggest that most of the injected CO2 has reacted with the basaltic rocks. This is supported by δ13CDIC, which shows a drop from values close to the δ 13C of the injected CO2 gas (-3‰ VPDB) during breakthrough of the CO2 plume to subsequent more depleted values (-11.25‰ VPDB), indicating precipitation of carbonate minerals. Preliminary mass balance calculations using mixing relationships between the background water in the storage formation and the injected solution, suggest that approximately 85% of the injected CO2 must have reacted along the flow path from the injection well to the monitoring well within less than one year. Monitoring is still going on and we will extend the time series and the mass balance accordingly. Our study demonstrates that by combining reactive and non-reactive tracers, we are able to quantify CO2-fluid-rock interactions on a reservoir scale. [1] Gislason et al. (2010), Int. J. Greenh. Gas Con. 4, 537-545.

Design of electrolyzer for carbon dioxide conversion to fuels and chemicals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosen, Jonathan S.

The stabilization of global atmospheric CO2 levels requires a transition towards a renewable energy based economy as well as methods for handling current CO2 output from fossil fuels. Challenges with renewable energy intermittency have thus far limited the use of these alternative energy sources to only a fraction of the current energy portfolio. To enable more widespread use of renewable energy systems, methods of large scale energy storage must be developed to store excess renewable energy when demand is low and allow for combined use of energy storage and renewable systems when demand is high. To date, no one technique has demonstrated energy storage methods on the gigawatt scale needed for integration with renewable sources; therefore the development of suitable energy storage technologies, such as CO2 electrolysis to fuels is needed. In this work, research efforts have focused on two major thrusts related to electrochemical methods of CO 2 conversion to fuels. The first thrust focuses on the synthesis and design of highly efficient anode and cathode catalysts with emphasis on understanding structure-property relationships. A second thrust focuses on the design of novel electrochemical devices for CO2 conversion and integration of synthesized materials into flow cell systems. On the anode side, the synthesis of highly active catalysts using abundant transition metals is crucial to reducing capital costs and enabling widespread use of electrochemical CO2 conversion devices. Highly active mesoporous Co3O4 and metal-substituted Co3O4 water oxidation catalysts were designed to investigate the role of the spinel structure on water oxidation activity. Further analysis of metal substituted samples reveal the importance of the octahedral sites in the spinel structure, which was later used to design an Mg-Co3O4 sample with improved water oxidation activity. The design of efficient cathode materials which can selectivity reduce CO2 to fuels and chemicals is critical to the widespread use of CO2 electrolysis. A nanoporous Ag material was synthesized through a dealloying technique able to operate with less than 0.5 V overpotential and high selectivity towards CO. CO is a valuable intermediate chemical which can used in Fischer-Tropsch or Gas-to-liquids technologies to produce liquids fuels. A detailed investigation of nanostructured Ag catalysts found stepped sites to be responsible for enhanced CO2 reduction activity due to improved stabilization of the COOH intermediate on the catalyst surface. In addition, an low-cost Zn dendrite electrocatalyst was developed using an electroplating technique. Low coordinated sites formed through electrodeposition demonstrated the suppression of hydrogen evolution while maintaining CO activity. The Zn dendrite electrocatalyst was further examined using a newly developed in situ X-ray absorption technique able to probe catalyst stability and crystalline structure under CO2 reduction operating conditions. A final hurdle in the realization of CO2 electrolysis technologies is the integration of catalysts into working flow cell devices. To address this issue and enable testing in a practical system, a highly efficient and robust CO2 electrolysis flow cell was designed including the scale up of the previous nanoporous Ag synthesis procedure. Using the modified porous Ag catalyst, currents in the Amp regime were demonstrated approaching rates needed for energy storage applications. Stability on the order of days was successfully demonstrated due to use of robust system components and conditions suitable for process scale up.

CO2 Accounting and Risk Analysis for CO2 Sequestration at Enhanced Oil Recovery Sites.

PubMed

Dai, Zhenxue; Viswanathan, Hari; Middleton, Richard; Pan, Feng; Ampomah, William; Yang, Changbing; Jia, Wei; Xiao, Ting; Lee, Si-Yong; McPherson, Brian; Balch, Robert; Grigg, Reid; White, Mark

2016-07-19

Using CO2 in enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR) is a promising technology for emissions management because CO2-EOR can dramatically reduce sequestration costs in the absence of emissions policies that include incentives for carbon capture and storage. This study develops a multiscale statistical framework to perform CO2 accounting and risk analysis in an EOR environment at the Farnsworth Unit (FWU), Texas. A set of geostatistical-based Monte Carlo simulations of CO2-oil/gas-water flow and transport in the Morrow formation are conducted for global sensitivity and statistical analysis of the major risk metrics: CO2/water injection/production rates, cumulative net CO2 storage, cumulative oil/gas productions, and CO2 breakthrough time. The median and confidence intervals are estimated for quantifying uncertainty ranges of the risk metrics. A response-surface-based economic model has been derived to calculate the CO2-EOR profitability for the FWU site with a current oil price, which suggests that approximately 31% of the 1000 realizations can be profitable. If government carbon-tax credits are available, or the oil price goes up or CO2 capture and operating expenses reduce, more realizations would be profitable. The results from this study provide valuable insights for understanding CO2 storage potential and the corresponding environmental and economic risks of commercial-scale CO2-sequestration in depleted reservoirs.

Incorporating the Impacts of Small Scale Rock Heterogeneity into Models of Flow and Trapping in Target UK CO2 Storage Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, S. J.; Reynolds, C.; Krevor, S. C.

2017-12-01

Predictions of the flow behaviour and storage capacity of CO2 in subsurface reservoirs are dependent on accurate modelling of multiphase flow and trapping. A number of studies have shown that small scale rock heterogeneities have a significant impact on CO2flow propagating to larger scales. The need to simulate flow in heterogeneous reservoir systems has led to the development of numerical upscaling techniques which are widely used in industry. Less well understood, however, is the best approach for incorporating laboratory characterisations of small scale heterogeneities into models. At small scales, heterogeneity in the capillary pressure characteristic function becomes significant. We present a digital rock workflow that combines core flood experiments with numerical simulations to characterise sub-core scale capillary pressure heterogeneities within rock cores from several target UK storage reservoirs - the Bunter, Captain and Ormskirk sandstone formations. Measured intrinsic properties (permeability, capillary pressure, relative permeability) and 3D saturations maps from steady-state core flood experiments were the primary inputs to construct a 3D digital rock model in CMG IMEX. We used vertical end-point scaling to iteratively update the voxel by voxel capillary pressure curves from the average MICP curve; with each iteration more closely predicting the experimental saturations and pressure drops. Once characterised, the digital rock cores were used to predict equivalent flow functions, such as relative permeability and residual trapping, across the range of flow conditions estimated to prevail in the CO2 storage reservoirs. In the case of the Captain sandstone, rock cores were characterised across an entire 100m vertical transect of the reservoir. This allowed analysis of the upscaled impact of small scale heterogeneity on flow and trapping. Figure 1 shows the varying degree to which heterogeneity impacted flow depending on the capillary number in the Captain sandstone. At low capillary numbers, typical of regions where flow is dominated by buoyancy, fluid flow is impeded and trapping enhanced. At high capillary numbers, typical of the near wellbore environment, the fluid distributed homogeneously and the equivalent relative permeability was higher leading to improved injectivity.

Preliminary assessments of CO2 storage in carbonate formations: a case study from Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raza, Arshad; Gholami, Raoof; Rezaee, Reza; Bing, Chua Han; Nagarajan, Ramasamy; Hamid, Mohamed Ali

2017-06-01

The preliminary assessment of depleted reservoirs prior to the injection of CO2 is an essential step to ensure the safety and success of storage projects. Several studies have provided a preliminary assessment of depleted reservoirs as a sequestration practice. However, the screening criteria used in these studies were not able to consider all of the aspects of a storage site. The aim of this paper is to provide a reservoir-scale evaluation approach for long-term storage practice in an offshore carbonate field located in Malaysia. Recently developed screening criteria that cover the key aspects of storage sites, such as capacity, injectivity, trapping mechanisms, and containment, are taken into consideration for the purpose of this study. The results obtained suggest that the reservoir has good potential to be a storage place for CO2, although the compaction behavior and aquifer supports of the reservoir might cause some difficulties. It is, therefore, recommended that a series of experimental and numerical studies on different aspects of storage sites be performed to ensure that injectivity is not a problem when it comes to the implementation stage.

Developing a monitoring and verification plan with reference to the Australian Otway CO2 pilot project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dodds, K.; Daley, T.; Freifeld, B.

2009-05-01

The Australian Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies (CO2CRC) is currently injecting 100,000 tons of CO{sub 2} in a large-scale test of storage technology in a pilot project in southeastern Australia called the CO2CRC Otway Project. The Otway Basin, with its natural CO{sub 2} accumulations and many depleted gas fields, offers an appropriate site for such a pilot project. An 80% CO{sub 2} stream is produced from a well (Buttress) near the depleted gas reservoir (Naylor) used for storage (Figure 1). The goal of this project is to demonstrate that CO{sub 2} can be safely transported, stored underground, andmore » its behavior tracked and monitored. The monitoring and verification framework has been developed to monitor for the presence and behavior of CO{sub 2} in the subsurface reservoir, near surface, and atmosphere. This monitoring framework addresses areas, identified by a rigorous risk assessment, to verify conformance to clearly identifiable performance criteria. These criteria have been agreed with the regulatory authorities to manage the project through all phases addressing responsibilities, liabilities, and to assure the public of safe storage.« less

CO2 storage capacity estimates from fluid dynamics (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juanes, R.; MacMinn, C. W.; Szulczewski, M.

2009-12-01

We study a sharp-interface mathematical model for the post-injection migration of a plume of CO2 in a deep saline aquifer under the influence of natural groundwater flow, aquifer slope, gravity override, and capillary trapping. The model leads to a nonlinear advection-diffusion equation, where the diffusive term describes the upward spreading of the CO2 against the caprock. We find that the advective terms dominate the flow dynamics even for moderate gravity override. We solve the model analytically in the hyperbolic limit, accounting rigorously for the injection period—using the true end-of-injection plume shape as an initial condition. We extend the model by incorporating the effect of CO2 dissolution into the brine, which—we find—is dominated by convective mixing. This mechanism enters the model as a nonlinear sink term. From a linear stability analysis, we propose a simple estimate of the convective dissolution flux. We then obtain semi-analytic estimates of the maximum plume migration distance and migration time for complete trapping. Our analytical model can be used to estimate the storage capacity (from capillary and dissolution trapping) at the geologic basin scale, and we apply the model to various target formations in the United States. Schematic of the migration of a CO2 plume at the geologic basin scale. During injection, the CO2 forms a plume that is subject to gravity override. At the end of the injection, all the CO2 is mobile. During the post-injection period, the CO2 migrates updip and also driven by regional groundwater flow. At the back end of the plume, where water displaces CO2, the plume leaves a wake or residual CO2 due to capillary trapping. At the bottom of the moving plume, CO2 dissolves into the brine—a process dominated by convective mixing. These two mechanisms—capillary trapping and convective dissolution—reduce the size of the mobile plume as it migrates. In this communication, we present an analytical model that predicts the migration distance and time for complete trapping. This is used to estimate storage capacity of geologic formations at the basin scale.

Facilitating CCS Business Planning by Extending the Functionality of the SimCCS Integrated System Model

DOE PAGES

Ellett, Kevin M.; Middleton, Richard S.; Stauffer, Philip H.; ...

2017-08-18

The application of integrated system models for evaluating carbon capture and storage technology has expanded steadily over the past few years. To date, such models have focused largely on hypothetical scenarios of complex source-sink matching involving numerous large-scale CO 2 emitters, and high-volume, continuous reservoirs such as deep saline formations to function as geologic sinks for carbon storage. Though these models have provided unique insight on the potential costs and feasibility of deploying complex networks of integrated infrastructure, there remains a pressing need to translate such insight to the business community if this technology is to ever achieve a trulymore » meaningful impact in greenhouse gas mitigation. Here, we present a new integrated system modelling tool termed SimCCUS aimed at providing crucial decision support for businesses by extending the functionality of a previously developed model called SimCCS. The primary innovation of the SimCCUS tool development is the incorporation of stacked geological reservoir systems with explicit consideration of processes and costs associated with the operation of multiple CO 2 utilization and storage targets from a single geographic location. In such locations provide significant efficiencies through economies of scale, effectively minimizing CO 2 storage costs while simultaneously maximizing revenue streams via the utilization of CO 2 as a commodity for enhanced hydrocarbon recovery.« less

Facilitating CCS Business Planning by Extending the Functionality of the SimCCS Integrated System Model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ellett, Kevin M.; Middleton, Richard S.; Stauffer, Philip H.

The application of integrated system models for evaluating carbon capture and storage technology has expanded steadily over the past few years. To date, such models have focused largely on hypothetical scenarios of complex source-sink matching involving numerous large-scale CO 2 emitters, and high-volume, continuous reservoirs such as deep saline formations to function as geologic sinks for carbon storage. Though these models have provided unique insight on the potential costs and feasibility of deploying complex networks of integrated infrastructure, there remains a pressing need to translate such insight to the business community if this technology is to ever achieve a trulymore » meaningful impact in greenhouse gas mitigation. Here, we present a new integrated system modelling tool termed SimCCUS aimed at providing crucial decision support for businesses by extending the functionality of a previously developed model called SimCCS. The primary innovation of the SimCCUS tool development is the incorporation of stacked geological reservoir systems with explicit consideration of processes and costs associated with the operation of multiple CO 2 utilization and storage targets from a single geographic location. In such locations provide significant efficiencies through economies of scale, effectively minimizing CO 2 storage costs while simultaneously maximizing revenue streams via the utilization of CO 2 as a commodity for enhanced hydrocarbon recovery.« less

Co-optimization of CO 2 -EOR and Storage Processes under Geological Uncertainty

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ampomah, William; Balch, Robert; Will, Robert

This paper presents an integrated numerical framework to co-optimize EOR and CO 2 storage performance in the Farnsworth field unit (FWU), Ochiltree County, Texas. The framework includes a field-scale compositional reservoir flow model, an uncertainty quantification model and a neural network optimization process. The reservoir flow model has been constructed based on the field geophysical, geological, and engineering data. A laboratory fluid analysis was tuned to an equation of state and subsequently used to predict the thermodynamic minimum miscible pressure (MMP). A history match of primary and secondary recovery processes was conducted to estimate the reservoir and multiphase flow parametersmore » as the baseline case for analyzing the effect of recycling produced gas, infill drilling and water alternating gas (WAG) cycles on oil recovery and CO 2 storage. A multi-objective optimization model was defined for maximizing both oil recovery and CO 2 storage. The uncertainty quantification model comprising the Latin Hypercube sampling, Monte Carlo simulation, and sensitivity analysis, was used to study the effects of uncertain variables on the defined objective functions. Uncertain variables such as bottom hole injection pressure, WAG cycle, injection and production group rates, and gas-oil ratio among others were selected. The most significant variables were selected as control variables to be used for the optimization process. A neural network optimization algorithm was utilized to optimize the objective function both with and without geological uncertainty. The vertical permeability anisotropy (Kv/Kh) was selected as one of the uncertain parameters in the optimization process. The simulation results were compared to a scenario baseline case that predicted CO 2 storage of 74%. The results showed an improved approach for optimizing oil recovery and CO 2 storage in the FWU. The optimization process predicted more than 94% of CO 2 storage and most importantly about 28% of incremental oil recovery. The sensitivity analysis reduced the number of control variables to decrease computational time. A risk aversion factor was used to represent results at various confidence levels to assist management in the decision-making process. The defined objective functions were proved to be a robust approach to co-optimize oil recovery and CO 2 storage. The Farnsworth CO 2 project will serve as a benchmark for future CO 2–EOR or CCUS projects in the Anadarko basin or geologically similar basins throughout the world.« less

Co-optimization of CO 2 -EOR and Storage Processes under Geological Uncertainty

DOE PAGES

Ampomah, William; Balch, Robert; Will, Robert; ...

2017-07-01

This paper presents an integrated numerical framework to co-optimize EOR and CO 2 storage performance in the Farnsworth field unit (FWU), Ochiltree County, Texas. The framework includes a field-scale compositional reservoir flow model, an uncertainty quantification model and a neural network optimization process. The reservoir flow model has been constructed based on the field geophysical, geological, and engineering data. A laboratory fluid analysis was tuned to an equation of state and subsequently used to predict the thermodynamic minimum miscible pressure (MMP). A history match of primary and secondary recovery processes was conducted to estimate the reservoir and multiphase flow parametersmore » as the baseline case for analyzing the effect of recycling produced gas, infill drilling and water alternating gas (WAG) cycles on oil recovery and CO 2 storage. A multi-objective optimization model was defined for maximizing both oil recovery and CO 2 storage. The uncertainty quantification model comprising the Latin Hypercube sampling, Monte Carlo simulation, and sensitivity analysis, was used to study the effects of uncertain variables on the defined objective functions. Uncertain variables such as bottom hole injection pressure, WAG cycle, injection and production group rates, and gas-oil ratio among others were selected. The most significant variables were selected as control variables to be used for the optimization process. A neural network optimization algorithm was utilized to optimize the objective function both with and without geological uncertainty. The vertical permeability anisotropy (Kv/Kh) was selected as one of the uncertain parameters in the optimization process. The simulation results were compared to a scenario baseline case that predicted CO 2 storage of 74%. The results showed an improved approach for optimizing oil recovery and CO 2 storage in the FWU. The optimization process predicted more than 94% of CO 2 storage and most importantly about 28% of incremental oil recovery. The sensitivity analysis reduced the number of control variables to decrease computational time. A risk aversion factor was used to represent results at various confidence levels to assist management in the decision-making process. The defined objective functions were proved to be a robust approach to co-optimize oil recovery and CO 2 storage. The Farnsworth CO 2 project will serve as a benchmark for future CO 2–EOR or CCUS projects in the Anadarko basin or geologically similar basins throughout the world.« less

Understanding CO2 Plume Behavior and Basin-Scale Pressure Changes during Sequestration Projects through the use of Reservoir Fluid Modeling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leetaru, H.E.; Frailey, S.M.; Damico, J.; Mehnert, E.; Birkholzer, J.; Zhou, Q.; Jordan, P.D.

2009-01-01

Large scale geologic sequestration tests are in the planning stages around the world. The liability and safety issues of the migration of CO2 away from the primary injection site and/or reservoir are of significant concerns for these sequestration tests. Reservoir models for simulating single or multi-phase fluid flow are used to understand the migration of CO2 in the subsurface. These models can also help evaluate concerns related to brine migration and basin-scale pressure increases that occur due to the injection of additional fluid volumes into the subsurface. The current paper presents different modeling examples addressing these issues, ranging from simple geometric models to more complex reservoir fluid models with single-site and basin-scale applications. Simple geometric models assuming a homogeneous geologic reservoir and piston-like displacement have been used for understanding pressure changes and fluid migration around each CO2 storage site. These geometric models are useful only as broad approximations because they do not account for the variation in porosity, permeability, asymmetry of the reservoir, and dip of the beds. In addition, these simple models are not capable of predicting the interference between different injection sites within the same reservoir. A more realistic model of CO2 plume behavior can be produced using reservoir fluid models. Reservoir simulation of natural gas storage reservoirs in the Illinois Basin Cambrian-age Mt. Simon Sandstone suggest that reservoir heterogeneity will be an important factor for evaluating storage capacity. The Mt. Simon Sandstone is a thick sandstone that underlies many significant coal fired power plants (emitting at least 1 million tonnes per year) in the midwestern United States including the states of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio. The initial commercial sequestration sites are expected to inject 1 to 2 million tonnes of CO2 per year. Depending on the geologic structure and permeability anisotropy, the CO2 injected into the Mt. Simon are expected to migrate less than 3 km. After 30 years of continuous injection followed by 100 years of shut-in, the plume from a 1 million tonnes a year injection rate is expected to migrate 1.6 km for a 0 degree dip reservoir and over 3 km for a 5 degree dip reservoir. The region where reservoir pressure increases in response to CO2 injection is typically much larger than the CO2 plume. It can thus be anticipated that there will be basin wide interactions between different CO2 injection sources if multiple, large volume sites are developed. This interaction will result in asymmetric plume migration that may be contrary to reservoir dip. A basin- scale simulation model is being developed to predict CO2 plume migration, brine displacement, and pressure buildup for a possible future sequestration scenario featuring multiple CO2 storage sites within the Illinois Basin Mt. Simon Sandstone. Interactions between different sites will be evaluated with respect to impacts on pressure and CO2 plume migration patterns. ?? 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental Investigations into CO2 Interactions with Injection Well Infrastructure for CO2 Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syed, Amer; Shi, Ji-Quan; Durucan, Sevket; Nash, Graham; Korre, Anna

2013-04-01

Wellbore integrity is an essential requirement to ensure the success of a CO2 Storage project as leakage of CO2 from the injection or any other abandoned well in the storage complex, could not only severely impede the efficiency of CO2 injection and storage but also may result in potential adverse impact on the surrounding environment. Early research has revealed that in case of improper well completions and/or significant changes in operating bottomhole pressure and temperature could lead to the creation of microannulus at cement-casing interface which may constitute a preferential pathway for potential CO2 leakage during and post injection period. As a part of a European Commission funded CO2CARE project, the current research investigates the sealing behaviour of such microannulus at the cement-casing interface under simulated subsurface reservoir pressure and temperature conditions and uses the findings to develop a methodology to assess the overall integrity of CO2 storage. A full scale wellbore experimental test set up was constructed for use under elevated pressure and temperature conditions as encountered in typical CO2 storage sites. The wellbore cell consists of an assembly of concentric elements of full scale casing (Diameter= 0.1524m), cement sheath and an outer casing. The stainless steel outer ring is intended to simulate the stiffness offered by the reservoir rock to the displacement applied at the wellbore. The Central Loading Mechanism (CLM) consists of four case hardened shoes that can impart radial load onto the well casing. The radial movement of the shoes is powered through the synchronised movement of four precision jacks controlled hydraulically which could impart radial pressures up to 15 MPa. The cell body is a gas tight enclosure that houses the wellbore and the central loading mechanism. The setup is enclosed in a laboratory oven which acts both as temperature and safety enclosure. Prior to a test, cement mix is set between the casing and outer steel ring. A radial pressure is maintained on the wellbore casing during cement setting, i.e., the casing is in a state of tension, so that a microannulus can be created by subsequent contraction of CLM when the radial pressure is relieved. The aperture (permeability) of the microannulus can be controlled by varying the CLM pressure on the casing, which is maintained throughout a flow test. During a test, pure CO2/brine saturated CO2 is flown through the microannulus over a period of time to study its permeability behaviour under simulated downhole conditions. Evolution in permeability is monitored and the effluent is collected and analysed regularly. These experimental results will be used as an input to implement a time-dependent microannulus permeability in the numerical model to assess the impact of such behaviour on the storage performance of a CO2 storage reservoir. The results of the first set of experiments, where the permeability behaviour of pure CO2 was monitored over a 3 months period, are presented and discussed in this paper.

Glacistore: Understanding Late Cenozoic Glaciation and Basin Processes for the Development of Secure Large Scale Offshore CO2 Storage (North Sea).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, H. A.; Barrio, M.; Akhurst, M.; Aagaard, P.; Alcalde, J.; Bauer, A.; Bradwell, T.; Cavanagh, A.; Faleide, J. I.; Furre, A. K.; Haszeldine, S.; Hjelstuen, B. O.; Holloway, S.; Johansen, H.; Johnson, G.; Kuerschner, W.; Mondol, N. H.; Querendez, E.; Ringrose, P. S.; Sejrup, H. P.; Stewart, M.; Stoddart, D.; Wilkinson, M.; Zalmstra, H.

2014-12-01

The sedimentary strata of the North Sea Basin (NSB) record the glacial and interglacial history of environmental change in the Northern Hemisphere, and are a proposed location for the engineered storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) captured from power plant and industrial sources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These aspects interact in the geomechanical and fluid flow domain, as ice sheet dynamics change the properties of potential seal and reservoir rocks that are the prospective geological storage strata for much of Europe's captured CO2. The intensification of the global glacial-interglacial cycle at the onset of the Pleistocene (2.5-2.7 Ma) was a critical tipping-point in Earth's recent climate history. The increased severity of glaciations at the Plio-Pleistocene boundary triggered the first development of large-scale continental ice sheets in the Northern Hemisphere. The central part of the NSB preserves a unique history of the depositional record spanning at least the last 3 Ma, which also forms the overburden and seal to the underlying CO2 reservoirs. There is good evidence that these ice sheets created strong feedback loops that subsequently affected the evolution of the Quaternary climate system through complex ocean-atmosphere-cryosphere linkages. Understanding NSB dynamics, including the role of fluids in controlling compaction, cementation, and diagenetic processes in shale-dominated basins, is essential for CO2 storage site characterisation to increase understanding and confidence in secure storage. An increased understanding of the overlying sequence will inform quantitative predictions of the performance of prospective CO2 storage sites in glaciated areas in Europe and worldwide; to include improved resolution of glacial cycles (depositional and chronological framework), characterise pore fluids, flow properties of glacial landforms within the sequence (e.g. tunnel valleys) and the geomechanical effects (quantify compaction, rock stiffness, strength and stress profiles) of advancing and retreating ice on the underlying strata to verify and constrain models of glaciation. This presentation describes current work and introduces a proposal submitted to the Integrated Ocean Discovery Program (852-Pre) by the authors.

Postglacial Terrestrial Carbon Dynamics and Atmospheric CO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prentice, C. I.; Harrison, S. P.; Kaplan, J. O.

2002-12-01

Combining PMIP climate model results from the last glacial maximum (LGM) with biome modelling indicates the involvement of both cold, dry climate and physiological effects of low atmospheric CO2 in reducing tree cover on the continents. Further results with the LPJ dynamic vegetation model agree with independent evidence for greatly reduced terrestrial carbon storage at LGM, and suggest that terrestrial carbon storage continued to increase during the Holocene. These results point to predominantly oceanic explanations for preindustrial changes in atmospheric CO2, although land changes after the LGM may have contributed indirectly by reducing the aeolian marine Fe source and (on a longer time scale) by triggering CaCO3 compensation in the ocean.

Comparison of Pore-Network and Lattice Boltzmann Models for Pore-Scale Modeling of Geological Storage of CO2 in Natural Reservoir Rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohanpur, A. H.; Chen, Y.; Valocchi, A. J.; Tudek, J.; Crandall, D.

2016-12-01

CO2-brine flow in deep natural rocks is the focus of attention in geological storage of CO2. Understanding rock/flow properties at pore-scale is a vital component in field-scale modeling and prediction of fate of injected CO2. There are many challenges in working at the pore scale, such as size and selection of representative elementary volume (REV), particularly for material with complex geometry and heterogeneity, and the high computational costs. These issues factor into trade-offs that need to be made in choosing and applying pore-scale models. On one hand, pore-network modeling (PNM) simplifies the geometry and flow equations but can provide characteristic curves on fairly large samples. On the other hand, the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) solves Navier-Stokes equations on the real geometry but is limited to small samples due to its high computational costs. Thus, both methods have some advantages but also face some challenges, which warrants a more detailed comparison and evaluation. In this study, we used industrial and micro-CT scans of actual reservoir rock samples to characterize pore structure at different resolutions. We ran LBM models directly on the characterized geometry and PNM on the equivalent 3D extracted network to determine single/two-phase flow properties during drainage and imbibition processes. Specifically, connectivity, absolute permeability, relative permeability curve, capillary pressure curve, and interface location are compared between models. We also did simulations on several subsamples from different locations including different domain sizes and orientations to encompass analysis of heterogeneity and isotropy. This work is primarily supported as part of the Center for Geologic Storage of CO2, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science and partially supported by the International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I2CNER) based at Kyushu University, Japan.

A sensitivity analysis on seismic tomography data with respect to CO2 saturation of a CO2 geological sequestration field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Chanho; Nguyen, Phung K. T.; Nam, Myung Jin; Kim, Jongwook

2013-04-01

Monitoring CO2 migration and storage in geological formations is important not only for the stability of geological sequestration of CO2 but also for efficient management of CO2 injection. Especially, geophysical methods can make in situ observation of CO2 to assess the potential leakage of CO2 and to improve reservoir description as well to monitor development of geologic discontinuity (i.e., fault, crack, joint, etc.). Geophysical monitoring can be based on wireline logging or surface surveys for well-scale monitoring (high resolution and nallow area of investigation) or basin-scale monitoring (low resolution and wide area of investigation). In the meantime, crosswell tomography can make reservoir-scale monitoring to bridge the resolution gap between well logs and surface measurements. This study focuses on reservoir-scale monitoring based on crosswell seismic tomography aiming describe details of reservoir structure and monitoring migration of reservoir fluid (water and CO2). For the monitoring, we first make a sensitivity analysis on crosswell seismic tomography data with respect to CO2 saturation. For the sensitivity analysis, Rock Physics Models (RPMs) are constructed by calculating the values of density and P and S-wave velocities of a virtual CO2 injection reservoir. Since the seismic velocity of the reservoir accordingly changes as CO2 saturation changes when the CO2 saturation is less than about 20%, while when the CO2 saturation is larger than 20%, the seismic velocity is insensitive to the change, sensitivity analysis is mainly made when CO2 saturation is less than 20%. For precise simulation of seismic tomography responses for constructed RPMs, we developed a time-domain 2D elastic modeling based on finite difference method with a staggered grid employing a boundary condition of a convolutional perfectly matched layer. We further make comparison between sensitivities of seismic tomography and surface measurements for RPMs to analysis resolution difference between them. Moreover, assuming a similar reservoir situation to the CO2 storage site in Nagaoka, Japan, we generate time-lapse tomographic data sets for the corresponding CO2 injection process, and make a preliminary interpretation of the data sets.

Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment at the IEA GHG Weyburn-Midale CO2 Monitoring and Storage Project, Saskatchewan, Canada.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ben, R.; Chalaturnyk, R.; Gardner, C.; Hawkes, C.; Johnson, J.; White, D.; Whittaker, S.

2008-12-01

In July 2000, a major research project was initiated to study the geological storage of CO2 as part of a 5000 tonnes/day EOR project planned for the Weyburn Field in Saskatchewan, Canada. Major objectives of the IEA GHG Weyburn CO2 monitoring and storage project included: assessing the integrity of the geosphere encompassing the Weyburn oil pool for effective long-term storage of CO2; monitoring the movement of the injected CO2, and assessing the risk of migration of CO2 from the injection zone (approximately 1500 metres depth) to the surface. Over the period 2000-2004, a diverse group of 80+ researchers worked on: geological, geophysical, and hydrogeological characterizations at both the regional (100 km beyond the field) and detailed scale (10 km around the field); conducted time-lapse geophysical surveys; carried out surface and subsurface geochemical surveys; and undertook numerical reservoir simulations. Results of the characterization were used for a performance assessment that concluded the risk of CO2 movement to the biosphere was very small. By September 2007, more than 14 Mtonnes of CO2 had been injected into the Weyburn reservoir, including approximately 3 Mtonnes recycled from oil production. A "Final Phase" research project was initiated (2007- 2011) to contribute to a "Best Practices" guide for long-term CO2 storage in EOR settings. Research objectives include: improving the geoscience characterization; further detailed analysis and data collection on the role of wellbores; additional geochemical and geophysical monitoring activities; and an emphasis on quantitative risk assessments using multiple analysis techniques. In this talk a review of results from Phase I will be presented followed by plans and initial results for the Final Phase.

Monitoring Conformance and Containment for Geological Carbon Storage: Can Technology Meet Policy and Public Requirements?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawton, D. C.; Osadetz, K.

2014-12-01

The Province of Alberta, Canada identified carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a key element of its 2008 Climate Change strategy. The target is a reduction in CO2 emissions of 139 Mt/year by 2050. To encourage uptake of CCS by industry, the province has provided partial funding to two demonstration scale projects, namely the Quest Project by Shell and partners (CCS), and the Alberta Carbon Trunk Line Project (pipeline and CO2-EOR). Important to commercial scale implementation of CCS will be the requirement to prove conformance and containment of the CO2 plume injected during the lifetime of the CCS project. This will be a challenge for monitoring programs. The Containment and Monitoring Institute (CaMI) is developing a Field Research Station (FRS) to calibrate various monitoring technologies for CO2 detection thresholds at relatively shallow depths. The objective being assessed with the FRS is sensitivity for early detection of loss of containment from a deeper CO2 storage project. In this project, two injection wells will be drilled to sandstone reservoir targets at depths of 300 m and 700 m. Up to four observation wells will be drilled with monitoring instruments installed. Time-lapse surface and borehole monitoring surveys will be undertaken to evaluate the movement and fate of the CO2 plume. These will include seismic, microseismic, cross well, electrical resistivity, electromagnetic, gravity, geodetic and geomechanical surveys. Initial baseline seismic data from the FRS will presented.

Carbon Nanotubes Produced from Ambient Carbon Dioxide for Environmentally Sustainable Lithium-Ion and Sodium-Ion Battery Anodes

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

The cost and practicality of greenhouse gas removal processes, which are critical for environmental sustainability, pivot on high-value secondary applications derived from carbon capture and conversion techniques. Using the solar thermal electrochemical process (STEP), ambient CO2 captured in molten lithiated carbonates leads to the production of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) at high yield through electrolysis using inexpensive steel electrodes. These low-cost CO2-derived CNTs and CNFs are demonstrated as high performance energy storage materials in both lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries. Owing to synthetic control of sp3 content in the synthesized nanostructures, optimized storage capacities are measured over 370 mAh g–1 (lithium) and 130 mAh g–1 (sodium) with no capacity fade under durability tests up to 200 and 600 cycles, respectively. This work demonstrates that ambient CO2, considered as an environmental pollutant, can be attributed economic value in grid-scale and portable energy storage systems with STEP scale-up practicality in the context of combined cycle natural gas electric power generation. PMID:27163042

A review of high temperature co-electrolysis of H2O and CO2 to produce sustainable fuels using solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs): advanced materials and technology.

PubMed

Zheng, Yun; Wang, Jianchen; Yu, Bo; Zhang, Wenqiang; Chen, Jing; Qiao, Jinli; Zhang, Jiujun

2017-03-06

High-temperature solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) are advanced electrochemical energy storage and conversion devices with high conversion/energy efficiencies. They offer attractive high-temperature co-electrolysis routes that reduce extra CO 2 emissions, enable large-scale energy storage/conversion and facilitate the integration of renewable energies into the electric grid. Exciting new research has focused on CO 2 electrochemical activation/conversion through a co-electrolysis process based on the assumption that difficult C[double bond, length as m-dash]O double bonds can be activated effectively through this electrochemical method. Based on existing investigations, this paper puts forth a comprehensive overview of recent and past developments in co-electrolysis with SOECs for CO 2 conversion and utilization. Here, we discuss in detail the approaches of CO 2 conversion, the developmental history, the basic principles, the economic feasibility of CO 2 /H 2 O co-electrolysis, and the diverse range of fuel electrodes as well as oxygen electrode materials. SOEC performance measurements, characterization and simulations are classified and presented in this paper. SOEC cell and stack designs, fabrications and scale-ups are also summarized and described. In particular, insights into CO 2 electrochemical conversions, solid oxide cell material behaviors and degradation mechanisms are highlighted to obtain a better understanding of the high temperature electrolysis process in SOECs. Proposed research directions are also outlined to provide guidelines for future research.

Simulation of CO2 Sequestration at Rock Spring Uplift, Wyoming: Heterogeneity and Uncertainties in Storage Capacity, Injectivity and Leakage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deng, Hailin; Dai, Zhenxue; Jiao, Zunsheng

2011-01-01

Many geological, geochemical, geomechanical and hydrogeological factors control CO{sub 2} storage in subsurface. Among them heterogeneity in saline aquifer can seriously influence design of injection wells, CO{sub 2} injection rate, CO{sub 2} plume migration, storage capacity, and potential leakage and risk assessment. This study applies indicator geostatistics, transition probability and Markov chain model at the Rock Springs Uplift, Wyoming generating facies-based heterogeneous fields for porosity and permeability in target saline aquifer (Pennsylvanian Weber sandstone) and surrounding rocks (Phosphoria, Madison and cap-rock Chugwater). A multiphase flow simulator FEHM is then used to model injection of CO{sub 2} into the target salinemore » aquifer involving field-scale heterogeneity. The results reveal that (1) CO{sub 2} injection rates in different injection wells significantly change with local permeability distributions; (2) brine production rates in different pumping wells are also significantly impacted by the spatial heterogeneity in permeability; (3) liquid pressure evolution during and after CO{sub 2} injection in saline aquifer varies greatly for different realizations of random permeability fields, and this has potential important effects on hydraulic fracturing of the reservoir rock, reactivation of pre-existing faults and the integrity of the cap-rock; (4) CO{sub 2} storage capacity estimate for Rock Springs Uplift is 6614 {+-} 256 Mt at 95% confidence interval, which is about 36% of previous estimate based on homogeneous and isotropic storage formation; (5) density profiles show that the density of injected CO{sub 2} below 3 km is close to that of the ambient brine with given geothermal gradient and brine concentration, which indicates CO{sub 2} plume can sink to the deep before reaching thermal equilibrium with brine. Finally, we present uncertainty analysis of CO{sub 2} leakage into overlying formations due to heterogeneity in both the target saline aquifer and surrounding formations. This uncertainty in leakage will be used to feed into risk assessment modeling.« less

Multiple Electron Charge Transfer Chemistries for Electrochemical Energy Storage Systems: The Metal Boride and Metal Air Battery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stuart, Jessica F.

The primary focus of this work has been to develop high-energy capacity batteries capable of undergoing multiple electron charge transfer redox reactions to address the growing demand for improved electrical energy storage systems that can be applied to a range of applications. As the levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) increase in the Earth's atmosphere, the effects on climate change become increasingly apparent. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the U.S. electric power sector is responsible for the release of 2,039 million metric tons of CO2 annually, equating to 39% of total U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions. Both nationally and abroad, there are numerous issues associated with the generation and use of electricity aside from the overwhelming dependence on fossil fuels and the subsequent carbon emissions, including reliability of the grid and the utilization of renewable energies. Renewable energy makes up a relatively small portion of total energy contributions worldwide, accounting for only 13% of the 3,955 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity produced each year, as reported by the EIA. As the demand to reduce our dependence on fossils fuels and transition to renewable energy sources increases, cost effective large-scale electrical energy storage must be established for renewable energy to become a sustainable option for the future. A high capacity energy storage system capable of leveling the intermittent nature of energy sources such as solar, wind, and water into the electric grid and provide electricity at times of high demand will facilitate this transition. In 2008, the Licht Group presented the highest volumetric energy capacity battery, the vanadium diboride (VB2) air battery, exceedingly proficient in transferring eleven electrons per molecule. This body of work focuses on new developments to this early battery such as fundamentally understanding the net discharge mechanism of the system, evaluation of the properties and performance of nanoscopic anodic materials in addition to the previously developed macroscopic system, as well as the exploration of a high-energy capacity TiB 2/VB2 composite anode. However, the greatest challenge to this room temperature VB2 primary battery is to develop a means to electrochemically recharge the anodic material (how to reinsert the eleven electrons per molecule that are removed during the battery's discharge). Rechargeable batteries, such as the new molten air battery presented in this thesis, offer a high intrinsic capacity mode for energy storage and overcome problems such as the need for higher energy capacity, cost-effective batteries for a range of electronic, transportation, and large-scale power storage devices. Molten air batteries presented and discussed in this work are viable systems that provide a means to electrochemically recharge the VB2-air battery and deliver large-scale energy storage due to their scalability, location flexibility, construction from readily available resources, and offer increased energy storage capacity for the electric grid. One example is the VB2 molten air battery, which discharges according to: VB 2 + 11/4 O2 → 1/ 2 V2O5 + B2O3 (1). Previously, our group has shown that carbon dioxide can be captured from atmospheric air concentrations at solar efficiencies as high as 50%, and that carbon dioxide emissions associated with the production of several commodities can be electrochemically avoided in by the Solar Thermal Electrochemical Process (STEP). Utilizing this process, the carbon molten air battery relies on carbon dioxide directly from the air: Charging: CO2 (g) → C (solid) + O2 (g) (2) Discharging: C (solid) + O2 (g) → CO2 (g) (3). More specifically, in a molten carbonate electrolyte containing added oxide, such as lithium carbonate with lithium oxide, the four-electron charging reaction, Equation 2, approaches 100% faradic efficiency and can be described as the following two equations: O2- (dissolved) + CO2 (g) → CO 32- (molten) (2a) CO32- (molten) ?→ C (solid) + O2 (g) + O2- (dissolved) (2b). Thus, powered by the oxidation of carbon formed directly from the CO 2 in our earth's atmosphere, the carbon molten air battery is a viable system to provide large-scale energy storage. These batteries are rechargeable and have amongst the highest intrinsic battery storage capacities available. The electron charge transfer chemistry is demonstrated through three examples. These examples utilize iron, carbon, and vanadium diboride as reactive materials, each containing intrinsic volumetric energy capacities of 10,000 Wh/L for Fe to Fe (III), 19,000 Wh/L for C to CO2, and 27,000 Wh/L for VB2 to B2O3 and V2O 5, compared to 6,200 Wh/L for the lithium air battery.

Ventilation of the deep Southern Ocean and changes in atmospheric CO2 during the last deglacial and glacial periods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gottschalk, J.; Skinner, L. C.; Lippold, J. A.; Jaccard, S.; Vogel, H.; Frank, N.; Waelbroeck, C.

2014-12-01

The Southern Ocean is thought to have played a key role in atmospheric CO2 (CO2,atm) variations, both via its role in bringing carbon-rich deep-waters into contact with the atmosphere, and via its capacity for enhanced biologically mediated carbon export into the deep sea. The governing mechanisms of millennial scale rises in CO2,atm during the last deglacial and glacial periods have been linked controversially either with variations in biological export productivity, possibly driven by fluctuations in airborne dust supply, or to variations in southern high-latitude vertical mixing, possibly driven by changes in westerly wind stress or density stratification across the Southern Ocean water column. However, the impact of these processes on deep, southern high-latitude carbon sequestration and ocean-atmosphere CO2 exchange remain ambiguous. We present proxy evidence for the link between deep carbon storage in the sub-Antarctic Atlantic with changes in CO2,atm during the last 70 ka from sub-millennially resolved changes in bottom water oxygenation based on the uranium accumulation in authigenic coatings on foraminiferal shells and the δ13C offset between epibenthic and infaunal foraminifera (Δδ13C). We compare our results with reconstructed opal fluxes and sediment model output data to assess the impact of physical and biological processes on Southern Ocean carbon storage. While variations in sub-Antarctic Atlantic export production are intrinsically linked with changes in airborne dust supply supporting the major impact of dust on the biological soft-tissue pump, they cannot account for observed changes in pore water organic carbon respiration indicated by increasing Δδ13C and therefore, bottom water oxygen changes in the deep sub-Antarctic Atlantic. This is in strong support of millennial-scale fluctuations in deep Southern Ocean carbon storage primarily controlled by the ventilation of the deep ocean by southern-sourced water masses, which emphasize the strong control of vertical mixing and upwelling of CO2-rich water masses in the Southern Ocean on the ocean-atmosphere exchange of CO2 and variation in CO2,atm over both glacial-interglacial and millennial time scales.

Maximization of permanent trapping of CO{sub 2} and co-contaminants in the highest-porosity formations of the Rock Springs Uplift (Southwest Wyoming): experimentation and multi-scale modeling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Piri, Mohammad

2014-03-31

Under this project, a multidisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Wyoming combined state-of-the-art experimental studies, numerical pore- and reservoir-scale modeling, and high performance computing to investigate trapping mechanisms relevant to geologic storage of mixed scCO{sub 2} in deep saline aquifers. The research included investigations in three fundamental areas: (i) the experimental determination of two-phase flow relative permeability functions, relative permeability hysteresis, and residual trapping under reservoir conditions for mixed scCO{sub 2}-­brine systems; (ii) improved understanding of permanent trapping mechanisms; (iii) scientifically correct, fine grid numerical simulations of CO{sub 2} storage in deep saline aquifers taking into account themore » underlying rock heterogeneity. The specific activities included: (1) Measurement of reservoir-­conditions drainage and imbibition relative permeabilities, irreducible brine and residual mixed scCO{sub 2} saturations, and relative permeability scanning curves (hysteresis) in rock samples from RSU; (2) Characterization of wettability through measurements of contact angles and interfacial tensions under reservoir conditions; (3) Development of physically-­based dynamic core-­scale pore network model; (4) Development of new, improved high-­performance modules for the UW-­team simulator to provide new capabilities to the existing model to include hysteresis in the relative permeability functions, geomechanical deformation and an equilibrium calculation (Both pore-­ and core-­scale models were rigorously validated against well-­characterized core-­ flooding experiments); and (5) An analysis of long term permanent trapping of mixed scCO{sub 2} through high-­resolution numerical experiments and analytical solutions. The analysis takes into account formation heterogeneity, capillary trapping, and relative permeability hysteresis.« less

Mathematical models as tools for probing long-term safety of CO2 storage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pruess, Karsten; Birkholzer, Jens; Zhou, Quanlin

Subsurface reservoirs being considered for storing CO{sub 2} include saline aquifers, oil and gas reservoirs, and unmineable coal seams (Baines and Worden, 2004; IPCC, 2005). By far the greatest storage capacity is in saline aquifers (Dooley et al., 2004), and our discussion will focus primarily on CO{sub 2} storage in saline formations. Most issues for safety and security of CO{sub 2} storage arise from the fact that, at typical temperature and pressure conditions encountered in terrestrial crust, CO{sub 2} is less dense than aqueous fluids. Accordingly, CO{sub 2} will experience an upward buoyancy force in most subsurface environments, and willmore » tend to migrate upwards whenever (sub-)vertical permeable pathways are available, such as fracture zones, faults, or improperly abandoned wells (Bachu, 2008; Pruess, 2008a, b; Tsang et al., 2008). CO{sub 2} injection will increase fluid pressures in the target formation, thereby altering effective stress distributions, and potentially triggering movement along fractures and faults that could increase their permeability and reduce the effectiveness of a caprock in containing CO{sub 2} (Rutqvist et al., 2008; Chiaramonte et al., 2008). Induced seismicity as a consequence of fluid injection is also a concern (Healy et al., 1968; Raleigh et al., 1976; Majer et al., 2007). Dissolution of CO{sub 2} in the aqueous phase generates carbonic acid, which may induce chemical corrosion (dissolution) of minerals with associated increase in formation porosity and permeability, and may also mediate sequestration of CO{sub 2} as solid carbonate (Gaus et al., 2008). Chemical dissolution of caprock minerals could promote leakage of CO{sub 2} from a storage reservoir (Gherardi et al., 2007). Chemical dissolution and geomechanical effects could reinforce one another in compromising CO{sub 2} containment. Additional issues arise from the potential of CO{sub 2} to mobilize hazardous chemical species (Kharaka et al., 2006), and from migration of the large amounts of brine that would be mobilized by industrial-scale CO{sub 2} injection (Nicot et al., 2008; Birkholzer et al., 2008a, b).« less

CO2 geosequestration at the laboratory scale: Combined geophysical and hydromechanical assessment of weakly-cemented shallow Sleipner-like reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falcon-Suarez, I.; North, L. J.; Best, A. I.

2017-12-01

To date, the most promising mitigation strategy for reducing global carbon emissions is Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). The storage technology (i.e., CO2 geosequestration, CGS) consists of injecting CO2 into deep geological formations, specifically selected for such massive-scale storage. To guarantee the mechanical stability of the reservoir during and after injection, it is crucial to improve existing monitoring techniques for controlling CGS activities. We developed a comprehensive experimental program to investigate the integrity of the Sleipner CO2 storage site in the North Sea - the first commercial CCS project in history where 1 Mtn/y of CO2 has been injected since 1996. We assessed hydro-mechanical effects and the related geophysical signatures of three synthetic sandstones and samples from the Utsira Sand formation (main reservoir at Sleipner), at realistic pressure-temperature (PT) conditions and fluid compositions. Our experimental approach consists of brine-CO2 flow-through tests simulating variable inflation/depletion scenarios, performed in the CGS-rig (Fig. 1; Falcon-Suarez et al., 2017) at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) in Southampton. The rig is designed for simultaneous monitoring of ultrasonic P- and S-wave velocities and attenuations, electrical resistivity, axial and radial strains, pore pressure and flow, during the co-injection of up to two fluids under controlled PT conditions. Our results show velocity-resistivity and seismic-geomechanical relations of practical importance for the distinction between pore pressure and pore fluid distribution during CGS activities. By combining geophysical and thermo-hydro-mechano-chemical coupled information, we can provide laboratory datasets that complement in situ seismic, geomechanical and electrical survey information, useful for the CO2 plume monitoring in Sleipner site and other shallow weakly-cemented sand CCS reservoirs. Falcon-Suarez, I., Marín-Moreno, H., Browning, F., Lichtschlag, A., Robert, K., North, L.J., Best, A.I., 2017. Experimental assessment of pore fluid distribution and geomechanical changes in saline sandstone reservoirs during and after CO2 injection. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 63, 356-369.

The Sulcis Storage Project: Status of the First Italian Initiative for Pilot-Scale Geological Sequestration of CO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plaisant, A.; Maggio, E.; Pettinau, A.

2016-12-01

The deep aquifer located at a depth of about 1000-1500 m within fractured carbonate in the Sulcis coal basin (South-West Sardinia, Italy) constitutes a potential reservoir to develop a pilot-scale CO2 storage site. The occurrence of several coal mines and the geology of the basin also provide favourable condition to install a permanent infrastructures where advanced CO2 storage technologies can be developed. Overall, the Sulcis project will allow to characterize the Sulcis coal basin (South West Sardinia, Italy) and to develop a permanent infrastructure (know-how, equipment, laboratories, etc.) for advanced international studies on CO2 storage. The research activities are structured in two different phases: (i) site characterization, including the construction of an underground and a fault laboratories and (ii) the installation of a test site for small-scale injection of CO2. In particular, the underground laboratory will host geochemical and geophysical experiments on rocks, taking advantages of the buried environment and the very well confined conditions in the galleries; in parallel, the fault laboratory will be constructed to study CO2 leakage phenomena in a selected fault. The project is currently ongoing and some preliminary results will be presented in this work as well as the structure of the project as a whole. More in detail, preliminary activities comprise: (i) geochemical monitoring; (ii) the minero-petrographycal, physical and geophysical characterization of the rock samples; (iii) the development of both static and dynamic geological models of the reservoir; (iv) the structural geology and fault analysis; (v) the assessment of natural seismicity through a monitoring network (vi) the re-processing and the analysis of the reflection seismic data. Future activities will comprise: (i) the drilling of shallow exploration wells near the faults; (ii) the construction of both the above mentioned laboratories; (iii) drilling of a deep exploration well (1,500 m); (iv) injection tests. Preliminary analyses show that the rocks of the carbonate formation present a low porosity, but the formation is characterized by a good permeability for fractures and karst. The faults are typically sealed and petrophysical properties of caprock and reservoir are spatially heterogeneous.

A controlled field pilot for testing near surface CO2 detection techniques and transport models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spangler, L.H.; Dobeck, L.M.; Repasky, K.; Nehrir, A.; Humphries, S.; Keith, C.; Shaw, J.; Rouse, J.; Cunningham, A.; Benson, S.; Oldenburg, C.M.; Lewicki, J.L.; Wells, A.; Diehl, R.; Strazisar, B.; Fessenden, J.; Rahn, Thomas; Amonette, J.; Barr, J.; Pickles, W.; Jacobson, J.; Silver, E.; Male, E.; Rauch, H.; Gullickson, K.; Trautz, R.; Kharaka, Y.; Birkholzer, J.; Wielopolski, L.

2009-01-01

A field facility has been developed to allow controlled studies of near surface CO2 transport and detection technologies. The key component of the facility is a shallow, slotted horizontal well divided into six zones. The scale and fluxes were designed to address large scale CO2 storage projects and desired retention rates for those projects. A wide variety of detection techniques were deployed by collaborators from 6 national labs, 2 universities, EPRI, and the USGS. Additionally, modeling of CO2 transport and concentrations in the saturated soil and in the vadose zone was conducted. An overview of these results will be presented. ?? 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Formation Heterogeneity in Semi-Confining Shale Layers in Enhancing Mixing and Storage of Dissolved CO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Illangasekare, T. H.; Agartan Karacaer, E.; Vargas-Johnson, J.; Cihan, A.; Birkholzer, J. T.

2017-12-01

It is expected that heterogeneity of the deep geologic formation to play a key role in both trapping of supercritical CO2 and its mixing in the formation brine. In previously reported research by the authors, a set of laboratory experiments and field-scale simulations were used to show that convective mixing and diffusion controlled trapping are two important mechanisms that contribute to the dissolution trapping in multilayered systems with homogeneous low-permeability zones such as shale. However, these low-permeability layers (e.g. shale) are not always homogeneous due to their composition and texture variations in addition to the presence of faults, fractures and fissures. In this study, we investigated the potential outcomes of heterogeneity present within these semi-confining low-permeability layers in regards to mixing and storage of dissolved CO2. An intermediate-scale laboratory experiment was designed to investigate the contribution of convective mixing, diffusion controlled trapping and back diffusion to long-term storage of dissolved CO2 in multilayered formations with heterogeneous low-permeability layers. The experiment was performed using a surrogate fluid combination to represent dissolved CO2 and brine under ambient pressure and temperature conditions. After verifying the numerical model with the experimental results, different distributions of the same low-permeability materials having similar volume ratios with the experimentally studied scenario were tested numerically. The experiment and modeling results showed that connectivity of higher permeability material within the semi-confining low-permeability layers contributes to mixing through brine leakage between upper and lower aquifers, storage through diffusion, and in the long term, back diffusion of stored mass due to reversed concentration gradient.

Oxygen isotopes as a tool to quantify reservoir-scale CO2 pore-space saturation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serno, Sascha; Flude, Stephanie; Johnson, Gareth; Mayer, Bernard; Boyce, Adrian; Karolyte, Ruta; Haszeldine, Stuart; Gilfillan, Stuart

2017-04-01

Structural and residual trapping of carbon dioxide (CO2) are two key mechanisms of secure CO2 storage, an essential component of Carbon Capture and Storage technology [1]. Estimating the amount of CO2 that is trapped by these two mechanisms is a vital requirement for accurately assessing the secure CO2 storage capacity of a formation, but remains a key challenge. Recent field [2,3] and laboratory experiment studies [4] have shown that simple and relatively inexpensive measurements of oxygen isotope ratios in both the injected CO2 and produced water can provide an assessment of the amount of CO2 that is stored by these processes. These oxygen isotope assessments on samples obtained from observation wells provide results which are comparable to other geophysical techniques. In this presentation, based on the first comprehensive review of oxygen isotope ratios measured in reservoir waters and CO2 from global CO2 injection projects, we will outline the advantages and potential limitations of using oxygen isotopes to quantify CO2 pore-space saturation. We will further summarise the currently available information on the oxygen isotope composition of captured CO2. Finally, we identify the potential issues in the use of the oxygen isotope shifts in the reservoir water from baseline conditions to estimate accurate saturations of the pore space with CO2, and suggest how these issues can be reduced or avoided to provide reliable CO2 pore-space saturations on a reservoir scale in future field experiments. References [1] Scott et al., (2013) Nature Climate Change, Vol. 3, 105-111 doi:10.1038/nclimate1695 [2] Johnson et al., (2011) Chemical Geology, Vol. 283, 185-193 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2016.06.019 [3] Serno et al., (2016) IJGGC, Vol. 52, 73-83 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2016.06.019 [4] Johnson et al., (2011) Applied Geochemistry, Vol. 26 (7) 1184-1191 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2011.04.007

CO2 deserts: implications of existing CO2 supply limitations for carbon management.

PubMed

Middleton, Richard S; Clarens, Andres F; Liu, Xiaowei; Bielicki, Jeffrey M; Levine, Jonathan S

2014-10-07

Efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change will require deep reductions in anthropogenic CO2 emissions on the scale of gigatonnes per year. CO2 capture and utilization and/or storage technologies are a class of approaches that can substantially reduce CO2 emissions. Even though examples of this approach, such as CO2-enhanced oil recovery, are already being practiced on a scale >0.05 Gt/year, little attention has been focused on the supply of CO2 for these projects. Here, facility-scale data newly collected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was processed to produce the first comprehensive map of CO2 sources from industrial sectors currently supplying CO2 in the United States. Collectively these sources produce 0.16 Gt/year, but the data reveal the presence of large areas without access to CO2 at an industrially relevant scale (>25 kt/year). Even though some facilities with the capability to capture CO2 are not doing so and in some regions pipeline networks are being built to link CO2 sources and sinks, much of the country exists in "CO2 deserts". A life cycle analysis of the sources reveals that the predominant source of CO2, dedicated wells, has the largest carbon footprint further confounding prospects for rational carbon management strategies.

The Geomechanics of CO 2 Storage in Deep Sedimentary Formations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rutqvist, Jonny

2012-01-12

This study provides a review of the geomechanics and modeling of geomechanics associated with geologic carbon storage (GCS), focusing on storage in deep sedimentary formations, in particular saline aquifers. The paper first introduces the concept of storage in deep sedimentary formations, the geomechanical processes and issues related with such an operation, and the relevant geomechanical modeling tools. This is followed by a more detailed review of geomechanical aspects, including reservoir stress-strain and microseismicity, well integrity, caprock sealing performance, and the potential for fault reactivation and notable (felt) seismic events. Geomechanical observations at current GCS field deployments, mainly at the Inmore » Salah CO 2 storage project in Algeria, are also integrated into the review. The In Salah project, with its injection into a relatively thin, low-permeability sandstone is an excellent analogue to the saline aquifers that might be used for large scale GCS in parts of Northwest Europe, the U.S. Midwest, and China. Some of the lessons learned at In Salah related to geomechanics are discussed, including how monitoring of geomechanical responses is used for detecting subsurface geomechanical changes and tracking fluid movements, and how such monitoring and geomechanical analyses have led to preventative changes in the injection parameters. Recently, the importance of geomechanics has become more widely recognized among GCS stakeholders, especially with respect to the potential for triggering notable (felt) seismic events and how such events could impact the long-term integrity of a CO 2 repository (as well as how it could impact the public perception of GCS). As described in the paper, to date, no notable seismic event has been reported from any of the current CO 2 storage projects, although some unfelt microseismic activities have been detected by geophones. However, potential future commercial GCS operations from large power plants will require injection at a much larger scale. In conclusion, for such large-scale injections, a staged, learn-as-you-go approach is recommended, involving a gradual increase of injection rates combined with continuous monitoring of geomechanical changes, as well as siting beneath a multiple layered overburden for multiple flow barrier protection, should an unexpected deep fault reactivation occur.« less

Geophysical and Geochemical Aspects of Pressure and CO2 Saturation Modeling due to Migration of Fluids into the Above Zone Monitoring Interval of a Geologic Carbon Storage Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, L.; Namhata, A.; Dilmore, R. M.; Bromhal, G. S.

2016-12-01

An increasing emphasis on the industrial scale implementation of CO2 storage into geological formations has led to the development of whole-system models to evaluate performance of candidate geologic storage sites, and the environmental risk associated with them. The components of that engineered geologic system include the storage reservoir, primary and secondary seals, and the overlying formations above primary and secondary seals (above-zone monitoring interval, AZMI). Leakage of CO2 and brine through the seal to the AZMI may occur due to the presence of natural or induced fractures in the seal. In this work, an AZMI model that simulates pressure and CO2 saturation responses through time to migration of fluids (here, CO2 and brine) from the primary seal to the AZMI is developed. A hypothetical case is examined wherein CO2 is injected into a storage reservoir for 30 years and a heterogeneous primary seal exists above the reservoir with some permeable zones. The total simulation period is 200 years (30 years of CO2 injection period and 170 years of post CO2 injection period). Key geophysical parameters such as permeability of the AZMI, thickness of the AZMI and porosity of the AZMI have significant impact on pressure evolution in the AZMI. arbitrary Polynomial Chaos (aPC) Expansion analysis shows that permeability of the AZMI has the most significant impact on pressure build up in the AZMI above the injection well at t=200 years, followed by thickness of the AZMI and porosity of the AZMI. Geochemical reactions have no impact on pressure and CO2 saturation evolution in the AZMI during the CO2 injection period. After the CO2 injection stops, precipitation of secondary minerals (e.g., amorphous silica and kaolinite) at the CO2 plume/brine interface in the AZMI formation may cause permeability reduction of the AZMI, which restrains horizontal migration of CO2 in the AZMI.

Interpretation of hydraulic tests performed at a carbonate rock site for CO2 storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

María Gómez Castro, Berta; Fernández López, Sheila; Carrera, Jesús; de Simone, Silvia; Martínez, Lurdes; Roetting, Tobias; Soler, Joaquim; Ortiz, Gema; de Dios, Carlos; Huber, Christophe

2014-05-01

Interpretation of hydraulic tests performed at a carbonate rock site for CO2 storage Berta Gómez, Sheila Fernández, Tobias Roetting, Lurdes Martínez, Silvia de Simone, Joaquim Soler, Jesus Carrera, Gema Ortiz, Christophe Huber, Carlos de Dios Proper design of CO2 geological storage facilities requires knowledge of the reservoir hydraulic parameters. Specifically, permeability controls the flux of CO2, the rate at which it dissolves, local and regional pressure buildup and the likelihood of induced seismicity. Permeability is obtained from hydraulic tests, which may yield local permeability, which controls injectivity, and large scale permeability, which controls pressure buildup at the large scale. If pressure response measurements are obtained at different elevations, hydraulic tests may also yield vertical permeability, which controls the rate at which CO2 dissolves. The objective of this work is to discuss the interpretation of hydraulic tests at deep reservoirs and the conditions under which these permeabilities can be obtained. To achieve this objective, we have built a radially symmetric model, including a skin and radial as well as vertical heterogeneity. We use this model to simulate hydraulic tests with increasing degrees of complexity about the medium response. We start by assuming Darcy flow, then add coupled mechanical effects (fractures opening) and, finally, we add thermal effects. We discuss how these affect the conventional interpretation of the tests and how to identify their presence. We apply these findings to the interpretation of hydraulic tests at Hontomin.

Experimental and theoretical studies of the effect of temperature on supercritical CO2 adsorption on illite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joewondo, N.; Zhang, Y.; Prasad, M.

2016-12-01

Sequestration of carbon dioxide in shale has been a subject of interest as the result of the technological advancement in gas shale production. The process involves injection of CO2 to enhance methane recovery and storing CO2 in depleted shale reservoir at elevated pressures. To better understand both shale production and carbon storage one must study the physical phenomena acting at different scales that control the in situ fluid flow. Shale rocks are complex systems with heterogeneous structures and compositions. Pore structures of these systems are in nanometer scales and have significant gas storage capacity and surface area. Adsorption is prominent in nanometer sized pores due to the high attraction between gas molecules and the surface of the pores. Recent studies attempt to find correlation between storage capacity and the rock composition, particularly the clay content. This study, however, focuses on the study of supercritical adsorption of CO2 on pure clay sample. We have built an in-house manometric experimental setup that can be used to study both the equilibrium and kinetics of adsorption. The experiment is conducted at isothermal condition. The study of equilibrium of adsorption gives insight on the storage capacity of these systems, and the study of the kinetics of adsorption is essential in understanding the resistance to fluid transport. The diffusion coefficient, which can be estimated from the dynamic experimental results, is a parameter which quantify diffusion mobility, and is affected by many factors including pressure and temperature. The first part of this paper briefly discusses the study of both equilibrium and kinetics of the CO2 adsorption on illite. Both static and dynamic measurements on the system are compared to theoretical models available in the literature to estimate the storage capacity and the diffusion time constants. The main part of the paper discusses the effect of varying temperature on the static and dynamic experimental results.

Thermodynamics and kinetics of gas storage in porous liquids

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Fei; Yang, Fengchang; Huang, Jingsong; ...

2016-07-05

The recent synthesis of organic molecular liquids with permanent porosity (Giri et al., Nature, 2015, 527, 216) opens up exciting new avenues for gas capture, storage, and separation. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we study the thermodynamics and kinetics for the storage of CH 4, CO 2, and N 2 molecules in porous liquids consisting of crown-ether substituted cage molecules in a 15-crown-5 solvent. It is found that the gas storage capacity per cage molecule follows the order of CH 4 > CO 2 > N 2, which does not correlate simply with the size of gas molecules. Different gas moleculesmore » are stored inside the cage differently, e.g., CO 2 molecules prefer the cage s core while CH 4 molecules favor both the core and the branch regions. All gas molecules considered can enter the cage essentially without energy barriers, and their dynamics inside the cage are only slightly hindered by the nanoscale confinement. In addition, all gas molecules can leave the cage on nanosecond time scale by overcoming a modest energy penalty. The molecular mechanisms of these observations are clarified.« less

Thermodynamics and kinetics of gas storage in porous liquids

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Fei; Yang, Fengchang; Huang, Jingsong

The recent synthesis of organic molecular liquids with permanent porosity (Giri et al., Nature, 2015, 527, 216) opens up exciting new avenues for gas capture, storage, and separation. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we study the thermodynamics and kinetics for the storage of CH 4, CO 2, and N 2 molecules in porous liquids consisting of crown-ether substituted cage molecules in a 15-crown-5 solvent. It is found that the gas storage capacity per cage molecule follows the order of CH 4 > CO 2 > N 2, which does not correlate simply with the size of gas molecules. Different gas moleculesmore » are stored inside the cage differently, e.g., CO 2 molecules prefer the cage s core while CH 4 molecules favor both the core and the branch regions. All gas molecules considered can enter the cage essentially without energy barriers, and their dynamics inside the cage are only slightly hindered by the nanoscale confinement. In addition, all gas molecules can leave the cage on nanosecond time scale by overcoming a modest energy penalty. The molecular mechanisms of these observations are clarified.« less

Dynamic Pore-scale Reservoir-condition Imaging of Reaction in Carbonates Using Synchrotron Fast Tomography

PubMed Central

Menke, Hannah P.; Andrew, Matthew G.; Vila-Comamala, Joan; Rau, Christoph; Blunt, Martin J.; Bijeljic, Branko

2017-01-01

Underground storage permanence is a major concern for carbon capture and storage. Pumping CO2 into carbonate reservoirs has the potential to dissolve geologic seals and allow CO2 to escape. However, the dissolution processes at reservoir conditions are poorly understood. Thus, time-resolved experiments are needed to observe and predict the nature and rate of dissolution at the pore scale. Synchrotron fast tomography is a method of taking high-resolution time-resolved images of complex pore structures much more quickly than traditional µ-CT. The Diamond Lightsource Pink Beam was used to dynamically image dissolution of limestone in the presence of CO2-saturated brine at reservoir conditions. 100 scans were taken at a 6.1 µm resolution over a period of 2 hours. The images were segmented and the porosity and permeability were measured using image analysis and network extraction. Porosity increased uniformly along the length of the sample; however, the rate of increase of both porosity and permeability slowed at later times. PMID:28287529

Dynamic Pore-scale Reservoir-condition Imaging of Reaction in Carbonates Using Synchrotron Fast Tomography.

PubMed

Menke, Hannah P; Andrew, Matthew G; Vila-Comamala, Joan; Rau, Christoph; Blunt, Martin J; Bijeljic, Branko

2017-02-21

Underground storage permanence is a major concern for carbon capture and storage. Pumping CO2 into carbonate reservoirs has the potential to dissolve geologic seals and allow CO2 to escape. However, the dissolution processes at reservoir conditions are poorly understood. Thus, time-resolved experiments are needed to observe and predict the nature and rate of dissolution at the pore scale. Synchrotron fast tomography is a method of taking high-resolution time-resolved images of complex pore structures much more quickly than traditional µ-CT. The Diamond Lightsource Pink Beam was used to dynamically image dissolution of limestone in the presence of CO2-saturated brine at reservoir conditions. 100 scans were taken at a 6.1 µm resolution over a period of 2 hours. The images were segmented and the porosity and permeability were measured using image analysis and network extraction. Porosity increased uniformly along the length of the sample; however, the rate of increase of both porosity and permeability slowed at later times.

Mathematical programming (MP) model to determine optimal transportation infrastructure for geologic CO2 storage in the Illinois basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rehmer, Donald E.

Analysis of results from a mathematical programming model were examined to 1) determine the least cost options for infrastructure development of geologic storage of CO2 in the Illinois Basin, and 2) perform an analysis of a number of CO2 emission tax and oil price scenarios in order to implement development of the least-cost pipeline networks for distribution of CO2. The model, using mixed integer programming, tested the hypothesis of whether viable EOR sequestration sites can serve as nodal points or hubs to expand the CO2 delivery infrastructure to more distal locations from the emissions sources. This is in contrast to previous model results based on a point-to- point model having direct pipeline segments from each CO2 capture site to each storage sink. There is literature on the spoke and hub problem that relates to airline scheduling as well as maritime shipping. A large-scale ship assignment problem that utilized integer linear programming was run on Excel Solver and described by Mourao et al., (2001). Other literature indicates that aircraft assignment in spoke and hub routes can also be achieved using integer linear programming (Daskin and Panayotopoulos, 1989; Hane et al., 1995). The distribution concept is basically the reverse of the "tree and branch" type (Rothfarb et al., 1970) gathering systems for oil and natural gas that industry has been developing for decades. Model results indicate that the inclusion of hubs as variables in the model yields lower transportation costs for geologic carbon dioxide storage over previous models of point-to-point infrastructure geometries. Tabular results and GIS maps of the selected scenarios illustrate that EOR sites can serve as nodal points or hubs for distribution of CO2 to distal oil field locations as well as deeper saline reservoirs. Revenue amounts and capture percentages both show an improvement over solutions when the hubs are not allowed to come into the solution. Other results indicate that geologic storage of CO2 into saline aquifers does not come into solutions selected by the model until the CO 2 emissions tax approaches 50/tonne. CO2 capture and storage begins to occur when the oil price is above 24.42 a barrel based on the constraints of the model. The annual storage capacity of the basin is nearly maximized when the net price of oil is as low as 40 per barrel and the CO2 emission tax is 60/tonne. The results from every subsequent scenario that was examined by this study demonstrate that EOR utilizing anthropogenically captured CO2 will earn net revenue, and thus represents an economically viable option for CO2 storage in the Illinois Basin.

Limits, complementarity and improvement of Advanced SAR Interferometry monitoring of anthropogenic subsidence/uplift due to long term CO2 storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Michele, M.; Raucoules, D.; Rohmer, J.; Loschetter, A.; Raffard, D.; Le Gallo, Y.

2013-12-01

A prerequisite to the large scale industrial development of CO2 Capture and geological Storage is the demonstration that the storage is both efficient and safe. In this context, precise uplift/subsidence monitoring techniques constitute a key component of any CO2 storage risk management. Space-borne Differential SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) interferometry is a promising monitoring technique. It can provide valuable information on vertical positions of a set of scatterer undergoing surface deformation induced by volumetric changes through time and space caused by CO2 injection in deep aquifers. To what extent ? To date, InSAR techniques have been successfully used in a variety of case-studies involving the measure of surface deformation caused by subsurface fluid withdrawal / injection. For instance, groundwater flow characterization in complex aquifers systems, oil / gas field characterization, verification of enhanced oil recovery efficiency, monitoring of seasonal gas storage. The successful use of InSAR is strictly related to the favourable scattering conditions in terms of spatial distribution of targets and their temporal stability. In arid regions, natural radar scatterers density can be very high, exceeding 1,000 per square km. But future onshore industrial-scale CO2 storage sites are planned in more complex land-covers such as agricultural or vegetated terrains. Those terrains are characterized by poor to moderate radar scatterers density, which decrease the detection limits of the space-borne interferometric technique. The present study discusses the limits and constraints of advanced InSAR techniques applied to deformation measurements associated with CO2 injection/storage into deep aquifers in the presence of agricultural and vegetated land-covers. We explore different options to enhance the measurement performances of InSAR techniques. As a first option, we propose to optimize the deployment of a network of 'artificial' scatterers, i.e. corner reflectors (artificial devices installed on ground to provide high backscatter to the radar signal) to complement the existing 'natural' network. The methodology is iterative and adaptive to the spatial and temporal extent of the detectable deforming region. We take into account the need of a change in sensors characteristics (for a very long term monitoring 10-50 years) that could result in a need of re-organisation of the network. Our discussion is supported by the estimates of the expected spatio-temporal evolution of surface vertical displacements caused by CO2 injection at depth by combining the approximate analytical solutions for pressure build-up during CO2 injection in deep aquifers and the poro-elastic behaviour of the reservoir under injection. As second option, we then review different advanced InSAR algorithms that could improve the displacement measurements using natural scatterers over vegetated areas.

Effective Wettability Measurements of CO2-Brine-Sandstone System at Different Reservoir Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Menhali, Ali; Krevor, Samuel

2014-05-01

The wetting properties of CO2-brine-rock systems will have a major impact on the management of CO2 injection processes. The wettability of a system controls the flow and trapping efficiency during the storage of CO2 in geological formations as well as the efficiency of enhanced oil recovery operations. Despite its utility in EOR and the continued development of CCS, little is currently known about the wetting properties of the CO2-brine system on reservoir rocks, and no investigations have been performed assessing the impact of these properties on CO2 flooding for CO2 storage or EOR. The wetting properties of multiphase fluid systems in porous media have major impacts on the multiphase flow properties such as the capillary pressure and relative permeability. While recent studies have shown CO2 to generally act as a non-wetting phase in siliciclastic rocks, some observations report that the contact angle varies with pressure, temperature and water salinity. Additionally, there is a wide range of reported contact angles for this system, from strongly to weakly water-wet. In the case of some minerals, intermediate wet contact angles have been observed. Uncertainty with regard to the wetting properties of CO2-brine systems is currently one of the remaining major unresolved issues with regards to reservoir management of CO2 storage. In this study, we make semi-dynamic capillary pressure measurements of supercritical CO2 and brine at reservoir conditions to observe shifts in the wetting properties. We utilize a novel core analysis technique recently developed by Pini et al in 2012 to evaluate a core-scale effective contact angle. Carbon dioxide is injected at constant flow rate into a core that is initially fully saturated with water, while maintaining a constant outlet pressure. In this scenario, the pressure drop across the core corresponds to the capillary pressure at the inlet face of the core. When compared with mercury intrusion capillary pressure measurements, core-scale effective contact angle can be determined. In addition to providing a quantitative measure of the core-averaged wetting properties, the technique allows for the observation of shifts in contact angle with changing conditions. We examine the wettability changes of the CO2-brine system in Berea sandstone with variations in reservoir conditions including supercritical, gaseous and liquid CO2injection. We evaluate wettability variation within a single rock with temperature, pressure, and salinity across a range of conditions relevant to subsurface CO2 storage. This study will include results of measurements in a Berea sandstone sample across a wide range of conditions representative of subsurface reservoirs suitable for CO2 storage (5-20 MPa, 25-90 oC, 0-5 mol kg-1). The measurement uses X-ray CT imaging in a state of the art core flooding laboratory designed to operate at high temperature, pressure, and concentrated brines.

The role of CO2 capture and utilization in mitigating climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mac Dowell, Niall; Fennell, Paul S.; Shah, Nilay; Maitland, Geoffrey C.

2017-04-01

To offset the cost associated with CO2 capture and storage (CCS), there is growing interest in finding commercially viable end-use opportunities for the captured CO2. In this Perspective, we discuss the potential contribution of carbon capture and utilization (CCU). Owing to the scale and rate of CO2 production compared to that of utilization allowing long-term sequestration, it is highly improbable the chemical conversion of CO2 will account for more than 1% of the mitigation challenge, and even a scaled-up enhanced oil recovery (EOR)-CCS industry will likely only account for 4-8%. Therefore, whilst CO2-EOR may be an important economic incentive for some early CCS projects, CCU may prove to be a costly distraction, financially and politically, from the real task of mitigation.

Review: Role of chemistry, mechanics, and transport on well integrity in CO 2 storage environments

DOE PAGES

Carroll, Susan A.; Carey, William J.; Dzombak, David; ...

2016-03-22

Among the various risks associated with CO 2 storage in deep geologic formations, wells are important potential pathways for fluid leaks and groundwater contamination. Injection of CO 2 will perturb the storage reservoir and any wells that penetrate the CO 2 or pressure footprints are potential pathways for leakage of CO 2 and/or reservoir brine. Well leakage is of particular concern for regions with a long history of oil and gas exploration because they are top candidates for geologic CO 2storage sites. This review explores in detail the ability of wells to retain their integrity against leakage with careful examinationmore » of the coupled physical and chemical processes involved. Understanding time-dependent leakage is complicated by the changes in fluid flow, solute transport, chemical reactions, and mechanical stresses over decade or longer time frames for site operations and monitoring. Almost all studies of the potential for well leakage have been laboratory based, as there are limited data on field-scale leakage. When leakage occurs by diffusion only, laboratory experiments show that while CO 2 and CO 2-saturated brine react with cement and casing, the rate of degradation is transport-limited and alteration of cement and casing properties is low. When a leakage path is already present due to cement shrinkage or fracturing, gaps along interfaces (e.g. casing/cement or cement/rock), or casing failures, chemical and mechanical alteration have the potential to decrease or increase leakage risks. Laboratory experiments and numerical simulations have shown that mineral precipitation or closure of strain-induced fractures can seal a leak pathway over time or conversely open pathways depending on flow-rate, chemistry, and the stress state. Experiments with steel/cement and cement/rock interfaces have indicated that protective mechanisms such as metal passivation, chemical alteration, mechanical deformation, and pore clogging can also help mitigate leakage. The specific rate and nature of alteration depends on the cement, brine, and injected fluid compositions. For example, the presence of co-injected gases (e.g. O 2, H 2S, and SO 2) and pozzolan amendments (fly ash) to cement influences the rate and the nature of cement reactions. A more complete understanding of the coupled physical-chemical mechanisms involved with sealing and opening of leakage pathways is needed. An important challenge is to take empirically based chemical, mechanical, and transport models reviewed here and assess leakage risk for carbon storage at the field scale. Furthermore, field observations to accompany laboratory and modeling studies are critical to validating understanding of leakage risk. Long-term risk at the field scale is an area of active research made difficult by the large variability of material types (cement, geologic material, casing), field conditions (pressure, temperature, gradient in potential, residence time), and leaking fluid composition (CO 2, co-injected gases, brine). Of particular interest are the circumstances when sealing and other protective mechanisms are likely to be effective, when they are likely to fail, and the zone of uncertainty between these two extremes.« less

U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Carbon Sequestration Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warwick, P. D.; Blondes, M. S.; Brennan, S.; Corum, M.; Merrill, M. D.

2012-12-01

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 authorized the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a national assessment of potential geological storage resources for carbon dioxide (CO2) in consultation with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and State geological surveys. To conduct the assessment, the USGS developed a probability-based assessment methodology that was extensively reviewed by experts from industry, government and university organizations (Brennan et al., 2010, http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2010/1127). The methodology is intended to be used at regional to sub-basinal scales and it identifies storage assessment units (SAUs) that are based on two depth categories below the surface (1) 3,000 to 13,000 ft (914 to 3,962 m), and (2) 13,000 ft (3,962 m) and greater. In the first category, the 3,000 ft (914 m) minimum depth of the storage reservoir ensures that CO2 is in a supercritical state to minimize the storage volume. The depth of 13,000 ft (3,962 m) represents maximum depths that are accessible with average injection pressures. The second category represents areas where a reservoir formation has potential storage at depths below 13,000 ft (3,962 m), although they are not accessible with average injection pressures; these are assessed as a separate SAU. SAUs are restricted to formation intervals that contain saline waters (total dissolved solids greater than 10,000 parts per million) to prevent contamination of protected ground water. Carbon dioxide sequestration capacity is estimated for buoyant and residual storage traps within the basins. For buoyant traps, CO2 is held in place in porous formations by top and lateral seals. For residual traps, CO2 is contained in porous formations as individual droplets held within pores by capillary forces. Preliminary geologic models have been developed to estimate CO2 storage capacity in approximately 40 major sedimentary basins within the United States. More than 200 SAUs have been identified within these basins. The results of the assessment are estimates of the technically accessible storage resources based on present-day geological and engineering technology related to CO2 injection into geologic formations; therefore the assessment is not of total in-place resources. Summary geologic descriptions of the evaluated basins and SAUs will be prepared, along with the national assessment results. During the coming year, these results will be released as USGS publications available from http://energy.usgs.gov. In support of these assessment activities, CO2 sequestration related research science is being conducted by members of the project. Results of our research will contribute to current and future CO2 storage assessments conducted by the USGS and other organizations. Research topics include: (a) geochemistry of CO2 interactions with subsurface environments; (b) subsurface petrophysical rock properties in relation to CO2 injection; (c) enhanced oil recovery and the potential for CO2 storage; (d) storage of CO2 in unconventional reservoirs (coal, shale, and basalt); (e) statistical aggregation of assessment results; and (f) potential risks of induced seismicity.

Seasonal and diel variation in xylem CO2 concentration and sap pH in sub-Mediterranean oak stems.

PubMed

Salomón, Roberto; Valbuena-Carabaña, María; Teskey, Robert; McGuire, Mary Anne; Aubrey, Doug; González-Doncel, Inés; Gil, Luis; Rodríguez-Calcerrada, Jesús

2016-04-01

Since a substantial portion of respired CO2 remains within the stem, diel and seasonal trends in stem CO2 concentration ([CO2]) are of major interest in plant respiration and carbon budget research. However, continuous long-term stem [CO2] studies are scarce, and generally absent in Mediterranean climates. In this study, stem [CO2] was monitored every 15min together with stem and air temperature, sap flow, and soil water storage during a growing season in 16 stems of Quercus pyrenaica to elucidate the main drivers of stem [CO2] at different temporal scales. Fluctuations in sap pH were also assessed during two growing seasons to evaluate potential errors in estimates of the concentration of CO2 dissolved in xylem sap ([CO2*]) calculated using Henry's law. Stem temperature was the best predictor of stem [CO2] and explained more than 90% and 50% of the variability in stem [CO2] at diel and seasonal scales, respectively. Under dry conditions, soil water storage was the main driver of stem [CO2]. Likewise, the first rains after summer drought caused intense stem [CO2] pulses, suggesting enhanced stem and root respiration and increased resistance to radial CO2 diffusion. Sap flow played a secondary role in controlling stem [CO2] variations. We observed night-time sap pH acidification and progressive seasonal alkalinization. Thus, if the annual mean value of sap pH (measured at midday) was assumed to be constant, night-time sap [CO2*] was substantially overestimated (40%), and spring and autumn sap [CO2*] were misestimated by 25%. This work highlights that diel and seasonal variations in temperature, tree water availability, and sap pH substantially affect xylem [CO2] and sap [CO2*]. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Middleton, Richard S.; Levine, Jonathan S.; Bielicki, Jeffrey M.

CO 2 capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology has yet to be widely deployed at a commercial scale despite multiple high-profile demonstration projects. We suggest that developing a large-scale, visible, and financially viable CCUS network could potentially overcome many barriers to deployment and jumpstart commercial-scale CCUS. To date, substantial effort has focused on technology development to reduce the costs of CO 2 capture from coal-fired power plants. Here, we propose that near-term investment could focus on implementing CO 2 capture on facilities that produce high-value chemicals/products. These facilities can absorb the expected impact of the marginal increase in the costmore » of production on the price of their product, due to the addition of CO 2 capture, more than coal-fired power plants. A financially viable demonstration of a large-scale CCUS network requires offsetting the costs of CO 2 capture by using the CO 2 as an input to the production of market-viable products. As a result, we demonstrate this alternative development path with the example of an integrated CCUS system where CO 2 is captured from ethylene producers and used for enhanced oil recovery in the U.S. Gulf Coast region.« less

How much CO2 is trapped in carbonate minerals of a natural CO2 occurrence?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Király, Csilla; Szabó, Zsuzsanna; Szamosfalvi, Ágnes; Cseresznyés, Dóra; Király, Edit; Szabó, Csaba; Falus, György

2017-04-01

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a transitional technology to decrease CO2 emissions from human fossil fuel usage and, therefore, to mitigate climate change. The most important criteria of a CO2 geological storage reservoir is that it must hold the injected CO2 for geological time scales without its significant seepage. The injected CO2 undergoes physical and chemical reactions in the reservoir rocks such as structural-stratigraphic, residual, dissolution or mineral trapping mechanisms. Among these, the safest is the mineral trapping, when carbonate minerals such as calcite, ankerite, siderite, dolomite and dawsonite build the CO2 into their crystal structures. The study of natural CO2 occurrences may help to understand the processes in CO2 reservoirs on geological time scales. This is the reason why the selected, the Mihályi-Répcelak natural CO2 occurrence as our research area, which is able to provide particular and highly significant information for the future of CO2 storage. The area is one of the best known CO2 fields in Central Europe. The main aim of this study is to estimate the amount of CO2 trapped in the mineral phase at Mihályi-Répcelak CO2 reservoirs. For gaining the suitable data, we apply petrographic, major and trace element (microprobe and LA-ICP-MS) and stable isotope analysis (mass spectrometry) and thermodynamic and kinetic geochemical models coded in PHREEQC. Rock and pore water compositions of the same formation, representing the pre-CO2 flooding stages of the Mihályi-Répcelak natural CO2 reservoirs are used in the models. Kinetic rate parameters are derived from the USGS report of Palandri and Kharaka (2004). The results of petrographic analysis show that a significant amount of dawsonite (NaAlCO3(OH)2, max. 16 m/m%) precipitated in the rock due to its reactions with CO2 which flooded the reservoir. This carbonate mineral alone traps about 10-30 kg/m3 of the reservoir rock from the CO2 at Mihályi-Répcelak area, which is an unexpectedly high proportion of total amount of CO2. Further results enlightened that other carbonates, ankerite, calcite and siderite have precipitated in two generations, the first before and the second after the CO2 flooding. Further laboratory analysis and geochemical models allow us to estimate the ratio of these two generations and also to understand how far the reservoir rock is in the CO2 mineral trapping process.

CO2CARE - Site Closure Assessment Research - Recent Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wipki, Mario; Liebscher, Axel; Kühn, Michael; Lüth, Stefan; Durucan, Sevket; Deflandre, Jean-Pierre; Wollenweber, Jens; Chadwick, Andy; Böhm, Gualtiero

2013-04-01

The EU project CO2CARE, which started in January 2011, supports the large scale demonstration of CCS technology by addressing requirements of operators and regulators face in terms of CO2 storage site abandonment. The CO2CARE consortium, consisting of 24 project partners from universities, research institutes, and the industry, investigate technologies and procedures for abandonment and post-closure safety, satisfying the regulatory requirements for the transfer of responsibility. Nine key injections sites in Europe, USA, Japan, and Australia, each with a specific (hydro) geological and environmental character, were selected for investigations. These sites can be divided into the CO2 storage types on-shore, off-shore, natural CO2 reservoir, depleted gas reservoirs, and saline aquifers. The project mainly focuses on three key areas: - well abandonment and long-term integrity; - reservoir management and prediction from closure to the long-term; - risk management methodologies for long-term safety. These key areas are in turn closely linked to the three high-level requirements of the EU Directive 2009/31/EC, Article 18 for CO2 storage which are: (i) absence of any detectable leakage, (ii) conformity of actual behaviour of the injected CO2 with the modeled behaviour, and (iii) the storage site is evolving towards a situation of long-term stability. The identification of criteria and the development of site abandonment procedures and technologies, which guarantee the fulfillment of the high-level requirements, are the major objectives in CO2CARE. These criteria have to be fulfilled prior to subsequent transfer of responsibility to the competent authorities, typically 20 or 30 years after site closure. Finally, the essential results of the different working groups in CO2CARE will feed into overall guidelines for regulatory compliance and "Best Practice" for site abandonment. Dissemination of the results will show policy makers and the general public how site abandonment procedures for CO2 storage sites can be undertaken sustainably, cost-effectively and with no adverse effect to the local population and the natural environment. After more than two-thirds of the project`s lifetime, an overview of the project`s goals and the most relevant research findings are presented.

Assessment of Factors Influencing Effective CO 2 Storage Capacity and Injectivity in Eastern Gas Shales

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Godec, Michael

Building upon advances in technology, production of natural gas from organic-rich shales is rapidly developing as a major hydrocarbon supply option in North America and around the world. The same technology advances that have facilitated this revolution - dense well spacing, horizontal drilling, and hydraulic fracturing - may help to facilitate enhanced gas recovery (EGR) and carbon dioxide (CO 2) storage in these formations. The potential storage of CO 2 in shales is attracting increasing interest, especially in Appalachian Basin states that have extensive shale deposits, but limited CO 2 storage capacity in conventional reservoirs. The goal of this cooperativemore » research project was to build upon previous and on-going work to assess key factors that could influence effective EGR, CO 2 storage capacity, and injectivity in selected Eastern gas shales, including the Devonian Marcellus Shale, the Devonian Ohio Shale, the Ordovician Utica and Point Pleasant shale and equivalent formations, and the late Devonian-age Antrim Shale. The project had the following objectives: (1) Analyze and synthesize geologic information and reservoir data through collaboration with selected State geological surveys, universities, and oil and gas operators; (2) improve reservoir models to perform reservoir simulations to better understand the shale characteristics that impact EGR, storage capacity and CO 2 injectivity in the targeted shales; (3) Analyze results of a targeted, highly monitored, small-scale CO 2 injection test and incorporate into ongoing characterization and simulation work; (4) Test and model a smart particle early warning concept that can potentially be used to inject water with uniquely labeled particles before the start of CO 2 injection; (5) Identify and evaluate potential constraints to economic CO 2 storage in gas shales, and propose development approaches that overcome these constraints; and (6) Complete new basin-level characterizations for the CO 2 storage capacity and injectivity potential of the targeted eastern shales. In total, these Eastern gas shales cover an area of over 116 million acres, may contain an estimated 6,000 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of gas in place, and have a maximum theoretical storage capacity of over 600 million metric tons. Not all of this gas in-place will be recoverable, and economics will further limit how much will be economic to produce using EGR techniques with CO 2 injection. Reservoir models were developed and simulations were conducted to characterize the potential for both CO 2 storage and EGR for the target gas shale formations. Based on that, engineering costing and cash flow analyses were used to estimate economic potential based on future natural gas prices and possible financial incentives. The objective was to assume that EGR and CO 2 storage activities would commence consistent with the historical development practices. Alternative CO 2 injection/EGR scenarios were considered and compared to well production without CO 2 injection. These simulations were conducted for specific, defined model areas in each shale gas play. The resulting outputs were estimated recovery per typical well (per 80 acres), and the estimated CO 2 that would be injected and remain in the reservoir (i.e., not produced), and thus ultimately assumed to be stored. The application of this approach aggregated to the entire area of the four shale gas plays concluded that they contain nearly 1,300 Tcf of both primary production and EGR potential, of which an estimated 460 Tcf could be economic to produce with reasonable gas prices and/or modest incentives. This could facilitate the storage of nearly 50 Gt of CO 2 in the Marcellus, Utica, Antrim, and Devonian Ohio shales.« less

Partitioning Behavior of Organic Contaminants in Carbon Storage Environments: A Critical Review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Burant, Aniela; Lowry, Gregory V; Karamalidis, Athanasios K

2012-12-04

Carbon capture and storage is a promising strategy for mitigating the CO{sub 2} contribution to global climate change. The large scale implementation of the technology mandates better understanding of the risks associated with CO{sub 2} injection into geologic formations and the subsequent interactions with groundwater resources. The injected supercritical CO{sub 2} (sc-CO{sub 2}) is a nonpolar solvent that can potentially mobilize organic compounds that exist at residual saturation in the formation. Here, we review the partitioning behavior of selected organic compounds typically found in depleted oil reservoirs in the residual oil–brine–sc-CO{sub 2} system under carbon storage conditions. The solubility ofmore » pure phase organic compounds in sc-CO{sub 2} and partitioning of organic compounds between water and sc-CO{sub 2} follow trends predicted based on thermodynamics. Compounds with high volatility and low aqueous solubility have the highest potential to partition to sc-CO{sub 2}. The partitioning of low volatility compounds to sc-CO{sub 2} can be enhanced by co-solvency due to the presence of higher volatility compounds in the sc-CO{sub 2}. The effect of temperature, pressure, salinity, pH, and dissolution of water molecules into sc-CO{sub 2} on the partitioning behavior of organic compounds in the residual oil-brine-sc-CO{sub 2} system is discussed. Data gaps and research needs for models to predict the partitioning of organic compounds in brines and from complex mixtures of oils are presented. Models need to be able to better incorporate the effect of salinity and co-solvency, which will require more experimental data from key classes of organic compounds.« less

Co-Optimization of CO 2-EOR and Storage Processes in Mature Oil Reservoirs

DOE PAGES

Ampomah, William; Balch, Robert S.; Grigg, Reid B.; ...

2016-08-02

This article presents an optimization methodology for CO 2 enhanced oil recovery in partially depleted reservoirs. A field-scale compositional reservoir flow model was developed for assessing the performance history of an active CO 2 flood and for optimizing both oil production and CO 2 storage in the Farnsworth Unit (FWU), Ochiltree County, Texas. A geological framework model constructed from geophysical, geological, and engineering data acquired from the FWU was the basis for all reservoir simulations and the optimization method. An equation of state was calibrated with laboratory fluid analyses and subsequently used to predict the thermodynamic minimum miscible pressure (MMP).more » Initial history calibrations of primary, secondary and tertiary recovery were conducted as the basis for the study. After a good match was achieved, an optimization approach consisting of a proxy or surrogate model was constructed with a polynomial response surface method (PRSM). The PRSM utilized an objective function that maximized both oil recovery and CO 2 storage. Experimental design was used to link uncertain parameters to the objective function. Control variables considered in this study included: water alternating gas cycle and ratio, production rates and bottom-hole pressure of injectors and producers. Other key parameters considered in the modeling process were CO 2 purchase, gas recycle and addition of infill wells and/or patterns. The PRSM proxy model was ‘trained’ or calibrated with a series of training simulations. This involved an iterative process until the surrogate model reached a specific validation criterion. A sensitivity analysis was first conducted to ascertain which of these control variables to retain in the surrogate model. A genetic algorithm with a mixed-integer capability optimization approach was employed to determine the optimum developmental strategy to maximize both oil recovery and CO 2 storage. The proxy model reduced the computational cost significantly. The validation criteria of the reduced order model ensured accuracy in the dynamic modeling results. The prediction outcome suggested robustness and reliability of the genetic algorithm for optimizing both oil recovery and CO 2 storage. The reservoir modeling approach used in this study illustrates an improved approach to optimizing oil production and CO 2 storage within partially depleted oil reservoirs such as FWU. Lastly, this study may serve as a benchmark for potential CO 2–EOR projects in the Anadarko basin and/or geologically similar basins throughout the world.« less

Co-Optimization of CO 2-EOR and Storage Processes in Mature Oil Reservoirs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ampomah, William; Balch, Robert S.; Grigg, Reid B.

This article presents an optimization methodology for CO 2 enhanced oil recovery in partially depleted reservoirs. A field-scale compositional reservoir flow model was developed for assessing the performance history of an active CO 2 flood and for optimizing both oil production and CO 2 storage in the Farnsworth Unit (FWU), Ochiltree County, Texas. A geological framework model constructed from geophysical, geological, and engineering data acquired from the FWU was the basis for all reservoir simulations and the optimization method. An equation of state was calibrated with laboratory fluid analyses and subsequently used to predict the thermodynamic minimum miscible pressure (MMP).more » Initial history calibrations of primary, secondary and tertiary recovery were conducted as the basis for the study. After a good match was achieved, an optimization approach consisting of a proxy or surrogate model was constructed with a polynomial response surface method (PRSM). The PRSM utilized an objective function that maximized both oil recovery and CO 2 storage. Experimental design was used to link uncertain parameters to the objective function. Control variables considered in this study included: water alternating gas cycle and ratio, production rates and bottom-hole pressure of injectors and producers. Other key parameters considered in the modeling process were CO 2 purchase, gas recycle and addition of infill wells and/or patterns. The PRSM proxy model was ‘trained’ or calibrated with a series of training simulations. This involved an iterative process until the surrogate model reached a specific validation criterion. A sensitivity analysis was first conducted to ascertain which of these control variables to retain in the surrogate model. A genetic algorithm with a mixed-integer capability optimization approach was employed to determine the optimum developmental strategy to maximize both oil recovery and CO 2 storage. The proxy model reduced the computational cost significantly. The validation criteria of the reduced order model ensured accuracy in the dynamic modeling results. The prediction outcome suggested robustness and reliability of the genetic algorithm for optimizing both oil recovery and CO 2 storage. The reservoir modeling approach used in this study illustrates an improved approach to optimizing oil production and CO 2 storage within partially depleted oil reservoirs such as FWU. Lastly, this study may serve as a benchmark for potential CO 2–EOR projects in the Anadarko basin and/or geologically similar basins throughout the world.« less

Low Temperature and Short-Term High-CO2 Treatment in Postharvest Storage of Table Grapes at Two Maturity Stages: Effects on Transcriptome Profiling

PubMed Central

Rosales, Raquel; Romero, Irene; Fernandez-Caballero, Carlos; Escribano, M. Isabel; Merodio, Carmen; Sanchez-Ballesta, M. Teresa

2016-01-01

Table grapes (Vitis vinifera cv. Cardinal) are highly perishable and their quality deteriorates during postharvest storage at low temperature mainly because of sensitivity to fungal decay and senescence of rachis. The application of a 3-day CO2 treatment (20 kPa CO2 + 20 kPa O2 + 60 kPa N2) at 0°C reduced total decay and retained fruit quality in early and late-harvested table grapes during postharvest storage. In order to study the transcriptional responsiveness of table grapes to low temperature and high CO2 levels in the first stage of storage and how the maturity stage affect these changes, we have performed a comparative large-scale transcriptional analysis using the custom-made GrapeGen GeneChip®. In the first stage of storage, low temperature led to a significantly intense change in grape skin transcriptome irrespective of fruit maturity, although there were different changes within each stage. In the case of CO2 treated samples, in comparison to fruit at time zero, only slight differences were observed. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that major modifications in the transcriptome profile of early- and late-harvested grapes stored at 0°C are linked to biotic and abiotic stress-responsive terms. However, in both cases there is a specific reprogramming of the transcriptome during the first stage of storage at 0°C in order to withstand the cold stress. Thus, genes involved in gluconeogenesis, photosynthesis, mRNA translation and lipid transport were up-regulated in the case of early-harvested grapes, and genes related to protein folding stability and intracellular membrane trafficking in late-harvested grapes. The beneficial effect of high CO2 treatment maintaining table grape quality seems to be an active process requiring the induction of several transcription factors and kinases in early-harvested grapes, and the activation of processes associated to the maintenance of energy in late-harvested grapes. PMID:27468290

How secure is subsurface CO2 storage? Controls on leakage in natural CO2 reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miocic, Johannes; Gilfillan, Stuart; McDermott, Christopher; Haszeldine, Stuart

2014-05-01

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is the only industrial scale technology available to directly reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuelled power plants and large industrial point sources to the atmosphere. The technology includes the capture of CO2 at the source and transport to subsurface storage sites, such as depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs or saline aquifers, where it is injected and stored for long periods of time. To have an impact on the greenhouse gas emissions it is crucial that there is no or only a very low amount of leakage of CO2 from the storage sites to shallow aquifers or the surface. CO2 occurs naturally in reservoirs in the subsurface and has often been stored for millions of years without any leakage incidents. However, in some cases CO2 migrates from the reservoir to the surface. Both leaking and non-leaking natural CO2 reservoirs offer insights into the long-term behaviour of CO2 in the subsurface and on the mechanisms that lead to either leakage or retention of CO2. Here we present the results of a study on leakage mechanisms of natural CO2 reservoirs worldwide. We compiled a global dataset of 49 well described natural CO2 reservoirs of which six are leaking CO2 to the surface, 40 retain CO2 in the subsurface and for three reservoirs the evidence is inconclusive. Likelihood of leakage of CO2 from a reservoir to the surface is governed by the state of CO2 (supercritical vs. gaseous) and the pressure in the reservoir and the direct overburden. Reservoirs with gaseous CO2 is more prone to leak CO2 than reservoirs with dense supercritical CO2. If the reservoir pressure is close to or higher than the least principal stress leakage is likely to occur while reservoirs with pressures close to hydrostatic pressure and below 1200 m depth do not leak. Additionally, a positive pressure gradient from the reservoir into the caprock averts leakage of CO2 into the caprock. Leakage of CO2 occurs in all cases along a fault zone, indicating that faults play a major role when it comes to fluid migration from a reservoir. However, nearly 50% of the non-leaking studied reservoirs are also fault bound, demonstrating that faults are not always necessarily leakage pathways.

Eco-friendly Energy Storage System: Seawater and Ionic Liquid Electrolyte.

PubMed

Kim, Jae-Kwang; Mueller, Franziska; Kim, Hyojin; Jeong, Sangsik; Park, Jeong-Sun; Passerini, Stefano; Kim, Youngsik

2016-01-08

As existing battery technologies struggle to meet the requirements for widespread use in the field of large-scale energy storage, novel concepts are urgently needed concerning batteries that have high energy densities, low costs, and high levels of safety. Here, a novel eco-friendly energy storage system (ESS) using seawater and an ionic liquid is proposed for the first time; this represents an intermediate system between a battery and a fuel cell, and is accordingly referred to as a hybrid rechargeable cell. Compared to conventional organic electrolytes, the ionic liquid electrolyte significantly enhances the cycle performance of the seawater hybrid rechargeable system, acting as a very stable interface layer between the Sn-C (Na storage) anode and the NASICON (Na3 Zr2 Si2 PO12) ceramic solid electrolyte, making this system extremely promising for cost-efficient and environmentally friendly large-scale energy storage. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Long-term viability of carbon sequestration in deep-sea sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teng, Y.; Zhang, D.

2017-12-01

Sequestration of carbon dioxide in deep-sea sediments has been proposed for the long-term storage of anthropogenic CO2, due to the negative buoyancy effect and hydrate formation under conditions of high pressure and low temperature. However, the multi-physics process of injection and post-injection fate of CO2 and the feasibility of sub-seabed disposal of CO2 under different geological and operational conditions have not been well studied. On the basis of a detailed study of the coupled processes, we investigate whether storing CO2 into deep-sea sediments is viable, efficient, and secure over the long term. Also studied are the evolution of the multiphase and multicomponent flow and the impact of hydrate formation on storage efficiency during the upward migration of the injected CO2. It is shown that low buoyancy and high viscosity slow down the ascending plume and the forming of the hydrate cap effectively reduces the permeability and finally becomes an impermeable seal, thus limiting the movement of CO2 towards the seafloor. Different flow patterns at varied time scales are identified through analyzing the mass distribution of CO2 in different phases over time. Observed is the formation of a fluid inclusion, which mainly consists of liquid CO2 and is encapsulated by an impermeable hydrate film in the diffusion-dominated stage. The trapped liquid CO2 and CO2 hydrate finally dissolve into the pore water through diffusion of the CO2 component. Sensitivity analyses are performed on storage efficiency under variable geological and operational conditions. It is found that under a deep-sea setting, CO2 sequestration in intact marine sediments is generally safe and permanent.

Pore-scale imaging of capillary trapped supercritical CO2 as controlled by water-wet vs. CO2-wet media and grain shapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaudhary, K.; Cardenas, M.; Wolfe, W. W.; Maisano, J. A.; Ketcham, R. A.; Bennett, P.

2013-12-01

The capillary trapping of supercritical CO2 (s-CO2) is postulated to comprise up to 90% of permanently trapped CO2 injected during geologic sequestration. Successive s-CO2/brine flooding experiments under reservoir conditions showed that water-wet rounded beads trapped 15% of injected s-CO2 both as clusters and as individual ganglia, whereas CO2¬-wet beads trapped only 2% of the injected s-CO2 as minute pockets in pore constrictions. Angular water-wet grains trapped 20% of the CO2 but flow was affected by preferential flow. Thus, capillary trapping is a viable mechanism for the permanent CO2 storage, but its success is constrained by the media wettability.

Assessing Deep Ocean Carbon Storage Across the Mid-Pleistocene Transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haynes, L.; Hoenisch, B.; Farmer, J. R.; Ford, H. L.; Raymo, M. E.; Yehudai, M.; Goldstein, S. L.; Pena, L. D.; Bickert, T.

2017-12-01

The Mid-Pleistocene Transition (MPT) was a profound reorganization of the climate system between 0.8 to 1.2 million years ago (Ma) that led to the establishment of 100 thousand year (kyr)-paced glacial cycles. At the midpoint of the transition at around 900 ka (the "900 ka event"), observations of a globally synchronous decrease in benthic δ13C suggest a large-scale perturbation to the oceanic carbon cycle. While the cause of the MPT remains elusive, recent geochemical evidence suggests that this δ13C minimum was concurrent with an increased presence of Southern Sourced Waters (SSW) in the South Atlantic, a decrease in Δ[CO32-] in the deep North Atlantic, and a decrease in glacial atmospheric CO2, pointing to increased carbon storage in the deep ocean as a possible amplifier for glacial intensification. Here we utilize the B/Ca proxy for carbonate saturation ( Δ[CO32-]) in the benthic foraminifer C. wuellerstorfi to investigate the storage of carbon in the deep western equatorial Atlantic at ODP sites 925 and 926 (3040 and 3590 m water depths, respectively). Reconstructed Δ[CO32-] covaries with benthic δ13C and follows the slope anticipated from the Redfield relationship predicted from organic matter degradation, suggesting control of respired CO2 content on the deep ocean's saturation state. Data spanning the 900-ka event suggest a decrease in minimum Δ[CO32-] of deep waters during glacial periods, concurrent with the documented expansion of SSW as captured by records of ɛNd. The coherence between shifts in δ13C, ɛNd, and Δ[CO32-] point to ocean circulation as a partial driver for increased oceanic CO2 storage. Comparison of Atlantic data to new records from the deep Pacific will explore the consequences of weakening Atlantic overturning across the MPT for CO2 storage in this expansive deep ocean reservoir.

Storage of Renewable Energy by Reduction of CO2 with Hydrogen.

PubMed

Züttel, Andreas; Mauron, Philippe; Kato, Shunsuke; Callini, Elsa; Holzer, Marco; Huang, Jianmei

2015-01-01

The main difference between the past energy economy during the industrialization period which was mainly based on mining of fossil fuels, e.g. coal, oil and methane and the future energy economy based on renewable energy is the requirement for storage of the energy fluxes. Renewable energy, except biomass, appears in time- and location-dependent energy fluxes as heat or electricity upon conversion. Storage and transport of energy requires a high energy density and has to be realized in a closed materials cycle. The hydrogen cycle, i.e. production of hydrogen from water by renewable energy, storage and use of hydrogen in fuel cells, combustion engines or turbines, is a closed cycle. However, the hydrogen density in a storage system is limited to 20 mass% and 150 kg/m(3) which limits the energy density to about half of the energy density in fossil fuels. Introducing CO(2) into the cycle and storing hydrogen by the reduction of CO(2) to hydrocarbons allows renewable energy to be converted into synthetic fuels with the same energy density as fossil fuels. The resulting cycle is a closed cycle (CO(2) neutral) if CO(2) is extracted from the atmosphere. Today's technology allows CO(2) to be reduced either by the Sabatier reaction to methane, by the reversed water gas shift reaction to CO and further reduction of CO by the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) to hydrocarbons or over methanol to gasoline. The overall process can only be realized on a very large scale, because the large number of by-products of FTS requires the use of a refinery. Therefore, a well-controlled reaction to a specific product is required for the efficient conversion of renewable energy (electricity) into an easy to store liquid hydrocarbon (fuel). In order to realize a closed hydrocarbon cycle the two major challenges are to extract CO(2) from the atmosphere close to the thermodynamic limit and to reduce CO(2) with hydrogen in a controlled reaction to a specific hydrocarbon. Nanomaterials with nanopores and the unique surface structures of metallic clusters offer new opportunities for the production of synthetic fuels.

Using noble gas tracers to estimate residual CO2 saturation in the field: results from the CO2CRC Otway residual saturation and dissolution test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LaForce, T.; Ennis-King, J.; Paterson, L.

2013-12-01

Residual CO2 saturation is a critically important parameter in CO2 storage as it can have a large impact on the available secure storage volume and post-injection CO2 migration. A suite of single-well tests to measure residual trapping was conducted at the Otway test site in Victoria, Australia during 2011. One or more of these tests could be conducted at a prospective CO2 storage site before large-scale injection. The test involved injection of 150 tonnes of pure carbon dioxide followed by 454 tonnes of CO2-saturated formation water to drive the carbon dioxide to residual saturation. This work presents a brief overview of the full test sequence, followed by the analysis and interpretation of the tests using noble gas tracers. Prior to CO2 injection krypton (Kr) and xenon (Xe) tracers were injected and back-produced to characterise the aquifer under single-phase conditions. After CO2 had been driven to residual the two tracers were injected and produced again. The noble gases act as non-partitioning aqueous-phase tracers in the undisturbed aquifer and as partitioning tracers in the presence of residual CO2. To estimate residual saturation from the tracer test data a one-dimensional radial model of the near-well region is used. In the model there are only two independent parameters: the apparent dispersivity of each tracer and the residual CO2 saturation. Independent analysis of the Kr and Xe tracer production curves gives the same estimate of residual saturation to within the accuracy of the method. Furthermore the residual from the noble gas tracer tests is consistent with other measurements in the sequence of tests.

Final Report: Optimal Model Complexity in Geological Carbon Sequestration: A Response Surface Uncertainty Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Ye

The critical component of a risk assessment study in evaluating GCS is an analysis of uncertainty in CO2 modeling. In such analyses, direct numerical simulation of CO2 flow and leakage requires many time-consuming model runs. Alternatively, analytical methods have been developed which allow fast and efficient estimation of CO2 storage and leakage, although restrictive assumptions on formation rock and fluid properties are employed. In this study, an intermediate approach is proposed based on the Design of Experiment and Response Surface methodology, which consists of using a limited number of numerical simulations to estimate a prediction outcome as a combination ofmore » the most influential uncertain site properties. The methodology can be implemented within a Monte Carlo framework to efficiently assess parameter and prediction uncertainty while honoring the accuracy of numerical simulations. The choice of the uncertain properties is flexible and can include geologic parameters that influence reservoir heterogeneity, engineering parameters that influence gas trapping and migration, and reactive parameters that influence the extent of fluid/rock reactions. The method was tested and verified on modeling long-term CO2 flow, non-isothermal heat transport, and CO2 dissolution storage by coupling two-phase flow with explicit miscibility calculation using an accurate equation of state that gives rise to convective mixing of formation brine variably saturated with CO2. All simulations were performed using three-dimensional high-resolution models including a target deep saline aquifer, overlying caprock, and a shallow aquifer. To evaluate the uncertainty in representing reservoir permeability, sediment hierarchy of a heterogeneous digital stratigraphy was mapped to create multiple irregularly shape stratigraphic models of decreasing geologic resolutions: heterogeneous (reference), lithofacies, depositional environment, and a (homogeneous) geologic formation. To ensure model equivalency, all the stratigraphic models were successfully upscaled from the reference heterogeneous model for bulk flow and transport predictions (Zhang & Zhang, 2015). GCS simulation was then simulated with all models, yielding insights into the level of parameterization complexity that is needed for the accurate simulation of reservoir pore pressure, CO2 storage, leakage, footprint, and dissolution over both short (i.e., injection) and longer (monitoring) time scales. Important uncertainty parameters that impact these key performance metrics were identified for the stratigraphic models as well as for the heterogeneous model, leading to the development of reduced/simplified models at lower characterization cost that can be used for the reservoir uncertainty analysis. All the CO2 modeling was conducted using PFLOTRAN – a massively parallel, multiphase, multi-component, and reactive transport simulator developed by a multi-laboratory DOE/SciDAC (Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing) project (Zhang et al., 2017, in review). Within the uncertainty analysis framework, increasing reservoir depth were investigated to explore its effect on the uncertainty outcomes and the potential for developing gravity-stable injection with increased storage security (Dai et al., 20126; Dai et al., 2017, in review). Finally, to accurately model CO2 fluid-rock reactions and resulting long-term storage as secondary carbonate minerals, a modified kinetic rate law for general mineral dissolution and precipitation was proposed and verified that is invariant to a scale transformation of the mineral formula weight. This new formulation will lead to more accurate assessment of mineral storage over geologic time scales (Lichtner, 2016).« less

Viability and adaptation potential of indigenous microorganisms from natural gas field fluids in high pressure incubations with supercritical CO2.

PubMed

Frerichs, Janin; Rakoczy, Jana; Ostertag-Henning, Christian; Krüger, Martin

2014-01-21

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is currently under debate as large-scale solution to globally reduce emissions of the greenhouse gas CO2. Depleted gas or oil reservoirs and saline aquifers are considered as suitable reservoirs providing sufficient storage capacity. We investigated the influence of high CO2 concentrations on the indigenous bacterial population in the saline formation fluids of a natural gas field. Bacterial community changes were closely examined at elevated CO2 concentrations under near in situ pressures and temperatures. Conditions in the high pressure reactor systems simulated reservoir fluids i) close to the CO2 injection point, i.e. saturated with CO2, and ii) at the outer boundaries of the CO2 dissolution gradient. During the incubations with CO2, total cell numbers remained relatively stable, but no microbial sulfate reduction activity was detected. After CO2 release and subsequent transfer of the fluids, an actively sulfate-respiring community was re-established. The predominance of spore-forming Clostridiales provided evidence for the resilience of this taxon against the bactericidal effects of supercritical (sc)CO2. To ensure the long-term safety and injectivity, the viability of fermentative and sulfate-reducing bacteria has to be considered in the selection, design, and operation of CCS sites.

CO2 Storage related Groundwater Impacts and Protection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischer, Sebastian; Knopf, Stefan; May, Franz; Rebscher, Dorothee

2016-03-01

Injection of CO2 into the deep subsurface will affect physical and chemical conditions in the storage environment. Hence, geological CO2 storage can have potential impacts on groundwater resources. Shallow freshwater can only be affected if leakage pathways facilitate the ascent of CO2 or saline formation water. Leakage associated with CO2 storage cannot be excluded, but potential environmental impacts could be reduced by selecting suitable storage locations. In the framework of risk assessment, testing of models and scenarios against operational data has to be performed repeatedly in order to predict the long-term fate of CO2. Monitoring of a storage site should reveal any deviations from expected storage performance, so that corrective measures can be taken. Comprehensive R & D activities and experience from several storage projects will enhance the state of knowledge on geological CO2 storage, thus enabling safe storage operations at well-characterised and carefully selected storage sites while meeting the requirements of groundwater protection.

NETL CO 2 Storage prospeCtive Resource Estimation Excel aNalysis (CO 2-SCREEN) User's Manual

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sanguinito, Sean M.; Goodman, Angela; Levine, Jonathan

This user’s manual guides the use of the National Energy Technology Laboratory’s (NETL) CO 2 Storage prospeCtive Resource Estimation Excel aNalysis (CO 2-SCREEN) tool, which was developed to aid users screening saline formations for prospective CO 2 storage resources. CO 2- SCREEN applies U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) methods and equations for estimating prospective CO 2 storage resources for saline formations. CO2-SCREEN was developed to be substantive and user-friendly. It also provides a consistent method for calculating prospective CO 2 storage resources that allows for consistent comparison of results between different research efforts, such as the Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnershipsmore » (RCSP). CO 2-SCREEN consists of an Excel spreadsheet containing geologic inputs and outputs, linked to a GoldSim Player model that calculates prospective CO 2 storage resources via Monte Carlo simulation.« less

Geospatial analysis of near-term potential for carbon-negative bioenergy in the United States

PubMed Central

Baik, Ejeong; Turner, Peter A.; Mach, Katharine J.; Field, Christopher B.; Benson, Sally M.

2018-01-01

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is a negative-emissions technology that may play a crucial role in climate change mitigation. BECCS relies on the capture and sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2) following bioenergy production to remove and reliably sequester atmospheric CO2. Previous BECCS deployment assessments have largely overlooked the potential lack of spatial colocation of suitable storage basins and biomass availability, in the absence of long-distance biomass and CO2 transport. These conditions could constrain the near-term technical deployment potential of BECCS due to social and economic barriers that exist for biomass and CO2 transport. This study leverages biomass production data and site-specific injection and storage capacity estimates at high spatial resolution to assess the near-term deployment opportunities for BECCS in the United States. If the total biomass resource available in the United States was mobilized for BECCS, an estimated 370 Mt CO2⋅y−1 of negative emissions could be supplied in 2020. However, the absence of long-distance biomass and CO2 transport, as well as limitations imposed by unsuitable regional storage and injection capacities, collectively decrease the technical potential of negative emissions to 100 Mt CO2⋅y−1. Meeting this technical potential may require large-scale deployment of BECCS technology in more than 1,000 counties, as well as widespread deployment of dedicated energy crops. Specifically, the Illinois basin, Gulf region, and western North Dakota have the greatest potential for near-term BECCS deployment. High-resolution spatial assessment as conducted in this study can inform near-term opportunities that minimize social and economic barriers to BECCS deployment. PMID:29531081

A nano-delivery system for bioactive ingredients using supercritical carbon dioxide and its release behaviors.

PubMed

Situ, Wenbei; Song, Xianliang; Luo, Shucan; Liang, Yan

2017-08-01

For the purpose of ensuring the bioavailability of bioactive ingredients, a nano-delivery system with low toxicity was developed using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO 2 ). Compared to thin-film hydration (TFH), obtaining nano-scale liposomes is easier using SC-CO 2 . The characteristic of these liposomes was also demonstrated by the analysis of particle size and morphology. An in vitro release study showed that liposomes produced using SC-CO 2 were resistant to low pH in simulated gastric conditions. In a simulated intestinal environment, enteric solubility of these liposomes was enhanced, which are important properties for controlled releasing bioactive ingredient. Furthermore, SC-CO 2 -produced liposomes had a higher storage stability than those produced using TFH. Analysis of the organic solvent residue in the liposomes by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) indicated that SC-CO 2 -produced liposomes had lower toxicity than those produced by TFH. A chemical free nano-delivery system using SC-CO 2 has been revealed for storage and controlled release of bioactive ingredients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental Assessment for Potential Impacts of Ocean CO2 Storage on Marine Biogeochemical Cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamada, N.; Tsurushima, N.; Suzumura, M.; Shibamoto, Y.; Harada, K.

2008-12-01

Ocean CO2 storage that actively utilizes the ocean potential to dissolve extremely large amounts of CO2 is a useful option with the intent of diminishing atmospheric CO2 concentration. CO2 storage into sub-seabed geological formations is also considered as the option which has been already put to practical reconnaissance in some projects. Direct release of CO2 in the ocean storage and potential CO2 leakage from geological formations into the bottom water can alter carbonate system as well as pH of seawater. It is essential to examine to what direction and extent chemistry change of seawater induced by CO2 can affect the marine environments. Previous studies have shown direct and acute effects by increasing CO2 concentrations on physiology of marine organisms. It is also a serious concern that chemistry change can affect the rates of chemical, biochemical and microbial processes in seawater resulting in significant influences on marine biogeochemical cycles of the bioelements including carbon, nutrients and trace metals. We, AIST, have conducted a series of basic researches to assess the potential impacts of ocean CO2 storage on marine biogeochemical processes including CaCO3 dissolution, and bacterial and enzymatic decomposition of organic matter. By laboratory experiments using a special high pressure apparatus, the improved empirical equation was obtained for CaCO3 dissolution rate in the high CO2 concentrations. Based on the experimentally obtained kinetics with a numerical simulation for a practical scenario of oceanic CO2 sequestration where 50 Mton CO2 per year is continuously injected to 1,000-2,500 m depth within 100 x 333 km area for 30 years, we could illustrate precise 3-D maps for the predicted distributions of the saturation depth of CaCO3, in situ Ω value and CaCO3 dissolution rate in the western North Pacific. The result showed no significant change in the bathypelagic CaCO3 flux due to chemistry change induced by ocean CO2 sequestration. Both bacteria and hydrolytic enzymes are known as the essential promoters for organic matter decomposition in marine ecosystems. Bacterial activity and metabolisms under various CO2 concentrations and pH were examined on total cell abundance, 3H-leucine incorporation rate, and viable cell abundance. Our in vitro experiments demonstrated that acute effect by high CO2 conditions was negligible on the activities of bathypelagic bacteria at pH 7 or higher. However, our results suggested that bacterial assemblage in some organic-rich "microbial hot-spots" in seawater such as organic aggregates sinking particles, exhibited high sensitivity to acidification. Furthermore, it was indicated that CO2 injection seems to be the trigger to alter the microbial community structure between Eubacteria and Archaea. The activities of five types of hydrolytic enzymes showed no significant change with acidification as those observed in the bacterial activity. As to acute effects on microbial and biochemical processes examined by our laboratory studies, no significant influence was exhibited in the simulated ocean CO2 storage on marine biogeochemical cycling. Uncertainties in chronic and large-scale impacts, however, remain and should be addressed for more understanding the potential benefits and risks of the ocean storage.

Intermediate-Scale Investigation of Capillary and Dissolution Trapping during CO2 Injection and Post-Injection in Heterogeneous Geological Formations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cihan, A.; Illangasekare, T. H.; Zhou, Q.; Birkholzer, J. T.; Rodriguez, D.

2010-12-01

The capillary and dissolution trapping processes are believed to be major trapping mechanisms during CO2 injection and post-injection in heterogeneous subsurface environments. These processes are important at relatively shorter time periods compared to mineralization and have a strong impact on storage capacity and leakage risks, and they are suitable to investigate at reasonable times in the laboratory. The objectives of the research presented is to investigate the effect of the texture transitions and variability in heterogeneous field formations on the effective capillary and dissolution trapping at the field scale through multistage analysis comprising of experimental and modeling studies. A series of controlled experiments in intermediate-scale test tanks are proposed to investigate the key processes involving (1) viscous fingering of free-phase CO2 along high-permeability (or high-K) fast flow pathways, (2) dynamic intrusion of CO2 from high-K zones into low-K zones by capillarity (as well as buoyancy), (3) diffusive transport of dissolved CO2 into low-K zones across large interface areas, and (4) density-driven convective mass transfer into CO2-free regions. The test tanks contain liquid sampling ports to measure spatial and temporal changes in concentration of dissolved fluid as the injected fluid migrates. In addition to visualization and capturing images through digital photography, X-ray and gamma attenuation methods are used to measure phase saturations. Heterogeneous packing configurations are created with tightly packed sands ranging from very fine to medium fine to mimic sedimentary rocks at potential storage formations. Effect of formation type, injection pressure and injection rate on trapped fluid fraction are quantified. Macroscopic variables such as saturation, pressure and concentration that are measured will be used for testing the existing macroscopic models. The applicability of multiphase flow theories will be evaluated by comparing with the experimental data. Existing upscaling methodologies will be tested using experimental data for accurately estimating parameters of the large-scale heterogeneous porous media. This paper presents preliminary results from the initial-stage experiments and the modeling analysis. In the future, we will design and conduct a comprehensive set of experiments for improving the fundamental understanding of the processes, and refine and calibrate the models simulating the effective capillary and dissolution trapping with an ultimate goal to design efficient and safe storage schemes.

Chemical energy storage: Part of a systemic solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlögl, Robert

2017-07-01

This paper is a primer into concepts and opportunities of chemical energy storage. Starting from the quest for decarbonisation we reveal the possibilities of chemical energy storage. We briefly discuss the critical role of catalysis as enabling technology. We concentrate on options of large-scale production of chemicals from CO2 and green hydrogen. We discuss one potential application of fueling future combustion engines that could run with minimal regulated emissions without exhaust purifications and legal tricks.

Estimating geological CO2 storage security to deliver on climate mitigation.

PubMed

Alcalde, Juan; Flude, Stephanie; Wilkinson, Mark; Johnson, Gareth; Edlmann, Katriona; Bond, Clare E; Scott, Vivian; Gilfillan, Stuart M V; Ogaya, Xènia; Haszeldine, R Stuart

2018-06-12

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) can help nations meet their Paris CO 2 reduction commitments cost-effectively. However, lack of confidence in geologic CO 2 storage security remains a barrier to CCS implementation. Here we present a numerical program that calculates CO 2 storage security and leakage to the atmosphere over 10,000 years. This combines quantitative estimates of geological subsurface CO 2 retention, and of surface CO 2 leakage. We calculate that realistically well-regulated storage in regions with moderate well densities has a 50% probability that leakage remains below 0.0008% per year, with over 98% of the injected CO 2 retained in the subsurface over 10,000 years. An unrealistic scenario, where CO 2 storage is inadequately regulated, estimates that more than 78% will be retained over 10,000 years. Our modelling results suggest that geological storage of CO 2 can be a secure climate change mitigation option, but we note that long-term behaviour of CO 2 in the subsurface remains a key uncertainty.

Will growing forests make the global warming problem better or worse?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caldeira, K.; Gibbard, S.; Bala, G.; Wickett, M. E.; Phillips, T. J.

2005-12-01

Carbon storage in forests has been promoted as a means to slow global warming. However, forests affect climate not only through the carbon cycle; forests also affect both the absorption of solar radiation and evapotranspiration. Previously, it has been shown that boreal forests have the potential to warm the planet, offsetting the benefits of carbon storage in boreal forests (Betts, Nature 408, 187-190, 2000). Here, we show that direct climate effects of forest growth in mid-latitudes also have the potential to offset benefits of carbon storage. This suggests that mid-latitude afforestation projects must be evaluated very carefully, taking direct climate effects into account. In contrast, low-latitude tropical forests appear to cool the planet both by storing carbon and by increasing evapotranspiration; thus, slowing or reversing tropical deforestation is a win/win strategy from both carbon storage and direct climate perspectives. Evaluation of costs and benefits of afforestation depends on the time scales under consideration. On the shortest time scale, each unit of CO2 taken up by a plant is removed from the atmosphere. However, over centuries most of this CO2 taken up from the atmosphere by plants is replaced by outgassing from the ocean. On the longest time scales, atmospheric carbon dioxide content is controlled by the carbonate-silicate cycle, so the amount of carbon stored in a forest is not relevant to long-term climate change. While atmospheric CO2 impacts of afforestation diminish over time, the direct effects on climate (and silicate weathering) persist, so these effects become more important as the time scale of concern lengthens. In some cases, afforestation is predicted to lead to cooling on the time scale of decades followed by warming on the time scale of centuries. Our study involves simulations using the NCAR CAM3 atmospheric general circulation model with a slab ocean to perform idealized (and extreme) land-cover change simulations. We explore the time-dependent carbon-cycle/climate implications of these results using a schematic model of the long-term carbon cycle and climate.

Influence of CO2 on the long-term chemomechanical behavior of an oolitic limestone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grgic, D.

2011-07-01

In order to study the long-term mechanical and petrographical evolutions of a carbonate rock (oolitic limestone) during storage of CO2, CO2 injection tests were performed in triaxial cells at temperature and mechanical stresses (isotropic and deviatoric) corresponding to the depth of the Dogger carbonate reservoirs of the Paris basin (˜800 m). We used a specific "flow-through" triaxial cell which allowed us to measure very low strain rates in both axial and lateral directions, while ensuring the sealing of the samples during the injection of CO2. Under isotropic loading, neither the dynamic percolation (i.e., flow-through tests) of dry supercritical/gaseous CO2, nor the diffusion of CO2, into initially saturated samples was shown to produce significant axial compaction and calcite dissolution. Indeed, even though the interstitial aqueous fluid becomes acidic, the progressive increase in dissolved species induces the H2O-CO2-calcite re-equilibrium. The dynamic injection of CO2-saturated solution induced significant axial compaction due to the dissolution of calcite at the sample/piston interface only under open flow conditions (i.e., the injected acidic solution is continuously renewed). Under closed flow conditions (i.e., acidic solution recirculation or no-flow conditions) which reproduce the physicochemical conditions of CO2 storage at the field scale better, the rapid H2O-CO2-calcite re-equilibrium inhibits calcite dissolution. Under deviatoric loading and closed conditions, the diffusion of CO2 induced a very small increase in the PSC (pressure solution creep) process which was stopped by the H2O-CO2-calcite re-equilibrium inside the sample. Therefore, a significant compaction of limestone samples was obtained only under open conditions and is mainly due to a purely chemical mechanism (calcite dissolution), while the contribution of the chemo-mechanical mechanism (PSC) was found to not be of any great importance. In the context of massive injection of CO2 at the field scale, if the reservoir can be considered as a closed system from a hydrodynamic point of view (i.e., the brine circulates in the aquifer but is not renewed by any groundwater), CO2 will not play a significant role in the chemistry of carbonate reservoirs due to the H2O-CO2-calcite re-equilibrium and will not induce reservoir compaction and affect its long-term storage capacity, whatever the stress state (isotropic or deviatoric).

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mouzakis, Katherine M.; Navarre-Sitchler, Alexis K.; Rother, Gernot

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage, one proposed method of reducing anthropogenic emissions of CO 2, relies on low permeability formations, such as shales, above injection formations to prevent upward migration of the injected CO 2. Porosity in caprocks evaluated for sealing capacity before injection can be altered by geochemical reactions induced by dissolution of injected CO 2 into pore fluids, impacting long-term sealing capacity. Therefore, long-term performance of CO 2 sequestration sites may be dependent on both initial distribution and connectivity of pores in caprocks, and on changes induced by geochemical reaction after injection of CO 2, which are currentlymore » poorly understood. This paper presents results from an experimental study of changes to caprock porosity and pore network geometry in two caprock formations under conditions relevant to CO 2 sequestration. Pore connectivity and total porosity increased in the Gothic Shale; while total porosity increased but pore connectivity decreased in the Marine Tuscaloosa. Gothic Shale is a carbonate mudstone that contains volumetrically more carbonate minerals than Marine Tuscaloosa. Carbonate minerals dissolved to a greater extent than silicate minerals in Gothic Shale under high CO 2 conditions, leading to increased porosity at length scales <~200 nm that contributed to increased pore connectivity. In contrast, silicate minerals dissolved to a greater extent than carbonate minerals in Marine Tuscaloosa leading to increased porosity at all length scales, and specifically an increase in the number of pores >~1 μm. Mineral reactions also contributed to a decrease in pore connectivity, possibly as a result of precipitation in pore throats or hydration of the high percentage of clays. Finally, this study highlights the role that mineralogy of the caprock can play in geochemical response to CO 2 injection and resulting changes in sealing capacity in long-term CO 2 storage projects.« less

Fingerprinting captured CO2 using natural tracers: Determining CO2 fate and proving ownership

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flude, Stephanie; Gilfillan, Stuart; Johnston, Gareth; Stuart, Finlay; Haszeldine, Stuart

2016-04-01

In the long term, captured CO2 will most likely be stored in large saline formations and it is highly likely that CO2 from multiple operators will be injected into a single saline formation. Understanding CO2 behavior within the reservoir is vital for making operational decisions and often uses geochemical techniques. Furthermore, in the event of a CO2 leak, being able to identify the owner of the CO2 is of vital importance in terms of liability and remediation. Addition of geochemical tracers to the CO2 stream is an effective way of tagging the CO2 from different power stations, but may become prohibitively expensive at large scale storage sites. Here we present results from a project assessing whether the natural isotopic composition (C, O and noble gas isotopes) of captured CO2 is sufficient to distinguish CO2 captured using different technologies and from different fuel sources, from likely baseline conditions. Results include analytical measurements of CO2 captured from a number of different CO2 capture plants and a comprehensive literature review of the known and hypothetical isotopic compositions of captured CO2 and baseline conditions. Key findings from the literature review suggest that the carbon isotope composition will be most strongly controlled by that of the feedstock, but significant fractionation is possible during the capture process; oxygen isotopes are likely to be controlled by the isotopic composition of any water used in either the industrial process or the capture technology; and noble gases concentrations will likely be controlled by the capture technique employed. Preliminary analytical results are in agreement with these predictions. Comparison with summaries of likely storage reservoir baseline and shallow or surface leakage reservoir baseline data suggests that C-isotopes are likely to be valuable tracers of CO2 in the storage reservoir, while noble gases may be particularly valuable as tracers of potential leakage.

Estimating the supply and demand for deep geologic CO2 storage capacity over the course of the 21st Century: A meta-analysis of the literature

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dooley, James J.

2013-08-05

Whether there is sufficient geologic CO2 storage capacity to allow CCS to play a significant role in mitigating climate change has been the subject of debate since the 1990s. This paper presents a meta- analysis of a large body of recently published literature to derive updated estimates of the global deep geologic storage resource as well as the potential demand for this geologic CO2 storage resource over the course of this century. This analysis reveals that, for greenhouse gas emissions mitigation scenarios that have end-of-century atmospheric CO2 concentrations of between 350 ppmv and 725 ppmv, the average demand for deepmore » geologic CO2 storage over the course of this century is between 410 GtCO2 and 1,670 GtCO2. The literature summarized here suggests that -- depending on the stringency of criteria applied to calculate storage capacity – global geologic CO2 storage capacity could be: 35,300 GtCO2 of “theoretical” capacity; 13,500 GtCO2 of “effective” capacity; 3,900 GtCO2, of “practical” capacity; and 290 GtCO2 of “matched” capacity for the few regions where this narrow definition of capacity has been calculated. The cumulative demand for geologic CO2 storage is likely quite small compared to global estimates of the deep geologic CO2 storage capacity, and therefore, a “lack” of deep geologic CO2 storage capacity is unlikely to be an impediment for the commercial adoption of CCS technologies in this century.« less

U.S. Department of Energy's regional carbon sequestration partnership initiative: Update on validation and development phases

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rodosta, T.; Litynski, J.; Plasynski, S.; Spangler, L.; Finley, R.; Steadman, E.; Ball, D.; Gerald, H.; McPherson, B.; Burton, E.; Vikara, D.

2011-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is the lead federal agency for the development and deployment of carbon sequestration technologies. The Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnerships (RCSPs) are the mechanism DOE utilizes to prove the technology and to develop human capital, stakeholder networks, information for regulatory policy, best practices documents and training to work toward the commercialization of carbon capture and storage (CCS). The RCSPs are tasked with determining the most suitable technologies, regulations, and infrastructure for carbon capture, transport, and storage in their respective geographic areas of responsibility. The seven partnerships include more than 400 state agencies, universities, national laboratories, private companies, and environmental organizations, spanning 43 states and four Canadian provinces. The Regional Partnerships Initiative is being implemented in three phases: Characterization, Validation, and Development. The initial Characterization Phase began in 2003 and was completed in 2005 and focused on characterization of CO2 storage potential within each region. It was followed by the Validation Phase, which began in 2005 and is nearing completion in 2011. The focus of the Validation Phase has been on small-scale field tests throughout the seven partnerships in various formation types such as saline, oil-bearing, and coal seams. The Validation Phase has characterized suitable CO2 storage reservoirs and identified the need for comprehensive legal and regulatory frameworks to enable commercial-scale CCS deployment. Finally, the Development Phase will consist of a series of large-scale, one-million-ton, injection tests throughout the United States and Canada. The objective of these large-scale tests is to identify the regulatory path or challenges in permitting CCS projects, to demonstrate the technology can inject CO2 safely, and to verify its permanence in geologic formations in preparation for the commercialization of geologic sequestration. ?? 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. ?? 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Influence of local capillary trapping on containment system effectiveness

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bryant, Steven

2014-03-31

Immobilization of CO 2 injected into deep subsurface storage reservoirs is a critical component of risk assessment for geologic CO 2 storage (GCS). Local capillary trapping (LCT) is a recently established mode of immobilization that arises when CO 2 migrates due to buoyancy through heterogeneous storage reservoirs. This project sought to assess the amount and extent of LCT expected in storage formations under a range of injection conditions, and to confirm the persistence of LCT if the seal overlying the reservoir were to lose its integrity. Numerical simulation using commercial reservoir simulation software was conducted to assess the influence ofmore » injection. Laboratory experiments, modeling and numerical simulation were conducted to assess the effect of compromised seal integrity. Bench-scale (0.6 m by 0.6 m by 0.03 m) experiments with surrogate fluids provided the first empirical confirmation of the key concepts underlying LCT: accumulation of buoyant nonwetting phase at above residual saturations beneath capillary barriers in a variety of structures, which remains immobile under normal capillary pressure gradients. Immobilization of above-residual saturations is a critical distinction between LCT and the more familiar “residual saturation trapping.” To estimate the possible extent of LCT in a storage reservoir an algorithm was developed to identify all potential local traps, given the spatial distribution of capillary entry pressure in the reservoir. The algorithm assumes that the driving force for CO 2 migration can be represented as a single value of “critical capillary entry pressure” P c,entry crit, such that cells with capillary entry pressure greater/less than P c,entry crit act as barriers/potential traps during CO 2 migration. At intermediate values of P c,entry crit, the barrier regions become more laterally extensive in the reservoir, approaching a percolation threshold while non-barrier regions remain numerous. The maximum possible extent of LCT thus occurs at P c,entry crit near this threshold. Testing predictions of this simple algorithm against full-physics simulations of buoyancy-driven CO 2 migration support the concept of critical capillary entry pressure. However, further research is needed to determine whether a single value of critical capillary entry pressure always applies and how that value can be determined a priori. Simulations of injection into high-resolution (cells 0.3 m on a side) 2D and 3D heterogeneous domains show two characteristic behaviors. At small gravity numbers (vertical flow velocity much less than horizontal flow velocity) the CO 2 fills local traps as well as regions that would act as local barriers if CO 2 were moving only due to buoyancy. When injection ceases, the CO 2 migrates vertically to establish large saturations within local traps and residual saturation elsewhere. At large gravity numbers, the CO 2 invades a smaller portion of the perforated interval. Within this smaller swept zone the local barriers are not invaded, but local traps are filled to large saturation during injection and remain during post-injection gravity-driven migration. The small gravity number behavior is expected in the region within 100 m of a vertical injection well at anticipated rates of injection for commercial GCS. Simulations of leakage scenarios (through-going region of large permeability imposed in overlying seal) indicate that LCT persists (i.e. CO 2 remains held in a large fraction of the local iv traps) and the persistence is independent of injection rate during storage. Simulations of leakage for the limiting case of CO 2 migrating vertically from an areally extensive emplacement in the lower portion of a reservoir showed similar strong persistence of LCT. This research has two broad implications for GCS. The first is that LCT can retain a significant fraction of the CO 2 stored in a reservoir – above and beyond the residual saturation -- if the overlying seal were to fail. Thus frameworks for risk assessment should be extended to account for LCT. The second implication is that compared to pressure driven flow in reservoirs, CO 2 migration and trapping behave in a qualitatively different manner in heterogeneous reservoirs when buoyancy is the dominant driving force for flow. Thus simulations of GCS that neglect capillary heterogeneity will fail to capture important features of the CO 2 plume. While commercial reservoir simulation software can account for fine scale capillary heterogeneity, it has not been designed to work efficiently with such domains, and no simulators can handle fine-scale resolution throughout the reservoir. A possible way to upscale the migration and trapping is to apply an “effective residual saturation” to coarse-scale grids. While the extent of overall immobilization can be correlated in this way, all coarser grids failed to capture the distance traveled by the migrating CO 2 for large gravity number. Thus it remains unclear how best to account for LCT in the routine simulation work-flow that will be needed for large-scale GCS. Alternatives meriting investigation include streamline methods, reduced-physics proxies (e.g. particle tracking), and biased invasion percolation algorithms, which are based on precisely the capillary heterogeneity essential for LCT.« less

Detection of CO2 leakage by the surface-soil CO2-concentration monitoring (SCM) system in a small scale CO2 release test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chae, Gitak; Yu, Soonyoung; Sung, Ki-Sung; Choi, Byoung-Young; Park, Jinyoung; Han, Raehee; Kim, Jeong-Chan; Park, Kwon Gyu

2015-04-01

Monitoring of CO2 release through the ground surface is essential to testify the safety of CO2 storage projects. We conducted a feasibility study of the multi-channel surface-soil CO2-concentration monitoring (SCM) system as a soil CO2 monitoring tool with a small scale injection. In the system, chambers are attached onto the ground surface, and NDIR sensors installed in each chamber detect CO2 in soil gas released through the soil surface. Before injection, the background CO2 concentrations were measured. They showed the distinct diurnal variation, and were positively related with relative humidity, but negatively with temperature. The negative relation of CO2 measurements with temperature and the low CO2 concentrations during the day imply that CO2 depends on respiration. The daily variation of CO2 concentrations was damped with precipitation, which can be explained by dissolution of CO2 and gas release out of pores through the ground surface with recharge. For the injection test, 4.2 kg of CO2 was injected 1 m below the ground for about 30 minutes. In result, CO2 concentrations increased in all five chambers, which were located less than 2.5 m of distance from an injection point. The Chamber 1, which is closest to the injection point, showed the largest increase of CO2 concentrations; while Chamber 2, 3, and 4 showed the peak which is 2 times higher than the average of background CO2. The CO2 concentrations increased back after decreasing from the peak around 4 hours after the injection ended in Chamber 2, 4, and 5, which indicated that CO2 concentrations seem to be recovered to the background around 4 hours after the injection ended. To determine the leakage, the data in Chamber 2 and 5, which had low increase rates in the CO2 injection test, were used for statistical analysis. The result shows that the coefficient of variation (CV) of CO2 measurements for 30 minutes is efficient to determine a leakage signal, with reflecting the abnormal change in CO2 concentrations. The CV of CO2 measurements for 30 minutes exceeded 5% about 5 minutes before the maximum CO2 concentration was detected. The contributions of this work are as follows: (1) SCM is an efficient monitoring tool to detect the CO2 release through the ground surface. (2) The statistical analysis method to determine the leakage and a monitoring frequency are provided, with analyzing background concentrations and CO2 increases in a small-scale injection test. (3) The 5% CV of CO2 measurements for 30 minutes can be used for the early warning in CO2 storage sites.

Natural analogue study of CO2 storage monitoring using probability statistics of CO2-rich groundwater chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, K. K.; Hamm, S. Y.; Kim, S. O.; Yun, S. T.

2016-12-01

For confronting global climate change, carbon capture and storage (CCS) is one of several very useful strategies as using capture of greenhouse gases like CO2 spewed from stacks and then isolation of the gases in underground geologic storage. CO2-rich groundwater could be produced by CO2 dissolution into fresh groundwater around a CO2 storage site. As consequence, natural analogue studies related to geologic storage provide insights into future geologic CO2 storage sites as well as can provide crucial information on the safety and security of geologic sequestration, the long-term impact of CO2 storage on the environment, and field operation and monitoring that could be implemented for geologic sequestration. In this study, we developed CO2 leakage monitoring method using probability density function (PDF) by characterizing naturally occurring CO2-rich groundwater. For the study, we used existing data of CO2-rich groundwaters in different geological regions (Gangwondo, Gyeongsangdo, and Choongchungdo provinces) in South Korea. Using PDF method and QI (quantitative index), we executed qualitative and quantitative comparisons among local areas and chemical constituents. Geochemical properties of groundwater with/without CO2 as the PDF forms proved that pH, EC, TDS, HCO3-, Ca2+, Mg2+, and SiO2 were effective monitoring parameters for carbonated groundwater in the case of CO2leakage from an underground storage site. KEY WORDS: CO2-rich groundwater, CO2 storage site, monitoring parameter, natural analogue, probability density function (PDF), QI_quantitative index Acknowledgement This study was supported by the "Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), which is funded by the Ministry of Education (NRF-2013R1A1A2058186)" and the "R&D Project on Environmental Management of Geologic CO2 Storage" from KEITI (Project number: 2014001810003).

Occurrence of Volcanic CO2 by Groundwater Flow Systems in the Eifel Mountains, Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weyer, K.; May, F.; Ellis, J. C.

2011-12-01

Weyer (2010) showed why and how discharge areas of regional groundwater flow systems are also discharge points of natural and stored CO2. As groundwater flow systems reach to great depth by penetrating aquitards and caprocks any successful design of on-shore geological carbon storage must regard the migration effects groundwater flow systems exert on stored CO2. Eventually all of the CO2 will be dissolved by groundwater and migrate to the discharge areas of these flow systems. By implication there will rarely be the anticipated permanent storage of CO2 in the subsurface. Instead the deep ground water flow will transport the dissolved CO2 into surface waters. A telling example of such a system is the Green River in Utah with its natural discharge points of volcanic CO2 and the artificial discharge point Crystal Geyser, a flowing abandoned well located at the bank of the Green River. The advantage of this situation is that there have been hydrogeological tools developed which allow the determination of the flow path of the groundwater flow systems and their approximate time scale to reach their groundwater discharge areas. These time spans may be as large as 50,000 to 100,000 years. In any case residence times of a thousand years and more would suffice in mitigating the atmospheric effect of CO2 discharge. The above concepts have so far not created much resonance in the scientific and practical world of geologic CO2 storage. Therefore the investigation of groundwater dynamics at areas with natural discharge of volcanic CO2 provides a test for the effect groundwater flow systems will exert on the geologic storage of CO2. The Eifel Mountains in Germany present such a natural laboratory as it contains over a hundred known Tertiary and Quaternary volcanoes. Its discharge points of water carrying CO2 are well-known as they have been used for generations for the production of carbonated mineral waters. For the western part of the Eifel-Mountains, May (2002) listed all known natural CO2 discharge points with coordinates. The high resolution digital topographical maps of the area outline the elevation of the groundwater table in these mountains as the topography controls the elevation of the groundwater table. The detailed network of rivers, creeks and lakes denotes the location of groundwater discharge areas draining into the surface waters. Büchel and Mertens (1982) provided the locations of volcanic eruption centers in the western part of the Eifel Mountains. After combining the above information in a series of small scale DEMs created with 'SURFER' it became directly obvious that all known natural CO2 discharge points are directly related to discharge areas while the occurrence of volcanic eruption centers is concentrated in the recharge areas for regional groundwater flow. Quod erat demonstrandum. Büchel, G., H. Mertes (1982). Die Eruptionszentren des Westeifeler Vulkanfeldes. Zeitschr. DGG, 131: 409-429. May, Franz (2002). Säuerlinge der Vulkaneifel und der Südeifel. Mainzer geowissen. Mitt., 31: 7-58. Weyer, K. U. (2010). Differing physical processes in off-shore and on-shore CO2 storage. Private publication based on a poster presented at GHGT-10, Amsterdam. 8 pp, July 2010.

Detection and impacts of leakage from sub-seafloor deep geological carbon dioxide storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blackford, Jerry; Stahl, Henrik; Bull, Jonathan M.; Bergès, Benoît J. P.; Cevatoglu, Melis; Lichtschlag, Anna; Connelly, Douglas; James, Rachael H.; Kita, Jun; Long, Dave; Naylor, Mark; Shitashima, Kiminori; Smith, Dave; Taylor, Peter; Wright, Ian; Akhurst, Maxine; Chen, Baixin; Gernon, Tom M.; Hauton, Chris; Hayashi, Masatoshi; Kaieda, Hideshi; Leighton, Timothy G.; Sato, Toru; Sayer, Martin D. J.; Suzumura, Masahiro; Tait, Karen; Vardy, Mark E.; White, Paul R.; Widdicombe, Steve

2014-11-01

Fossil fuel power generation and other industrial emissions of carbon dioxide are a threat to global climate, yet many economies will remain reliant on these technologies for several decades. Carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) in deep geological formations provides an effective option to remove these emissions from the climate system. In many regions storage reservoirs are located offshore, over a kilometre or more below societally important shelf seas. Therefore, concerns about the possibility of leakage and potential environmental impacts, along with economics, have contributed to delaying development of operational CCS. Here we investigate the detectability and environmental impact of leakage from a controlled sub-seabed release of CO2. We show that the biological impact and footprint of this small leak analogue (<1 tonne CO2 d-1) is confined to a few tens of metres. Migration of CO2 through the shallow seabed is influenced by near-surface sediment structure, and by dissolution and re-precipitation of calcium carbonate naturally present in sediments. Results reported here advance the understanding of environmental sensitivity to leakage and identify appropriate monitoring strategies for full-scale carbon storage operations.

Initial results from seismic monitoring at the Aquistore CO 2 storage site, Saskatchewan, Canada

DOE PAGES

White, D. J.; Roach, L. A.N.; Roberts, B.; ...

2014-12-31

The Aquistore Project, located near Estevan, Saskatchewan, is one of the first integrated commercial-scale CO 2 storage projects in the world that is designed to demonstrate CO 2 storage in a deep saline aquifer. Starting in 2014, CO 2 captured from the nearby Boundary Dam coal-fired power plant will be transported via pipeline to the storage site and to nearby oil fields for enhanced oil recovery. At the Aquistore site, the CO 2 will be injected into a brine-filled sandstone formation at ~3200 m depth using the deepest well in Saskatchewan. The suitability of the geological formations that will hostmore » the injected CO 2 has been predetermined through 3D characterization using high-resolution 3D seismic images and deep well information. These data show that 1) there are no significant faults in the immediate area of the storage site, 2) the regional sealing formation is continuous in the area, and 3) the reservoir is not adversely affected by knolls on the surface of the underlying Precambrian basement. Furthermore, the Aquistore site is located within an intracratonic region characterized by extremely low levels of seismicity. This is in spite of oil-field related water injection in the nearby Weyburn-Midale field where a total of 656 million m 3 of water have been injected since the 1960`s with no demonstrable related induced seismicity. A key element of the Aquistore research program is the further development of methods to monitor the security and subsurface distribution of the injected CO 2. Toward this end, a permanent areal seismic monitoring array was deployed in 2012, comprising 630 vertical-component geophones installed at 20 m depth on a 2.5x2.5 km regular grid. This permanent array is designed to provide improved 3D time-lapse seismic imaging for monitoring subsurface CO 2. Prior to the onset of CO 2 injection, calibration 3D surveys were acquired in May and November of 2013. Comparison of the data from these surveys relative to the baseline 3D survey data from 2012 shows excellent repeatability (NRMS less than 10%) which will provide enhanced monitoring sensitivity to smaller amounts of CO 2. The permanent array also provides continuous passive monitoring for injection-related microseismicity. Passive monitoring has been ongoing since the summer of 2012 in order to establish levels of background seismicity before CO 2 injection starts in 2014. Microseismic monitoring was augmented in 2013 by the installation of 3 broadband seismograph stations surrounding the Aquistore site. These surface installations should provide a detection capability of seismic events with magnitudes as low as ~0. Downhole seismic methods are also being utilized for CO 2 monitoring at the Aquistore site. Baseline crosswell tomographic images depict details (meters-scale) of the reservoir in the 150-m interval between the observation and injection wells. This level of resolution is designed to track the CO 2 migration between the wells during the initial injection period. A baseline 3D vertical seismic profile (VSP) was acquired in the fall of 2013 to provide seismic images with resolution on a scale between that provided by the surface seismic array and the downhole tomography. The 3D VSP was recorded simultaneously using both a conventional array of downhole geophones (60-levels) and an optical fibre system. The latter utilized an optical fiber cable deployed on the outside of the monitor well casing and cemented in place. A direct comparison of these two methodologies will determine the suitability of using the fiber cable for ongoing time-lapse VSP monitoring.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kitanidis, Peter

As large-scale, commercial storage projects become operational, the problem of utilizing information from diverse sources becomes more critically important. In this project, we developed, tested, and applied an advanced joint data inversion system for CO 2 storage modeling with large data sets for use in site characterization and real-time monitoring. Emphasis was on the development of advanced and efficient computational algorithms for joint inversion of hydro-geophysical data, coupled with state-of-the-art forward process simulations. The developed system consists of (1) inversion tools using characterization data, such as 3D seismic survey (amplitude images), borehole log and core data, as well as hydraulic,more » tracer and thermal tests before CO 2 injection, (2) joint inversion tools for updating the geologic model with the distribution of rock properties, thus reducing uncertainty, using hydro-geophysical monitoring data, and (3) highly efficient algorithms for directly solving the dense or sparse linear algebra systems derived from the joint inversion. The system combines methods from stochastic analysis, fast linear algebra, and high performance computing. The developed joint inversion tools have been tested through synthetic CO 2 storage examples.« less

The Coal-Seq III Consortium. Advancing the Science of CO 2 Sequestration in Coal Seam and Gas Shale Reservoirs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koperna, George

The Coal-Seq consortium is a government-industry collaborative that was initially launched in 2000 as a U.S. Department of Energy sponsored investigation into CO2 sequestration in deep, unmineable coal seams. The consortium’s objective aimed to advancing industry’s understanding of complex coalbed methane and gas shale reservoir behavior in the presence of multi-component gases via laboratory experiments, theoretical model development and field validation studies. Research from this collaborative effort was utilized to produce modules to enhance reservoir simulation and modeling capabilities to assess the technical and economic potential for CO2 storage and enhanced coalbed methane recovery in coal basins. Coal-Seq Phase 3more » expands upon the learnings garnered from Phase 1 & 2, which has led to further investigation into refined model development related to multicomponent equations-of-state, sorption and diffusion behavior, geomechanical and permeability studies, technical and economic feasibility studies for major international coal basins the extension of the work to gas shale reservoirs, and continued global technology exchange. The first research objective assesses changes in coal and shale properties with exposure to CO2 under field replicated conditions. Results indicate that no significant weakening occurs when coal and shale were exposed to CO2, therefore, there was no need to account for mechanical weakening of coal due to the injection of CO2 for modeling. The second major research objective evaluates cleat, Cp, and matrix, Cm, swelling/shrinkage compressibility under field replicated conditions. The experimental studies found that both Cp and Cm vary due to changes in reservoir pressure during injection and depletion under field replicated conditions. Using laboratory data from this study, a compressibility model was developed to predict the pore-volume compressibility, Cp, and the matrix compressibility, Cm, of coal and shale, which was applied to modeling software to enhance model robustness. Research was also conducted to improve algorithms and generalized adsorption models to facilitate realistic simulation of CO2 sequestration in coal seams and shale gas reservoirs. The interaction among water and the adsorbed gases, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrogen (N2) in coalbeds is examined using experimental in situ laboratory techniques to comprehensively model CBM production and CO2 sequestration in coals. An equation of state (EOS) module was developed which is capable of predicting the density of pure components and mixtures involving the wet CBM gases CH4, CO2, and N2 at typical reservoir condition, and is used to inform CO2 injection models. The final research objective examined the effects adsorbed CO2 has on coal strength and permeability. This research studied the weakening or failure of coal by the adsorption of CO2 from empirically derived gas production data to develop models for advanced modeling of permeability changes during CO2 sequestration. The results of this research effort have been used to construct a new and improved model for assessing changes in permeability of coal reservoirs due CO2 injection. The modules developed from these studies and knowledge learned are applied to field validation and basin assessment studies. These data were used to assess the flow and storage of CO2 in a shale reservoir, test newly developed code against large-scale projects, and conduct a basin-oriented review of coal storage potential in the San Juan Basin. The storage potential and flow of CO2 was modeled for shale sequestration of a proprietary Marcellus Shale horizontal gas production well using COMET3 simulation software. Simulation results from five model runs indicate that stored CO2 quantities are linked to the duration of primary production preceding injection. Matrix CO2 saturation is observed to increase in each shale zone after injection with an increase in primary production, and the size of the CO2 plume is also observed to increase in size the longer initial production is sustained. The simulation modules developed around the Coal-Seq experimental work are also incorporated into a pre-existing large-scale numerical simulation model of the Pump Canyon CO2-ECBM pilot in the San Juan Basin. The new model was applied to re-history match the data set to explore the improvements made in permeability prediction against previously published data sets and to validate this module. The assessment of the new data, however, indicates that the impact of the variable Cp is negligible on the overall behavior of the coal for CO2 storage purposes. Applying these new modules, the San Juan Basin and the Marcellus Shale are assessed for their technical ECBM/AGR and CO2 storage potential and the economic potential of these operations. The San Juan Basin was divided into 4 unique geographic zones based on production history, and the Marcellus was divided into nine. Each was assessed based upon each zone’s properties, and simulations were run to assess the potential of full Basin development. Models of a fully developed San Juan Basin suggest the potential for up to 104 Tcf of CO2 storage, and 12.3 Tcf of methane recovery. The Marcellus models suggest 1,248 Tcf of CO2 storage and 924 Tcf of AGR. The economics are deemed favorable where credits cover the cost of CO2 in the San Juan Basin, and in many cases in the Marcellus, but to maximize storage potential, credits need to extend to pay the operator to store CO2.« less

A data driven model for the impact of IFT and density variations on CO2 sequestration in porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nomeli, Mohammad; Riaz, Amir

2017-11-01

CO2 storage in geological formations is one of the most promising solutions for mitigating the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. One of the important issues for CO2 storage in subsurface environments is the sealing efficiency of low-permeable cap-rocks overlying potential CO2 storage reservoirs. A novel model is proposed to find the IFT of the systems (CO2/brine-salt) in a range of temperatures (300-373 K), pressures (50-250 bar), and up to 6 molal salinity applicable to CO2 storage in geological formations through a machine learning-assisted modeling of experimental data. The IFT between mineral surfaces and CO2/brine-salt solutions determines the efficiency of enhanced oil or gas recovery operations as well as our ability to inject and store CO2 in geological formations. Finally, we use the new model to evaluate the effects of formation depth on the actual efficiency of CO2 storage. The results indicate that, in the case of CO2 storage in deep subsurface environments as a global-warming mitigation strategy, CO2 storage capacity are improved with reservoir depth.

A review of mineral carbonation technologies to sequester CO2.

PubMed

Sanna, A; Uibu, M; Caramanna, G; Kuusik, R; Maroto-Valer, M M

2014-12-07

Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and sequestration includes a portfolio of technologies that can potentially sequester billions of tonnes of CO2 per year. Mineral carbonation (MC) is emerging as a potential CCS technology solution to sequester CO2 from smaller/medium emitters, where geological sequestration is not a viable option. In MC processes, CO2 is chemically reacted with calcium- and/or magnesium-containing materials to form stable carbonates. This work investigates the current advancement in the proposed MC technologies and the role they can play in decreasing the overall cost of this CO2 sequestration route. In situ mineral carbonation is a very promising option in terms of resources available and enhanced security, but the technology is still in its infancy and transport and storage costs are still higher than geological storage in sedimentary basins ($17 instead of $8 per tCO2). Ex situ mineral carbonation has been demonstrated on pilot and demonstration scales. However, its application is currently limited by its high costs, which range from $50 to $300 per tCO2 sequestered. Energy use, the reaction rate and material handling are the key factors hindering the success of this technology. The value of the products seems central to render MC economically viable in the same way as conventional CCS seems profitable only when combined with EOR. Large scale projects such as the Skyonic process can help in reducing the knowledge gaps on MC fundamentals and provide accurate costing and data on processes integration and comparison. The literature to date indicates that in the coming decades MC can play an important role in decarbonising the power and industrial sector.

CO2-neutral fuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goede, A. P. H.

2015-08-01

The need for storage of renewable energy (RE) generated by photovoltaic, concentrated solar and wind arises from the fact that supply and demand are ill-matched both geographically and temporarily. This already causes problems of overcapacity and grid congestion in countries where the fraction of RE exceeds the 20% level. A system approach is needed, which focusses not only on the energy source, but includes conversion, storage, transport, distribution, use and, last but not least, the recycling of waste. Furthermore, there is a need for more flexibility in the energy system, rather than relying on electrification, integration with other energy systems, for example the gas network, would yield a system less vulnerable to failure and better adapted to requirements. For example, long-term large-scale storage of electrical energy is limited by capacity, yet needed to cover weekly to seasonal demand. This limitation can be overcome by coupling the electricity net to the gas system, considering the fact that the Dutch gas network alone has a storage capacity of 552 TWh, sufficient to cover the entire EU energy demand for over a month. This lecture explores energy storage in chemicals bonds. The focus is on chemicals other than hydrogen, taking advantage of the higher volumetric energy density of hydrocarbons, in this case methane, which has an approximate 3.5 times higher volumetric energy density. More importantly, it allows the ready use of existing gas infrastructure for energy storage, transport and distribution. Intermittent wind electricity generated is converted into synthetic methane, the Power to Gas (P2G) scheme, by splitting feedstock CO2 and H2O into synthesis gas, a mixture of CO and H2. Syngas plays a central role in the synthesis of a range of hydrocarbon products, including methane, diesel and dimethyl ether. The splitting is accomplished by innovative means; plasmolysis and high-temperature solid oxygen electrolysis. A CO2-neutral fuel cycle is established by powering the conversion step by renewable energy and recapturing the CO2 emitted after combustion, ultimately from the surrounding air to cover emissions from distributed source. Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) coupled to P2G thus creates a CO2-neutral energy system based on synthetic hydrocarbon fuel. It would enable a circular economy where the carbon cycle is closed by recovering the CO2 emitted after reuse of synthetic hydrocarbon fuel. The critical step, technically as well as economically, is the conversion of feedstock CO2/H2O into syngas rather than the capture of CO2 from ambient air.

Adaptive management for subsurface pressure and plume control in application to geological CO2 storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalez-Nicolas, A.; Cihan, A.; Birkholzer, J. T.; Petrusak, R.; Zhou, Q.; Riestenberg, D. E.; Trautz, R. C.; Godec, M.

2016-12-01

Industrial-scale injection of CO2 into the subsurface can cause reservoir pressure increases that must be properly controlled to prevent any potential environmental impact. Excessive pressure buildup in reservoir may result in ground water contamination stemming from leakage through conductive pathways, such as improperly plugged abandoned wells or distant faults, and the potential for fault reactivation and possibly seal breaching. Brine extraction is a viable approach for managing formation pressure, effective stress, and plume movement during industrial-scale CO2 injection projects. The main objectives of this study are to investigate suitable different pressure management strategies involving active brine extraction and passive pressure relief wells. Adaptive optimized management of CO2 storage projects utilizes the advanced automated optimization algorithms and suitable process models. The adaptive management integrates monitoring, forward modeling, inversion modeling and optimization through an iterative process. In this study, we employ an adaptive framework to understand primarily the effects of initial site characterization and frequency of the model update (calibration) and optimization calculations for controlling extraction rates based on the monitoring data on the accuracy and the success of the management without violating pressure buildup constraints in the subsurface reservoir system. We will present results of applying the adaptive framework to test appropriateness of different management strategies for a realistic field injection project.

Targeted Pressure Management During CO 2 Sequestration: Optimization of Well Placement and Brine Extraction

DOE PAGES

Cihan, Abdullah; Birkholzer, Jens; Bianchi, Marco

2014-12-31

Large-scale pressure increases resulting from carbon dioxide (CO 2) injection in the subsurface can potentially impact caprock integrity, induce reactivation of critically stressed faults, and drive CO 2 or brine through conductive features into shallow groundwater. Pressure management involving the extraction of native fluids from storage formations can be used to minimize pressure increases while maximizing CO2 storage. However, brine extraction requires pumping, transportation, possibly treatment, and disposal of substantial volumes of extracted brackish or saline water, all of which can be technically challenging and expensive. This paper describes a constrained differential evolution (CDE) algorithm for optimal well placement andmore » injection/ extraction control with the goal of minimizing brine extraction while achieving predefined pressure contraints. The CDE methodology was tested for a simple optimization problem whose solution can be partially obtained with a gradient-based optimization methodology. The CDE successfully estimated the true global optimum for both extraction well location and extraction rate, needed for the test problem. A more complex example application of the developed strategy was also presented for a hypothetical CO 2 storage scenario in a heterogeneous reservoir consisting of a critically stressed fault nearby an injection zone. Through the CDE optimization algorithm coupled to a numerical vertically-averaged reservoir model, we successfully estimated optimal rates and locations for CO 2 injection and brine extraction wells while simultaneously satisfying multiple pressure buildup constraints to avoid fault activation and caprock fracturing. The study shows that the CDE methodology is a very promising tool to solve also other optimization problems related to GCS, such as reducing ‘Area of Review’, monitoring design, reducing risk of leakage and increasing storage capacity and trapping.« less

Integrated CO 2 Storage and Brine Extraction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hunter, Kelsey; Bielicki, Jeffrey M.; Middleton, Richard

Carbon dioxide (CO 2) capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) can reduce CO 2 emissions from fossil fuel power plants by injecting CO 2 into deep saline aquifers for storage. CCUS typically increases reservoir pressure which increases costs, because less CO 2 can be injected, and risks such as induced seismicity. Extracting brine with enhanced water recovery (EWR) from the CO 2 storage reservoir can manage and reduce pressure in the formation, decrease the risks linked to reservoir overpressure (e.g., induced seismicity), increase CO 2 storage capacity, and enable CO 2 plume management. We modeled scenarios of CO 2 injection withmore » EWR into the Rock Springs Uplift (RSU) formation in southwest Wyoming. The Finite Element Heat and Mass Transfer Code (FEHM) was used to model CO 2 injection with brine extraction and the corresponding increase in pressure within the RSU. We analyzed the model for pressure management, CO 2 storage, CO 2 saturation, and brine extraction due to the quantity and location of brine extraction wells. The model limited CO 2 injection to a constant pressure increase of two MPa at the injection well with and without extracting brine at hydrostatic pressure. Finally, we found that brine extraction can be used as a technical and cost-effective pressure management strategy to limit reservoir pressure buildup and increase CO 2 storage associated with a single injection well.« less

Integrated CO 2 Storage and Brine Extraction

DOE PAGES

Hunter, Kelsey; Bielicki, Jeffrey M.; Middleton, Richard; ...

2017-08-18

Carbon dioxide (CO 2) capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) can reduce CO 2 emissions from fossil fuel power plants by injecting CO 2 into deep saline aquifers for storage. CCUS typically increases reservoir pressure which increases costs, because less CO 2 can be injected, and risks such as induced seismicity. Extracting brine with enhanced water recovery (EWR) from the CO 2 storage reservoir can manage and reduce pressure in the formation, decrease the risks linked to reservoir overpressure (e.g., induced seismicity), increase CO 2 storage capacity, and enable CO 2 plume management. We modeled scenarios of CO 2 injection withmore » EWR into the Rock Springs Uplift (RSU) formation in southwest Wyoming. The Finite Element Heat and Mass Transfer Code (FEHM) was used to model CO 2 injection with brine extraction and the corresponding increase in pressure within the RSU. We analyzed the model for pressure management, CO 2 storage, CO 2 saturation, and brine extraction due to the quantity and location of brine extraction wells. The model limited CO 2 injection to a constant pressure increase of two MPa at the injection well with and without extracting brine at hydrostatic pressure. Finally, we found that brine extraction can be used as a technical and cost-effective pressure management strategy to limit reservoir pressure buildup and increase CO 2 storage associated with a single injection well.« less

The Quest CCS Project - MMV Technology Deployment Through Two Years of Operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Brien, S.

2017-12-01

In September 2012, Shell, on behalf of the Athabasca Oil Sands Project venture (Shell Canada Energy, Chevron Canada Limited, Marathon Oil Canada Corporation), announced that it was proceeding to construct the Quest Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project near Fort Saskatchewan. Quest is the world's first large-scale commercial application of CCS at an oil sands operation, and it is now capturing more than one million tonnes of CO2 per year from the Scotford Upgrader. It is a fully integrated project, involving CO2 capture at the bitumen upgrader, transportation along a 65 km pipeline, and CO2 storage in a deep saline aquifer (the Basal Cambrian Sands). Construction was completed in August 2015, and the Quest project was certified for commercial operation in September 2015. The Measurement, Monitoring and Verification (MMV) program for Quest is comprehensive, with a variety of technologies being used to monitor the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and geosphere. These include a Lightsource system for atmospheric monitoring, extensive groundwater sampling, DAS VSPs to assess the development of the CO2 plume, a microseismic array to measure any induced seismic activity, and temperature and pressure gauges for reservoir monitoring. Over two years of operations, this program has been optimized to address key risks while improving operational efficiency. Quest has now successfully captured and stored more than 2 million tonnes of CO2 with no MMV indications of any storage issues.

Rigorous Screening Technology for Identifying Suitable CO2 Storage Sites II

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

George J. Koperna Jr.; Vello A. Kuuskraa; David E. Riestenberg

2009-06-01

This report serves as the final technical report and users manual for the 'Rigorous Screening Technology for Identifying Suitable CO2 Storage Sites II SBIR project. Advanced Resources International has developed a screening tool by which users can technically screen, assess the storage capacity and quantify the costs of CO2 storage in four types of CO2 storage reservoirs. These include CO2-enhanced oil recovery reservoirs, depleted oil and gas fields (non-enhanced oil recovery candidates), deep coal seems that are amenable to CO2-enhanced methane recovery, and saline reservoirs. The screening function assessed whether the reservoir could likely serve as a safe, long-term CO2more » storage reservoir. The storage capacity assessment uses rigorous reservoir simulation models to determine the timing, ultimate storage capacity, and potential for enhanced hydrocarbon recovery. Finally, the economic assessment function determines both the field-level and pipeline (transportation) costs for CO2 sequestration in a given reservoir. The screening tool has been peer reviewed at an Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI) technical meeting in March 2009. A number of useful observations and recommendations emerged from the Workshop on the costs of CO2 transport and storage that could be readily incorporated into a commercial version of the Screening Tool in a Phase III SBIR.« less

Metal mobility and toxicity to microalgae associated with acidification of sediments: CO2 and acid comparison.

PubMed

De Orte, M R; Lombardi, A T; Sarmiento, A M; Basallote, M D; Rodriguez-Romero, A; Riba, I; Del Valls, A

2014-05-01

The injection and storage of CO2 into marine geological formations has been suggested as a mitigation measure to prevent global warming. However, storage leaks are possible resulting in several effects in the ecosystem. Laboratory-scale experiments were performed to evaluate the effects of CO2 leakage on the fate of metals and on the growth of the microalgae Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Metal contaminated sediments were collected and submitted to acidification by means of CO2 injection or by adding HCl. Sediments elutriate were prepared to perform toxicity tests. The results showed that sediment acidification enhanced the release of metals to elutriates. Iron and zinc were the metals most influenced by this process and their concentration increased greatly with pH decreases. Diatom growth was inhibited by both processes: acidification and the presence of metals. Data obtained is this study is useful to calculate the potential risk of CCS activities to the marine environment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nanoscale Chemical Processes Affecting Storage Capacities and Seals during Geologic CO2 Sequestration.

PubMed

Jun, Young-Shin; Zhang, Lijie; Min, Yujia; Li, Qingyun

2017-07-18

Geologic CO 2 sequestration (GCS) is a promising strategy to mitigate anthropogenic CO 2 emission to the atmosphere. Suitable geologic storage sites should have a porous reservoir rock zone where injected CO 2 can displace brine and be stored in pores, and an impermeable zone on top of reservoir rocks to hinder upward movement of buoyant CO 2 . The injection wells (steel casings encased in concrete) pass through these geologic zones and lead CO 2 to the desired zones. In subsurface environments, CO 2 is reactive as both a supercritical (sc) phase and aqueous (aq) species. Its nanoscale chemical reactions with geomedia and wellbores are closely related to the safety and efficiency of CO 2 storage. For example, the injection pressure is determined by the wettability and permeability of geomedia, which can be sensitive to nanoscale mineral-fluid interactions; the sealing safety of the injection sites is affected by the opening and closing of fractures in caprocks and the alteration of wellbore integrity caused by nanoscale chemical reactions; and the time scale for CO 2 mineralization is also largely dependent on the chemical reactivities of the reservoir rocks. Therefore, nanoscale chemical processes can influence the hydrogeological and mechanical properties of geomedia, such as their wettability, permeability, mechanical strength, and fracturing. This Account reviews our group's work on nanoscale chemical reactions and their qualitative impacts on seal integrity and storage capacity at GCS sites from four points of view. First, studies on dissolution of feldspar, an important reservoir rock constituent, and subsequent secondary mineral precipitation are discussed, focusing on the effects of feldspar crystallography, cations, and sulfate anions. Second, interfacial reactions between caprock and brine are introduced using model clay minerals, with focuses on the effects of water chemistries (salinity and organic ligands) and water content on mineral dissolution and surface morphology changes. Third, the hydrogeological responses (using wettability alteration as an example) of clay minerals to chemical reactions are discussed, which connects the nanoscale findings to the transport and capillary trapping of CO 2 in the reservoirs. Fourth, the interplay between chemical and mechanical alterations of geomedia, using wellbore cement as a model geomedium, is examined, which provides helpful insights into wellbore and caprock integrities and CO 2 mineralization. Combining these four aspects, our group has answered questions related to nanoscale chemical reactions in subsurface GCS sites regarding the types of reactions and the property alterations of reservoirs and caprocks. Ultimately, the findings can shed light on the influences of nanoscale chemical reactions on storage capacities and seals during geologic CO 2 sequestration.

Estimating the Quantity of Wind and Solar Required To Displace Storage-Induced Emissions.

PubMed

Hittinger, Eric; Azevedo, Inês M L

2017-11-07

The variable and nondispatchable nature of wind and solar generation has been driving interest in energy storage as an enabling low-carbon technology that can help spur large-scale adoption of renewables. However, prior work has shown that adding energy storage alone for energy arbitrage in electricity systems across the U.S. routinely increases system emissions. While adding wind or solar reduces electricity system emissions, the emissions effect of both renewable generation and energy storage varies by location. In this work, we apply a marginal emissions approach to determine the net system CO 2 emissions of colocated or electrically proximate wind/storage and solar/storage facilities across the U.S. and determine the amount of renewable energy required to offset the CO 2 emissions resulting from operation of new energy storage. We find that it takes between 0.03 MW (Montana) and 4 MW (Michigan) of wind and between 0.25 MW (Alabama) and 17 MW (Michigan) of solar to offset the emissions from a 25 MW/100 MWh storage device, depending on location and operational mode. Systems with a realistic combination of renewables and storage will result in net emissions reductions compared with a grid without those systems, but the anticipated reductions are lower than a renewable-only addition.

Specific storage volumes: A useful tool for CO2 storage capacity assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brennan, S.T.; Burruss, R.C.

2006-01-01

Subsurface geologic strata have the potential to store billions of tons of anthropogenic CO2; therefore, geologic carbon sequestration can be an effective mitigation tool used to slow the rate at which levels of atmospheric CO2 are increasing. Oil and gas reservoirs, coal beds, and saline reservoirs can be used for CO2 storage; however, it is difficult to assess and compare the relative storage capacities of these different settings. Typically, CO2 emissions are reported in units of mass, which are not directly applicable to comparing the CO2 storage capacities of the various storage targets. However, if the emission values are recalculated to volumes per unit mass (specific volume) then the volumes of geologic reservoirs necessary to store CO2 emissions from large point sources can be estimated. The factors necessary to convert the mass of CO2 emissions to geologic storage volume (referred to here as Specific Storage Volume or 'SSV') can be reported in units of cubic meters, cubic feet, and petroleum barrels. The SSVs can be used to estimate the reservoir volume needed to store CO2 produced over the lifetime of an individual point source, and to identify CO2 storage targets of sufficient size to meet the demand from that given point source. These storage volumes also can then be projected onto the land surface to outline a representative "footprint," which marks the areal extent of storage. This footprint can be compared with the terrestrial carbon sequestration capacity of the same land area. The overall utility of this application is that the total storage capacity of any given parcel of land (from surface to basement) can be determined, and may assist in making land management decisions. ?? Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2006.

Carbon dioxide sequestration monitoring and verification via laser based detection system in the 2 mum band

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Humphries, Seth David

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is a known contributor to the green house gas effect. Emissions of CO2 are rising as the global demand for inexpensive energy is placated through the consumption and combustion of fossil fuels. Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) may provide a method to prevent CO2 from being exhausted to the atmosphere. The carbon may be captured after fossil fuel combustion in a power plant and then stored in a long term facility such as a deep geologic feature. The ability to verify the integrity of carbon storage at a location is key to the success of all CCS projects. A laser-based instrument has been built and tested at Montana State University (MSU) to measure CO2 concentrations above a carbon storage location. The CO2 Detection by Differential Absorption (CODDA) Instrument uses a temperature-tunable distributed feedback (DFB) laser diode that is capable of accessing a spectral region, 2.0027 to 2.0042 mum, that contains three CO2 absorption lines and a water vapor absorption line. This instrument laser is aimed over an open-air, two-way path of about 100 m, allowing measurements of CO2 concentrations to be made directly above a carbon dioxide release test site. The performance of the instrument for carbon sequestration site monitoring is studied using a newly developed CO2 controlled release facility. The field and CO2 releases are managed by the Zero Emissions Research Technology (ZERT) group at MSU. Two test injections were carried out through vertical wells simulating seepage up well paths. Three test injections were done as CO2 escaped up through a slotted horizontal pipe simulating seepage up through geologic fault zones. The results from these 5 separate controlled release experiments over the course of three summers show that the CODDA Instrument is clearly capable of verifying the integrity of full-scale CO2 storage operations.

Development of a CO 2 Chemical Sensor for Downhole CO 2 Monitoring in Carbon Sequestration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Ning

Geologic storage of carbon dioxide (CO 2) has been proposed as a viable means for reducing anthropogenic CO 2 emissions. The means for geological sequestration of CO 2 is injection of supercritical CO 2 underground, which requires the CO 2 to remain either supercritical, or in solution in the water/brine present in the underground formation. However, there are aspects of geologic sequestration that need further study, particularly in regards to safety. To date, none of the geologic sequestration locations have been tested for storage integrity under the changing stress conditions that apply to the sequestration of very large amounts ofmore » CO 2. Establishing environmental safety and addressing public concerns require widespread monitoring of the process in the deep subsurface. In addition, studies of subsurface carbon sequestration such as flow simulations, models of underground reactions and transports require a comprehensive monitoring process to accurately characterize and understand the storage process. Real-time information about underground CO 2 movement and concentration change is highly helpful for: (1) better understanding the uncertainties present in CO 2 geologic storage; (2) improvement of simulation models; and (3) evaluation of the feasibility of geologic CO 2 storage. Current methods to monitor underground CO 2 storage include seismic, geoelectric, isotope and tracer methods, and fluid sampling analysis. However, these methods commonly resulted low resolution, high cost, and the inability to monitor continuously over the long time scales of the CO 2 storage process. A preferred way of monitoring in-situ underground CO 2 migration is to continuous measure CO 2 concentration change in brine during the carbon storage process. An approach to obtain the real time information on CO 2 concentration change in formation solution is highly demanded in carbon storage to understand the CO 2 migration subsurface and to answer the public safety problem. The objective of the study is to develop a downhole CO 2 sensor that can in-situ, continuously monitor CO 2 concentration change in deep saline. The sensor is a Severinghaus-type CO 2 sensor with small size, which renders it can be embedded in monitoring well casing or integrated with pressure/temperature transducers, enabling the development of “smart” wells. The studies included: (1) prepare and characterize metal-oxide electrodes. Test the electrodes response to pH change. Investigate different ions and brine concentration effects on the electrode’s performance. Study the stability of the electrode in brine solution; (2) fabricate a downhole CO 2 sensor with the metal-oxide electrodes prepared in the laboratory. Test the performance of the CO 2 sensor in brine solutions. Study high pressure effects on the performance of the sensor; (3) design and conduct CO 2/brine coreflooding experiments with the CO2 sensor. Monitor CO 2 movement along the core and test the performance of the sensor in coreflooding tests. Develop a data acquisition system that can digitize the sensor’s output voltage. Our completed research has resulted in deep understanding of downhole CO 2 sensor development and CO 2 monitoring in CO 2 storage process. The developed downhole CO 2 sensor included a metal-oxide electrode, a gas-permeable membrane, a porous steel cup, and a bicarbonate-based internal electrolyte solution. Iridium oxide-based electrode was prepared and used for preparation the CO 2 sensor. The prepared iridium oxide-based electrode displayed a linearly response to pH change. Different factors such as different ions and ions concentration, temperature, and pressure effects on the electrode performance on pH response were investigated. The results indicated that the electrode exhibited a good performance even in high salt concentration of produced water. To improve the electrode performance under high pressure, IrO 2 nanoparticles with the particle size in the range of 1-2 nm were prepared and electrodeposited on stainless steel substrate by cyclic voltammetry. It was observed that the thin film of iridium oxide was formed on the substrate surface and such iridium oxide-based electrode displayed excellent performance under high pressure for longer term. A downhole CO 2 sensor with the iridium oxide-based electrode was prepared. The working principle of the CO 2 sensor is based on the measurement of the pH change of the internal electrolyte solution caused by the hydrolysis of CO 2 and then determination of the CO 2 concentration in water. The prepared downhole CO 2 sensor had the size of diameter of 0.7 in. and length of 1.5 in. The sensor was tested under the pressures of 500 psi, 2,000 psi, and 3,000 psi. A linear correlation was observed between the sensor potential change and dissolved CO 2 concentration in water. The response time of the CO 2 sensor was in the range of 60-100 minutes. Further tests indicated that the CO 2 sensor exhibited good reproducibility under high pressure. A CO 2/brine coreflooding system was constructed to simulate the real-world CO 2 storage process. The prepared downhole CO 2 sensor was loaded in the system to monitor CO 2 movement during CO 2/brine coreflooding test. The results indicated that the sensor could detect CO 2 movement in the tests. Further studies showed that the sensor could be recovered by brine flooding after CO 2/brine flushed the core. The results of the coreflooding tests demonstrated that the sensor had potential application for CO 2 monitoring in carbon sequestration. A data acquisition system for the downhoe CO 2 sensor was developed and coded. The system converted the sensor output signal into digital data and transported the data from downhole to wellhead surface. The data acquisition system was tested and evaluated in the laboratory with the prepared sensor for data collection.« less

Linking Geomechanical Models with Observations of Microseismicity during CCS Operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verdon, J.; Kendall, J.; White, D.

2012-12-01

During CO2 injection for the purposes of carbon capture and storage (CCS), injection-induced fracturing of the overburden represents a key risk to storage integrity. Fractures in a caprock provide a pathway along which buoyant CO2 can rise and escape the storage zone. Therefore the ability to link field-scale geomechanical models with field geophysical observations is of paramount importance to guarantee secure CO2 storage. Accurate location of microseismic events identifies where brittle failure has occurred on fracture planes. This is a manifestation of the deformation induced by CO2 injection. As the pore pressure is increased during injection, effective stress is decreased, leading to inflation of the reservoir and deformation of surrounding rocks, which creates microseismicity. The deformation induced by injection can be simulated using finite-element mechanical models. Such a model can be used to predict when and where microseismicity is expected to occur. However, typical elements in a field scale mechanical models have decameter scales, while the rupture size for microseismic events are typically of the order of 1 square meter. This means that mapping modeled stress changes to predictions of microseismic activity can be challenging. Where larger scale faults have been identified, they can be included explicitly in the geomechanical model. Where movement is simulated along these discrete features, it can be assumed that microseismicity will occur. However, microseismic events typically occur on fracture networks that are too small to be simulated explicitly in a field-scale model. Therefore, the likelihood of microseismicity occurring must be estimated within a finite element that does not contain explicitly modeled discontinuities. This can be done in a number of ways, including the utilization of measures such as closeness on the stress state to predetermined failure criteria, either for planes with a defined orientation (the Mohr-Coulomb criteria) for planes with arbitrary orientation (the Fracture Potential). Inelastic deformation may be incorporated within the constitutive models of the mechanical model itself in the form of plastic deformation criteria. Under such a system yield, plastic deformation, and strain hardening/weakening can be incorporated explicitly into the mechanical model, where the assumption is that the onset of inelastic processes corresponds with the onset of microseismicity within a particular element. Alternatively, an elastic geomechanical model may be used, where the resulting stress states after deformation are post-processed for a microseismicity analysis. In this paper we focus on CO2 injection for CCS and Enhanced Oil Recovery in the Weyburn Field, Canada. We generate field-scale geomechanical models to simulate the response to CO2 injection. We compare observations of microseismicity to the predictions made by the models, showing how geomechanical models can improve interpretation and understanding of microseismic observations, as well as how microseismic observations can be used to ground-truth models (a model that provides predictions with observations can be deemed more reliable than one that does not). By tuning material properties within acceptable ranges, we are able to find models that match microseismic and other geophysical observations most accurately.

Diffusive leakage of brine from aquifers during CO2 geological storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dejam, Morteza; Hassanzadeh, Hassan

2018-01-01

The area of investigation in this study is designed around an improved understanding of fundamentals of the diffusive leakage of brine from a storage aquifer into overlying and underlying low permeability layers during geosequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2) through development of a theoretical model. Here, we consider a two-dimensional domain in cylindrical coordinates, comprised of an aquifer and an overburden, where the interaction between the two media is handled by imposing the continuities of pressures and fluid fluxes at the aquifer-overburden interface. This coupled problem is solved by successive implementation of the Laplace and finite Hankel transforms. The developed solutions can be used to analyze diffusive leakage of brine from the aquifer into overburden and generate type curves for average pressures in the aquifer and overburden during injection and post injection periods. The results show that the leakage rate at early times is scaled with t1/2 while it remains constant at late times. It is also shown that the average pressure in the aquifer is scaled with t for short and long times. Moreover, the average pressure in the overburden is scaled with t at late times while it is scaled with t3/2 at early times. In addition, the results reveal that factors affecting diffusive leakage rate through intact overburden during CO2 storage are, in decreasing order of significance, thickness of overburden, thickness of aquifer, aquifer to overburden permeability ratio, and aquifer to overburden porosity ratio. However, thickness of aquifer has minimal effect on diffusive leakage of brine within post injection period. To evaluate the theoretical model, case studies for two potential sites in United Kingdom, one in Lincolnshire and the other one in the Firth of Forth, are conducted. The field studies show that the diffusive leakage from the aquifer into the overburden diminishes ∼40 years after the injection has ceased for Lincolnshire while it stops after ∼12 years for Firth of Forth. The average amount of the brine leaked from the aquifers per standard cubic meter (Sm3) of the injected CO2 through diffusive leakage was found to be 6.28 × 10-4 m3 of brine (or 0.330 kg of brine/kg of CO2) over ∼70 years for Lincolnshire and 4.59 × 10-4 m3 of brine (or 0.242 kg of brine/kg of CO2) over ∼42 years for Firth of Forth.

U.S. Department of Energy's Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership Program: Overview

USGS Publications Warehouse

Litynski, J.; Plasynski, S.; Spangler, L.; Finley, R.; Steadman, E.; Ball, D.; Nemeth, K.J.; McPherson, B.; Myer, L.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has formed a nationwide network of seven regional partnerships to help determine the best approaches for capturing and permanently storing gases that can contribute to global climate change. The Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnerships (RCSPs) are tasked with determining the most suitable technologies, regulations, and infrastructure for carbon capture, transport, and storage in their areas of the country and parts of Canada. The seven partnerships include more than 350 state agencies, universities, national laboratories, private companies, and environmental organizations, spanning 42 states, two Indian nations, and four Canadian provinces. The Regional Partnerships initiative is being implemented in three phases: ???Characterization Phase (2003-2005): The objective was to collect data on CO2 sources and sinks and develop the human capital to support and enable future carbon sequestration field tests and deployments. The completion of this Phase was marked by release of the Carbon Sequestration Atlas of the United States and Canada-Version 1 which included a common methodology for capacity assessment and reported over 3,000GT of storage capacity in saline formations, depleted oil and gas fields, and coal seams.???Validation Phase (2005-2009): The objective is to plan and implement small-scale (<1??million tons CO2) field testing of storage technologies in areas determined to be favorable for carbon storage. The partnerships are currently conducting over 20 small-scale geologic field tests and 11 terrestrial field tests.???Development Phase (2008-2018): The primary objective is the development of large-scale (>1??million tons of CO2) Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects, which will demonstrate that large volumes of CO2 can be injected safely, permanently, and economically into geologic formations representative of large storage capacity. Even though the RCSP Program is being implemented in three phases, it should be viewed as an integrated whole, with many of the goals and objectives transitioning from one phase to the next. Accomplishments and results from the Characterization Phase have helped to refine goals and activities in the Validation and Deployment Phases. The RCSP Program encourages and requires open information sharing among its members by sponsoring both general workshops and meetings to facilitate information exchange. Although each RCSP has its own objectives and field tests, mutual cooperation has been an important part of the Program thus far. The primary goal of the RCSP initiative is to promote the development of a regional framework and the infrastructure necessary to validate and deploy carbon sequestration technologies within each Partnership's region. ?? 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dewetting of silica surfaces upon reactions with supercritical CO2 and brine: pore-scale studies in micromodels.

PubMed

Kim, Yongman; Wan, Jiamin; Kneafsey, Timothy J; Tokunaga, Tetsu K

2012-04-03

Wettability of reservoir minerals and rocks is a critical factor controlling CO(2) mobility, residual trapping, and safe-storage in geologic carbon sequestration, and currently is the factor imparting the greatest uncertainty in predicting capillary behavior in porous media. Very little information on wettability in supercritical CO(2) (scCO(2))-mineral-brine systems is available. We studied pore-scale wettability and wettability alteration in scCO(2)-silica-brine systems using engineered micromodels (transparent pore networks), at 8.5 MPa and 45 °C, over a wide range of NaCl concentrations up to 5.0 M. Dewetting of silica surfaces upon reactions with scCO(2) was observed through water film thinning, water droplet formation, and contact angle increases within single pores. The brine contact angles increased from initial values near 0° up to 80° with larger increases under higher ionic strength conditions. Given the abundance of silica surfaces in reservoirs and caprocks, these results indicate that CO(2) induced dewetting may have important consequences on CO(2) sequestration including reducing capillary entry pressure, and altering quantities of CO(2) residual trapping, relative permeability, and caprock integrity.

Estimation of Carbon Dioxide Storage Capacity for Depleted Gas Reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Yen Ting; Shen, Chien-Hao; Tseng, Chi-Chung; Fan, Chen-Hui; Hsieh, Bieng-Zih

2015-04-01

A depleted gas reservoir is one of the best options for CO2 storage for many reasons. First of all, the storage safety or the caprock integrity has been proven because the natural gas was trapped in the formation for a very long period of time. Also the formation properties and fluid flow characteristics for the reservoir have been well studied since the discovery of the gas reservoir. Finally the surface constructions and facilities are very useful and relatively easy to convert for the use of CO2 storage. The purpose of this study was to apply an analytical approach to estimate CO2 storage capacity in a depleted gas reservoir. The analytical method we used is the material balance equation (MBE), which have been widely used in natural gas storage. We proposed a modified MBE for CO2 storage in a depleted gas reservoir by introducing the z-factors of gas, CO2 and the mixture of the two. The MBE can be derived to a linear relationship between the ratio of pressure to gas z-factor (p/z) and the cumulative term (Gp-Ginj, where Gp is the cumulative gas production and Ginj is the cumulative CO2 injection). The CO2 storage capacity can be calculated when constraints of reservoir recovery pressure are adopted. The numerical simulation was also used for the validation of the theoretical estimation of CO2 storage capacity from the MBE. We found that the quantity of CO2 stored is more than that of gas produced when the reservoir pressure is recovered from the abandon pressure to the initial pressure. This result was basically from the fact that the gas- CO2 mixture z-factors are lower than the natural gas z-factors in reservoir conditions. We also established a useful p/z plot to easily observe the pressure behavior of CO2 storage and efficiently calculate the CO2 storage capacity. The application of the MBE we proposed was demonstrated by a case study of a depleted gas reservoir in northwestern Taiwan. The estimated CO2 storage capacities from conducting reservoir simulation and using analytical equation were very consistent. The validation results showed that the modified MBE we proposed in this study can be efficiently used for the estimation of CO2 storage capacity in a depleted gas reservoir.

Experimental Study of Porosity Changes in Shale Caprocks Exposed to CO 2-Saturated Brines I: Evolution of Mineralogy, Pore Connectivity, Pore Size Distribution, and Surface Area

DOE PAGES

Mouzakis, Katherine M.; Navarre-Sitchler, Alexis K.; Rother, Gernot; ...

2016-07-18

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage, one proposed method of reducing anthropogenic emissions of CO 2, relies on low permeability formations, such as shales, above injection formations to prevent upward migration of the injected CO 2. Porosity in caprocks evaluated for sealing capacity before injection can be altered by geochemical reactions induced by dissolution of injected CO 2 into pore fluids, impacting long-term sealing capacity. Therefore, long-term performance of CO 2 sequestration sites may be dependent on both initial distribution and connectivity of pores in caprocks, and on changes induced by geochemical reaction after injection of CO 2, which are currentlymore » poorly understood. This paper presents results from an experimental study of changes to caprock porosity and pore network geometry in two caprock formations under conditions relevant to CO 2 sequestration. Pore connectivity and total porosity increased in the Gothic Shale; while total porosity increased but pore connectivity decreased in the Marine Tuscaloosa. Gothic Shale is a carbonate mudstone that contains volumetrically more carbonate minerals than Marine Tuscaloosa. Carbonate minerals dissolved to a greater extent than silicate minerals in Gothic Shale under high CO 2 conditions, leading to increased porosity at length scales <~200 nm that contributed to increased pore connectivity. In contrast, silicate minerals dissolved to a greater extent than carbonate minerals in Marine Tuscaloosa leading to increased porosity at all length scales, and specifically an increase in the number of pores >~1 μm. Mineral reactions also contributed to a decrease in pore connectivity, possibly as a result of precipitation in pore throats or hydration of the high percentage of clays. Finally, this study highlights the role that mineralogy of the caprock can play in geochemical response to CO 2 injection and resulting changes in sealing capacity in long-term CO 2 storage projects.« less

Remaining gaps for "safe" CO2 storage: the INGV CO2GAPS vision of "learning by doing" monitoring geogas leakage, reservoirs contamination/mixing and induced/triggered seismicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quattrocchi, F.; Vinciguerra, S.; Chiarabba, C.; Boschi, E.; Anselmi, M.; Burrato, P.; Buttinelli, M.; Cantucci, B.; Cinti, D.; Galli, G.; Improta, L.; Nazzari, M.; Pischiutta, M.; Pizzino, L.; Procesi, M.; Rovelli, A.; Sciarra, A.; Voltattorni, N.

2012-12-01

The CO2GAPS project proposed by INGV is intended to build up an European Proposal for a new kind of research strategy in the field of the geogas storage. Aim of the project would be to fill such key GAPS concerning the main risks associated to CO2 storage and their implications on the entire Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) process, which are: i) the geogas leakage both in soils and shallow aquifers, up to indoor seepage; ii) the reservoirs contamination/mixing by hydrocarbons and heavy metals; iii) induced or triggered seismicity and microseismicity, especially for seismogenic blind faults. In order to consider such risks and make the CCS public acceptance easier, a new kind of research approach should be performed by: i) a better multi-disciplinary and "site specific" risk assessment; ii) the development of more reliable multi-disciplinary monitoring protocols. In this view robust pre-injection base-lines (seismicity and degassing) as well as identification and discrimination criteria for potential anomalies are mandatory. CO2 injection dynamic modelling presently not consider reservoirs geomechanical properties during reactive mass-transport large scale simulations. Complex simulations of the contemporaneous physic-chemical processes involving CO2-rich plumes which move, react and help to crack the reservoir rocks are not totally performed. These activities should not be accomplished only by the oil-gas/electric companies, since the experienced know-how should be shared among the CCS industrial operators and research institutions, with the governments support and overview, also flanked by a transparent and "peer reviewed" scientific popularization process. In this context, a preliminary and reliable 3D modelling of the entire "storage complex" as defined by the European Directive 31/2009 is strictly necessary, taking into account the above mentioned geological, geochemical and geophysical risks. New scientific results could also highlighting such opportunities recently shown by strategic researches on the synergies between the use of underground space (e.g. CH4, CO2 storage and deep geothermics) for energetic supplying purposes. The CO2GAPS approach would merge together geomechanical and geochemical data with seismic velocity and anisotropy properties of the crust, induced seismicity data, gravimetry, EM techniques, and "early alarm" procedures for leakage/cracks detection in shallow geo-spheres (e.g. abandoned wells, naturally seismic and degassing zones). Moreover, a full merging of those data is necessary for a reliable 3D-Earth modelling and the subsequent reactive transport simulations. CO2GAPS vision would apply and verify these issues working on several European selected sites, taking also into account complex systems such as "inland" active faulted blocks close to potential off-shore CO2 storage sites, ECBM faulted prone-areas, "inland" injection test site and CO2 natural faulted analogues. The purpose of these activities focus on the study of long-term fate of stored CO2, leakage mechanisms through the cap-rock and/or abandoned wells, cement wells reactivity, as well as the effects of impurities in the CO2 streams, their removal costs, the use of tracers and the role of biota.

Assessment of the Potential for Flux Estimation Using Concentration Data from Mobile Surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gyenis, A.; Zahasky, C.; Moriarty, D. M.; Benson, S. M.

2014-12-01

Carbon capture and storage is a climate change mitigation technology with the potential to serve as a bridge technology as society transitions from a fossil fuel dependent energy system to a renewable energy dominated system. One of the greatest concerns associated with wide-scale adoption of carbon capture and storage technology is the risk of carbon dioxide leakage from sequestration reservoirs. Thus there is a need to develop efficient and effective strategies for monitoring and verification of geologically stored carbon dioxide. To evaluate the potential for estimating leakage fluxes based on mobile surveys, we establish correlations between concentration data and flux measurements made with a flux chamber. These correlations are then used to estimate leakage fluxes over a 70-meter long horizontal well buried approximately 1.8 meters below the surface at the Zero Emissions Research and Technology (ZERT) facility operated by Montana State University. The CO2 had a leakage rate of 0.15 t/d, which is comparable to a small leak in an industrial scale project (0.005% of a 1 Mt/yr storage project). A Picarro gas analyzer was used to measure 12CO2 and 13CO2 at heights of 3 cm above the ground surface. Previous studies (Moriarty, 2014) show that concentration data at this height provides a very high likelihood (>95%) of detecting leaks within a distance of 2.5 m of the leak. Measured concentration data show a noisy but significant correlation with flux measurements, thus providing the possibility to obtain rough estimates of leakage fluxes from mobile measurements. Moriarty, Dylan, 2014. Rapid Surface Detection of CO2 Leaks from Geologic Sequestration Sites. MS Thesis, Stanford University.

Non-Boussinesq Dissolution-Driven Convection in Porous Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amooie, M. A.; Soltanian, M. R.; Moortgat, J.

2017-12-01

Geological carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration in deep saline aquifers has been increasingly recognized as a feasible technology to stabilize the atmospheric carbon concentrations and subsequently mitigate the global warming. Solubility trapping is one of the most effective storage mechanisms, which is associated initially with diffusion-driven slow dissolution of gaseous CO2 into the aqueous phase, followed by density-driven convective mixing of CO2 throughout the aquifer. The convection includes both diffusion and fast advective transport of the dissolved CO2. We study the fluid dynamics of CO2 convection in the underlying single aqueous-phase region. Two modeling approaches are employed to define the system: (i) a constant-concentration condition for CO2 in aqueous phase at the top boundary, and (ii) a sufficiently low, constant injection-rate for CO2 from top boundary. The latter allows for thermodynamically consistent evolution of the CO2 composition and the aqueous phase density against the rate at which the dissolved CO2 convects. Here we accurately model the full nonlinear phase behavior of brine-CO2 mixture in a confined domain altered by dissolution and compressibility, while relaxing the common Boussinesq approximation. We discover new flow regimes and present quantitative scaling relations for global characters of spreading, mixing, and dissolution flux in two- and three-dimensional media for the both model types. We then revisit the universal Sherwood-Rayleigh scaling that is under debate for porous media convective flows. Our findings confirm the sublinear scaling for the constant-concentration case, while reconciling the classical linear scaling for the constant-injection model problem. The results provide a detailed perspective into how the available modeling strategies affect the prediction ability for the total amount of CO2 dissolved in the long term within saline aquifers of different permeabilities.

The Ketzin Project, Germany - Status and Future of the First European on-shore CO2 Storage Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuehn, M.; Martens, S.; Moeller, F.; Lueth, S.; Liebscher, A.; Kempka, T.; Ketzin Group

2010-12-01

At the Ketzin site close to Berlin, the German Research Centre for Geosciences operates Europe’s first on-shore CO2 storage site with the aim of increasing the understanding of geological storage of CO2 in saline aquifers. Following site characterization and drilling of three wells, the in-situ field laboratory is fully in use since the CO2 injection started in June 2008. Our presentation summarizes key results from the first (Schilling et al. 2009) and second year (Martens et al. 2010) of injection and outlines future activities. Focus of the research is on interdisciplinary monitoring and modeling approaches. Since start of the CO2 injection on June 30, 2008, the injection facility has been reliably and safely operated. By the end of August 2010, about 37,700 tons of food grade CO2 have been injected into a sandstone aquifer of the Triassic Stuttgart Formation at a depth of about 630 to 700 m. The new project CO2MAN (CO2 Reservoir Management) is planned to succeed the EU-funded CO2SINK project which ended in March 2010 and further nationally funded projects. Our interdisciplinary monitoring concept for the Ketzin site integrates geophysical, geochemical and microbial investigations. Following baseline measurements prior to the injection, repeat measurements have been carried out for a comprehensive characterization of the reservoir and the developing CO2 plume. CO2MAN aims at continuing the injection up to a maximum of 100,000 tons of CO2, advancing the monitoring concept and further integrating numerical modeling. Planned activities include the installation of a third and a fourth observation well and the testing of well abandonment procedures. All data available from the Ketzin wells and the different monitoring techniques are going to be compiled into an integral geological model of the site. Such a geological model is the prerequisite for any holistic approach and understanding of CO2 storage not only at Ketzin. A variety of seismic methods, including cross-hole measurement between both observation wells, surface-downhole observations, and 2D and 3D surface surveys have been used in order to cover the near-injection to regional scale. In addition, geoelectric methods including cross-hole measurements between the wells and additional surface and surface-downhole electrical resistivity tomography have been applied to monitor the CO2 migration process. Geological modeling and dynamic flow modeling is conducted in different phases, including pre-existing data, information obtained from drilling and subsequent CO2 injection. On-going modeling also integrates recent geophysical monitoring data in order to improve the understanding of geological heterogeneities at the Ketzin site and their impact on the CO2 plume distribution. Martens S., Liebscher A., Möller F., Würdemann H, Schilling F., Kühn M., and Ketzin Group (2010) Progress Report on the First European on-shore CO2 Storage Site at Ketzin (Germany) - Second Year of Injection, GHGT 10, subm. Schilling F., Borm G., Würdemann H., Möller F., Kühn M., CO2SINK Group (2009) Status Report on the First European on-shore CO2 Storage Site at Ketzin (Germany). GHGT 9, Energy Procedia 1(1) 2029-2035, doi: 10.1016/j.egypro.2009.01.264

Assessment of brine migration along vertical pathways due to CO2 injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kissinger, Alexander; Class, Holger

2016-04-01

Global climate change, shortage of resources and the growing usage of renewable energy sources has lead to a growing demand for the utilization of subsurface systems which may create conflicts with essential public interests such as water supply from aquifers. For example, brine migration into potential drinking water aquifers due to the injection of CO2 into deep saline aquifers is perceived as a potential threat resulting from the Carbon Capture and Storage Technology (CCS). In this work, we focus on the large scale impacts of CO2 storage on brine migration but the methodology and the obtained results may also apply to other fields like waste water disposal, where large amounts of fluid are injected into the subsurface. We consider a realistic (but not real) on-shore site in the North German Basin with characteristic geological features. In contrast to modeling on the reservoir scale, the spatial scale in this work is much larger in both vertical and lateral direction, since the regional hydrogeology is considered as well. Structures such as fault zones, hydrogeological windows in the Rupelian clay or salt wall flanks are considered as potential pathways for displaced fluids into shallow systems and their influence needs to be taken into account. Simulations on this scale always require a compromise between the accuracy of the description of the relevant physical processes, data availability and computational resources. Therefore, we test different model simplifications and discuss them with respect to the relevant physical processes and the expected data availability. The simplifications in the models are concerned with the role of salt-induced density differences on the flow, with injection of brine (into brine) instead of CO2 into brine, and with simplifying the geometry of the site.

Geochemical Influence on Microbial Communities at CO2-Leakage Analog Sites.

PubMed

Ham, Baknoon; Choi, Byoung-Young; Chae, Gi-Tak; Kirk, Matthew F; Kwon, Man Jae

2017-01-01

Microorganisms influence the chemical and physical properties of subsurface environments and thus represent an important control on the fate and environmental impact of CO 2 that leaks into aquifers from deep storage reservoirs. How leakage will influence microbial populations over long time scales is largely unknown. This study uses natural analog sites to investigate the long-term impact of CO 2 leakage from underground storage sites on subsurface biogeochemistry. We considered two sites with elevated CO 2 levels (sample groups I and II) and one control site with low CO 2 content (group III). Samples from sites with elevated CO 2 had pH ranging from 6.2 to 4.5 and samples from the low-CO 2 control group had pH ranging from 7.3 to 6.2. Solute concentrations were relatively low for samples from the control group and group I but high for samples from group II, reflecting varying degrees of water-rock interaction. Microbial communities were analyzed through clone library and MiSeq sequencing. Each 16S rRNA analysis identified various bacteria, methane-producing archaea, and ammonia-oxidizing archaea. Both bacterial and archaeal diversities were low in groundwater with high CO 2 content and community compositions between the groups were also clearly different. In group II samples, sequences classified in groups capable of methanogenesis, metal reduction, and nitrate reduction had higher relative abundance in samples with relative high methane, iron, and manganese concentrations and low nitrate levels. Sequences close to Comamonadaceae were abundant in group I, while the taxa related to methanogens, Nitrospirae , and Anaerolineaceae were predominant in group II. Our findings provide insight into subsurface biogeochemical reactions that influence the carbon budget of the system including carbon fixation, carbon trapping, and CO 2 conversion to methane. The results also suggest that monitoring groundwater microbial community can be a potential tool for tracking CO 2 leakage from geologic storage sites.

Geochemical Influence on Microbial Communities at CO2-Leakage Analog Sites

PubMed Central

Ham, Baknoon; Choi, Byoung-Young; Chae, Gi-Tak; Kirk, Matthew F.; Kwon, Man Jae

2017-01-01

Microorganisms influence the chemical and physical properties of subsurface environments and thus represent an important control on the fate and environmental impact of CO2 that leaks into aquifers from deep storage reservoirs. How leakage will influence microbial populations over long time scales is largely unknown. This study uses natural analog sites to investigate the long-term impact of CO2 leakage from underground storage sites on subsurface biogeochemistry. We considered two sites with elevated CO2 levels (sample groups I and II) and one control site with low CO2 content (group III). Samples from sites with elevated CO2 had pH ranging from 6.2 to 4.5 and samples from the low-CO2 control group had pH ranging from 7.3 to 6.2. Solute concentrations were relatively low for samples from the control group and group I but high for samples from group II, reflecting varying degrees of water-rock interaction. Microbial communities were analyzed through clone library and MiSeq sequencing. Each 16S rRNA analysis identified various bacteria, methane-producing archaea, and ammonia-oxidizing archaea. Both bacterial and archaeal diversities were low in groundwater with high CO2 content and community compositions between the groups were also clearly different. In group II samples, sequences classified in groups capable of methanogenesis, metal reduction, and nitrate reduction had higher relative abundance in samples with relative high methane, iron, and manganese concentrations and low nitrate levels. Sequences close to Comamonadaceae were abundant in group I, while the taxa related to methanogens, Nitrospirae, and Anaerolineaceae were predominant in group II. Our findings provide insight into subsurface biogeochemical reactions that influence the carbon budget of the system including carbon fixation, carbon trapping, and CO2 conversion to methane. The results also suggest that monitoring groundwater microbial community can be a potential tool for tracking CO2 leakage from geologic storage sites. PMID:29170659

The Ohio River Valley CO2 Storage Project AEP Mountaineer Plan, West Virginia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neeraj Gupta

2009-01-07

This report includes an evaluation of deep rock formations with the objective of providing practical maps, data, and some of the issues considered for carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) storage projects in the Ohio River Valley. Injection and storage of CO{sub 2} into deep rock formations represents a feasible option for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from coal-burning power plants concentrated along the Ohio River Valley area. This study is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), American Electric Power (AEP), BP, Ohio Coal Development Office, Schlumberger, and Battelle along with its Pacific Northwest Division. Anmore » extensive program of drilling, sampling, and testing of a deep well combined with a seismic survey was used to characterize the local and regional geologic features at AEP's 1300-megawatt (MW) Mountaineer Power Plant. Site characterization information has been used as part of a systematic design feasibility assessment for a first-of-a-kind integrated capture and storage facility at an existing coal-fired power plant in the Ohio River Valley region--an area with a large concentration of power plants and other emission sources. Subsurface characterization data have been used for reservoir simulations and to support the review of the issues relating to injection, monitoring, strategy, risk assessment, and regulatory permitting. The high-sulfur coal samples from the region have been tested in a capture test facility to evaluate and optimize basic design for a small-scale capture system and eventually to prepare a detailed design for a capture, local transport, and injection facility. The Ohio River Valley CO{sub 2} Storage Project was conducted in phases with the ultimate objectives of demonstrating both the technical aspects of CO{sub 2} storage and the testing, logistical, regulatory, and outreach issues related to conducting such a project at a large point source under realistic constraints. The site characterization phase was completed, laying the groundwork for moving the project towards a potential injection phase. Feasibility and design assessment activities included an assessment of the CO{sub 2} source options (a slip-stream capture system or transported CO{sub 2}); development of the injection and monitoring system design; preparation of regulatory permits; and continued stakeholder outreach.« less

Potential evaluation of CO2 storage and enhanced oil recovery of tight oil reservoir in the Ordos Basin, China.

PubMed

Tian, Xiaofeng; Cheng, Linsong; Cao, Renyi; Zhang, Miaoyi; Guo, Qiang; Wang, Yimin; Zhang, Jian; Cui, Yu

2015-07-01

Carbon -di-oxide (CO2) is regarded as the most important greenhouse gas to accelerate climate change and ocean acidification. The Chinese government is seeking methods to reduce anthropogenic CO2 gas emission. CO2 capture and geological storage is one of the main methods. In addition, injecting CO2 is also an effective method to replenish formation energy in developing tight oil reservoirs. However, exiting methods to estimate CO2 storage capacity are all based on the material balance theory. This was absolutely correct for normal reservoirs. However, as natural fractures widely exist in tight oil reservoirs and majority of them are vertical ones, tight oil reservoirs are not close. Therefore, material balance theory is not adaptive. In the present study, a new method to calculate CO2 storage capacity is presented. The CO2 effective storage capacity, in this new method, consisted of free CO2, CO2 dissolved in oil and CO2 dissolved in water. Case studies of tight oil reservoir from Ordos Basin was conducted and it was found that due to far lower viscosity of CO2 and larger solubility in oil, CO2 could flow in tight oil reservoirs more easily. As a result, injecting CO2 in tight oil reservoirs could obviously enhance sweep efficiency by 24.5% and oil recovery efficiency by 7.5%. CO2 effective storage capacity of Chang 7 tight oil reservoir in Longdong area was 1.88 x 10(7) t. The Chang 7 tight oil reservoir in Ordos Basin was estimated to be 6.38 x 10(11) t. As tight oil reservoirs were widely distributed in Songliao Basin, Sichuan Basin and so on, geological storage capacity of CO2 in China is potential.

2D Petroleum System Modeling in Support of Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage in the Northeast Texas Panhandle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gragg, E.; Van Wijk, J. W.; Balch, R. S.

2016-12-01

A 40 mile long 2D petroleum system model has been constructed and simulated along a 2D reflection seismic line in the western Anadarko Basin. Petroleum system models are useful for predicting carbon storage capacity, characterizing regional CO2 plume migration risks, predicting how future fields may respond to CO2-EOR via hydrocarbon compositional estimations and characterizing the petroleum system that make sites attractive for storage. This work is part of the Southwest Regional Partnership on Carbon Sequestration Phase III large scale injection operation at Farnsworth Unit Ochiltree Co., Texas. Farnsworth Unit is a mature oil field producing from Morrowan Sandstone incised valley deposits. The project goal is to evaluate the injection and storage of 1 million metric tons of man-made CO2. Geologic carbon storage and utilization via CO2-enhanced oil recovery operations is a method under active research which aims to mitigate climate change via emission reductions while meeting current energy demands. The 2D model was constructed using 2D regional reflection seismic data, geophysical logs and core data. Simulations are forward modeled over 542 Ma of the Anadarko Basins geologic history. The research illustrates (1) in the unlikely case of CO2 leakage out of the reservoir, buoyancy driven regional migration risk is to the northwest-northeast (2) Morrowan play hydrocarbons in the Northeast Texas Panhandle dominantly migrated from the Thirteen Finger Limestone further basinward (3) the regions tectonic evolution has played an important role on the pressure and hydraulic history of reservoirs. Farnsworth's reservoir was discovered as under-pressured, the exact process(s) giving rise to this condition are not well-understood and need further investigation. Moreover, the heat flow model used in this study will aid understanding of the diagenetic evolution of the reservoir and caprocks better. The petroleum system modeling conducted here has accurately predicted 1st order reservoir parameters such as porosity, permeability, and temperature all of which are vital to potential future carbon storage site selection and performance. Funding for this project is provided by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) under Award No. DE-FC26-05NT42591.

CO2 convective dissolution controlled by temporal changes in free-phase CO2 properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jafari Raad, S. M.; Emami-Meybodi, H.; Hassanzadeh, H.

2017-12-01

Understanding the factors that control CO2 convective dissolution, which is one of the permanent trapping mechanisms, in the deep saline aquifer is crucial in the long-term fate of the injected CO2. The present study investigates the effects of temporal changes in the solubility of CO2 at the free-phase CO2/brine interface on the onset of natural convection and the subsequent convective mixing by conducting linear stability analyses (LSA) and direct numerical simulations (DNS). A time-dependent concentration boundary is considered for the free-phase CO2/brine interface where the CO2 concentration first decreases with the time and then remains constant. The LSA results show that the temporal variation in the concentration increases the onset of natural convection up to two orders of magnitude. In addition, the critical Rayleigh number significantly increases as CO2 concentration decreases. In other words, size and pressure of the injected CO2 affect the commencement of convective mixing. Based on LSA results, several scaling relations are proposed to correlate critical Rayleigh number, critical time, and its corresponding wavenumbers with time-dependent boundary's parameters, such as concentration decline rate and equilibrium concentration ratio. The DNS results reveal that the convective fingering patterns are significantly influenced by the variation of CO2 concentration at the interface. These findings improve our understanding of CO2 solubility trapping and are particularly important in estimation of potential storage capacity, risk assessment, and storage sites characterization and screening. Keywords: CO2 sequestration; natural convection; solubility trapping; time-dependent boundary condition; numerical simulation; stability analysis

Full Characterization of CO2-Oil Properties On-Chip: Solubility, Diffusivity, Extraction Pressure, Miscibility, and Contact Angle.

PubMed

Sharbatian, Atena; Abedini, Ali; Qi, ZhenBang; Sinton, David

2018-02-20

Carbon capture, storage, and utilization technologies target a reduction in net CO 2 emissions to mitigate greenhouse gas effects. The largest such projects worldwide involve storing CO 2 through enhanced oil recovery-a technologically and economically feasible approach that combines both storage and oil recovery. Successful implementation relies on detailed measurements of CO 2 -oil properties at relevant reservoir conditions (P = 2.0-13.0 MPa and T = 23 and 50 °C). In this paper, we demonstrate a microfluidic method to quantify the comprehensive suite of mutual properties of a CO 2 and crude oil mixture including solubility, diffusivity, extraction pressure, minimum miscibility pressure (MMP), and contact angle. The time-lapse oil swelling/extraction in response to CO 2 exposure under stepwise increasing pressure was quantified via fluorescence microscopy, using the inherent fluorescence property of the oil. The CO 2 solubilities and diffusion coefficients were determined from the swelling process with measurements in strong agreement with previous results. The CO 2 -oil MMP was determined from the subsequent oil extraction process with measurements within 5% of previous values. In addition, the oil-CO 2 -silicon contact angle was measured throughout the process, with contact angle increasing with pressure. In contrast with conventional methods, which require days and ∼500 mL of fluid sample, the approach here provides a comprehensive suite of measurements, 100-fold faster with less than 1 μL of sample, and an opportunity to better inform large-scale CO 2 projects.

Onshore/ Offshore Geologic Assessment for Carbon Storage in the Southeastern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knapp, C. C.; Knapp, J. H.; Brantley, D.; Lakshmi, V.; Almutairi, K.; Almayahi, D.; Akintunde, O. M.; Ollmann, J.

2017-12-01

Eighty percent of the world's energy relies on fossil fuels and under increasingly stricter national and international regulations on greenhouse gas emissions storage of CO2 in geologic repositories seems to be not only a feasible, but also and vital solution for near/ mid-term reduction of carbon emissions. We have evaluated the feasibility of CO2 storage in saline formations of the Eastern North American Margin (ENAM) including (1) the Jurassic/Triassic (J/TR) sandstones of the buried South Georgia Rift (SGR) basin, and (2) the Mesozoic and Cenozoic geologic formations along the Mid- and South Atlantic seaboard. These analyses have included integration of subsurface geophysical data (2- and 3-D seismic surveys) with core samples, well logs as well as uses of geological databases and geospatial analysis leading to CO2 injection simulation models. ENAM is a complex and regionally extensive mature Mesozoic passive margin rift system encompassing: (1) a large volume and regional extent of related magmatism known as the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP), (2) a complete stratigraphic column that records the post-rift evolution in several basins, (3) preserved lithospheric-scale pre-rift structures including Paleozoic sutures, and (4) a wide range of geological, geochemical, and geophysical studies both onshore and offshore. While the target reservoirs onshore show heterogeneity and a highly complex geologic evolution they also show promising conditions for significant safe CO2 storage away from the underground acquifers. Our offshore study (the Southeast Offshore Storage Resource Assessment - SOSRA) is focused on the outer continental shelf from North Carolina to the southern tip of Florida. Three old exploration wells are available to provide additional constraints on the seismic reflection profiles. Two of these wells (TRANSCO 1005-1 and COST GE-1) penetrate the pre-rift Paleozoic sedimentary formations while the EXXON 564-1 well penetrates the post-rift unconformity into the Mesozoic rocks. Preliminary results from the southeast Georgia Embayment suggest that Mesozoic strata can be good reservoirs for CO2 storage while Paleozoic and Cenozoic strata can be good lower and, respectively, upper seals.

Experimental investigations and geochemical modelling of site-specific fluid-fluid and fluid-rock interactions in underground storage of CO2/H2/CH4 mixtures: the H2STORE project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Lucia, Marco; Pilz, Peter

2015-04-01

Underground gas storage is increasingly regarded as a technically viable option for meeting the energy demand and environmental targets of many industrialized countries. Besides the long-term CO2 sequestration, energy can be chemically stored in form of CO2/CH4/H2 mixtures, for example resulting from excess wind energy. A precise estimation of the impact of such gas mixtures on the mineralogical, geochemical and petrophysical properties of specific reservoirs and caprocks is crucial for site selection and optimization of storage depth. Underground gas storage is increasingly regarded as a technically viable option for meeting environmental targets and the energy demand through storage in form of H2 or CH4, i.e. resulting from excess wind energy. Gas storage in salt caverns is nowadays a mature technology; in regions where favorable geologic structures such as salt diapires are not available, however, gas storage can only be implemented in porous media such as depleted gas and oil reservoirs or suitable saline aquifers. In such settings, a significant amount of in-situ gas components such as CO2, CH4 (and N2) will always be present, making the CO2/CH4/H2 system of particular interest. A precise estimation of the impact of their gas mixtures on the mineralogical, geochemical and petrophysical properties of specific reservoirs and caprocks is therefore crucial for site selection and optimization of storage depth. In the framework of the collaborative research project H2STORE, the feasibility of industrial-scale gas storage in porous media in several potential siliciclastic depleted gas and oil reservoirs or suitable saline aquifers is being investigated by means of experiments and modelling on actual core materials from the evaluated sites. Among them are the Altmark depleted gas reservoir in Saxony-Anhalt and the Ketzin pilot site for CO2 storage in Brandenburg (Germany). Further sites are located in the Molasse basin in South Germany and Austria. In particular, two work packages hosted at the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) focus on the fluid-fluid and fluid-rock interactions triggered by CO2, H2 and their mixtures. Laboratory experiments expose core samples to hydrogen and CO2/hydrogen mixtures under site-specific conditions (temperatures up to 200 °C and pressure up to 300 bar). The resulting qualitative and, whereas possible, quantitative data are expected to ameliorate the precision of predictive geochemical and reactive transport modelling, which is also performed within the project. The combination of experiments, chemical and mineralogical analyses and models is needed to improve the knowledge about: (1) solubility model and mixing rule for multicomponent gas mixtures in high saline formation fluids: no data are namely available in literature for H2-charged gas mixtures in the conditions expected in the potential sites; (2) chemical reactivity of different mineral assemblages and formation fluids in a broad spectrum of P-T conditions and composition of the stored gas mixtures; (3) thermodynamics and kinetics of relevant reactions involving mineral dissolution or precipitation. The resulting amelioration of site characterization and the overall enhancement in understanding the potential processes will benefit the operational reliability, the ecological tolerance, and the economic efficiency of future energy storing plants, crucial aspects for public acceptance and for industrial investors.

Southeast Offshore Storage Resource Assessment (SOSRA): Evaluation of CO2 Storage Potential on the Continental Shelf from North Carolina to Florida

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knapp, J. H.; Knapp, C. C.; Brantley, D.; Lakshmi, V.; Howard, S.

2016-12-01

The Southeast Offshore Storage Resource Assessment (SOSRA) project is part of a major new program, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy for the next two and a half years, to evaluate the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico offshore margins of the United States for geologic storage capacity of CO2. Collaborating organizations include the Southern States Energy Board, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, University of South Carolina, Oklahoma State University, Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy, South Carolina Geological Survey, and Geological Survey of Alabama. Team members from South Carolina are focused on the Atlantic offshore, from North Carolina to Florida. Geologic sequestration of CO2 is a major research focus globally, and requires robust knowledge of the porosity and permeability distribution in upper crustal sediments. Using legacy seismic reflection, refraction, and well data from a previous phase of offshore petroleum exploration on the Atlantic margin, we are analyzing the rock physics characteristics of the offshore Mesozoic and Cenozoic stratigraphy on a regional scale from North Carolina to Florida. Major features of the margin include the Carolina Trough, the Southeast Georgia Embayment, the Blake Plateau basin, and the Blake Outer Ridge. Previous studies indicate sediment accumulations on this margin may be as thick as 12-15 km. The study will apply a diverse suite of data analysis techniques designed to meet the goal of predicting storage capacity to within ±30%. Synthetic seismograms and checkshot surveys will be used to tie well and seismic data. Seismic interpretation and geophysical log analysis will employ leading-edge software technology and state-of-the art techniques for stratigraphic and structural interpretation and the definition of storage units and their physical and chemical properties. This approach will result in a robust characterization of offshore CO2 storage opportunities, as well as a volumetric analysis that is consistent with established procedures.

Stable large-scale CO2 storage in defiance of an energy system based on renewable energy - Modelling the impact of varying CO2 injection rates on reservoir behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bannach, Andreas; Hauer, Rene; Martin, Streibel; Stienstra, Gerard; Kühn, Michael

2015-04-01

The IPCC Report 2014 strengthens the need for CO2 storage as part of CCS or BECCS to reach ambitious climate goals despite growing energy demand in the future. The further expansion of renewable energy sources is a second major pillar. As it is today in Germany the weather becomes the controlling factor for electricity production by fossil fuelled power plants which lead to significant fluctuations of CO2-emissions which can be traced in injection rates if the CO2 were captured and stored. To analyse the impact of such changing injection rates on a CO2 storage reservoir. two reservoir simulation models are applied: a. An (smaller) reservoir model approved by gas storage activities for decades, to investigate the dynamic effects in the early stage of storage filling (initial aquifer displacement). b. An anticline structure big enough to accommodate a total amount of ≥ 100 Mega tons CO2 to investigate the dynamic effects for the entire operational life time of the storage under particular consideration of very high filling levels (highest aquifer compression). Therefore a reservoir model was generated. The defined yearly injection rate schedule is based on a study performed on behalf of IZ Klima (DNV GL, 2014). According to this study the exclusive consideration of a pool of coal-fired power plants causes the most intensive dynamically changing CO2 emissions and hence accounts for variations of a system which includes industry driven CO2 production. Besides short-term changes (daily & weekly cycles) seasonal influences are also taken into account. Simulation runs cover a variation of injection points (well locations at the top vs. locations at the flank of the structure) and some other largely unknown reservoir parameters as aquifer size and aquifer mobility. Simulation of a 20 year storage operation is followed by a post-operational shut-in phase which covers approximately 500 years to assess possible effects of changing injection rates on the long-term reservoir behaviour. The cyclic injection operation has an impact on the requirements of the facility design. To define the design basis for the aboveground installations only wellhead pressures are to be considered. For this reason the calculated bottom hole pressures need to be transferred into wellhead pressures. This is done by the application of thermodynamic models which include all relevant processes associated with the fluid flow through production or injection strings. Finally, a commercial analysis is carried out which is based on a total cost estimate (CAPEX & OPEX). The outcome of this analysis demonstrates required certificate prices to reach the common return targets of an industrial project. References DNV GL, " CO2 Transport Infrastructure in Germany - Necessity and Boundary Conditions up to 2050", IZ Klima, Berlin, 2014, http://www.iz-klima.de/.

Microfluidic study for investigating migration and residual phenomena of supercritical CO2 in porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Gyuryeong; Wang, Sookyun; Lee, Minhee; Um, Jeong-Gi; Kim, Seon-Ok

2017-04-01

The storage of CO2 in underground geological formation such as deep saline aquifers or depleted oil and gas reservoirs is one of the most promising technologies for reducing the atmospheric CO2 release. The processes in geological CO2 storage involves injection of supercritical CO2 (scCO2) into porous formations saturated with brine and initiates CO2 flooding with immiscible displacement. The CO2 migration and porewater displacement within geological formations, and , consequentially, the storage efficiency are governed by the interaction of fluid and rock properties and are affected by the interfacial tension, capillarity, and wettability in supercritical CO2-brine-mineral systems. This study aims to observe the displacement pattern and estimate storage efficiency by using micromodels. This study aims to conduct scCO2 injection experiments for visualization of distribution of injected scCO2 and residual porewater in transparent pore networks on microfluidic chips under high pressure and high temperature conditions. In order to quantitatively analyze the porewater displacement by scCO2 injection under geological CO2 storage conditions, the images of invasion patterns and distribution of CO2 in the pore network are acquired through a imaging system with a microscope. The results from image analysis were applied in quantitatively investigating the effects of major environmental factors and scCO2 injection methods on porewater displacement process by scCO2 and storage efficiency. The experimental observation results could provide important fundamental information on capillary characteristics of reservoirs and improve our understanding of CO2 sequestration progress.

Potential seal bypass and caprock storage produced by deformation-band-to-opening-mode-fracture transition at the reservoir/caprock interface

DOE PAGES

Raduha, S.; Butler, D.; Mozley, P. S.; ...

2016-06-18

Here, we examined the potential impact on CO 2 transport of zones of deformation bands in reservoir rock that transition to opening-mode fractures within overlying caprock. Sedimentological and petrophysical measurements were collected along an approximately 5 m × 5 m outcrop of the Slick Rock and Earthy Members of the Entrada Sandstone on the eastern flank of the San Rafael Swell, Utah, USA. Measured deformation band permeability (2 mD) within the reservoir facies is about three orders of magnitude lower than the host sandstone. Average permeability of the caprock facies (0.0005 mD) is about seven orders of magnitude lower thanmore » the host sandstone. Aperture-based permeability estimates of the opening-mode caprock fractures are high (3.3 × 10 7 mD). High-resolution CO 2–H 2O transport models incorporate these permeability data at the millimeter scale. We then varied fault properties at the reservoir/caprock interface between open fractures and deformation bands as part of a sensitivity study. Numerical modeling results suggest that zones of deformation bands within the reservoir strongly compartmentalize reservoir pressures largely blocking lateral, cross-fault flow of supercritical CO 2. Significant vertical CO 2 transport into the caprock occurred in some scenarios along opening-mode fractures. The magnitude of this vertical CO 2 transport depends on the small-scale geometry of the contact between the opening-mode fracture and the zone of deformation bands, as well as the degree to which fractures penetrate caprock. Finally, the presence of relatively permeable units within the caprock allows storage of significant volumes of CO 2, particularly when the fracture network does not extend all the way through the caprock.« less

A fast and robust TOUGH2 module to simulate geological CO2 storage in saline aquifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shabani, Babak; Vilcáez, Javier

2018-02-01

A new TOUGH2 module to simulate geological CO2 storage (GCS) in saline aquifers is developed based on the widely employed ECO2N module of TOUGH2. The newly developed TOUGH2 module uses a new non-iterative fugacity-activity thermodynamic model to obtain the partitioning of CO2 and H2O between the aqueous and gas phases. Simple but robust thermophysical correlations are used to obtain density, viscosity, and enthalpy of the gas phase. The implementation and accuracy of the employed thermophysical correlations are verified by comparisons against the national institute of standards and technology (NIST) online thermophysical database. To assess the computation accuracy and efficiency, simulation results obtained with the new TOUGH2 module for a one-dimensional non-isothermal radial and a three-dimensional isothermal system are compared against the simulation results obtained with the ECO2N module. Treating salt mass fraction in the aqueous phase as a constant, along with the inclusion of a non-iterative fugacity-activity thermodynamic model, and simple thermophysical correlations, resulted in simulations much faster than simulations with ECO2N module, without losing numerical accuracy. Both modules yield virtually identical results. Additional field-scale simulations of CO2 injection into an actual non-isothermal and heterogeneous geological formation confirmed that the new module is much faster than the ECO2N module in simulating complex field-scale conditions. Owing to its capability to handle CO2-CH4-H2S-N2 gas mixtures and its compatibility with TOUGHREACT, this new TOUGH2 module offers the possibility of developing a fast and robust TOUGHREACT module to predict the fate of CO2 in GCS sites under biotic conditions where CO2, CH4, H2S, and N2 gases can be formed.

FutureGen 2.0 Pipeline and Regional Carbon Capture Storage Project - Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Burger, Chris; Wortman, David; Brown, Chris

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) FutureGen 2.0 Program involves two projects: (1) the Oxy-Combustion Power Plant Project and (2) the CO2 Pipeline and Storage Project. This Final Technical Report is focused on the CO2 Pipeline and Storage Project. The FutureGen 2.0 CO2 Pipeline and Storage Project evolved from an initial siting and project definition effort in Phase I, into the Phase II activity consisting permitting, design development, the acquisition of land rights, facility design, and licensing and regulatory approvals. Phase II also progressed into construction packaging, construction procurement, and targeted early preparatory activities in the field. The CO2 Pipelinemore » and Storage Project accomplishments were significant, and in some cases unprecedented. The engineering, permitting, legal, stakeholder, and commercial learnings substantially advance the nation’s understanding of commercial-scale CO2 storage in deep saline aquifers. Voluminous and significant information was obtained from the drilling and the testing program of the subsurface, and sophisticated modeling was performed that held up to a wide range of scrutiny. All designs progressed to the point of securing construction contracts or comfort letters attesting to successful negotiation of all contract terms and willing execution at the appropriate time all major project elements – pipeline, surface facilities, and subsurface – as well as operations. While the physical installation of the planned facilities did not proceed in part due to insufficient time to complete the project prior to the expiration of federal funding, the project met significant objectives prior to DOE’s closeout decision. Had additional time been available, there were no known, insurmountable obstacles that would have precluded successful construction and operation of the project. Due to the suspension of the project, site restoration activities were developed and the work was accomplished. The site restoration efforts are also documented in this report. All permit applications had been submitted to all agencies for those permits or approvals required prior to the start of project construction. Most of the requisite permits were received during Phase II. This report includes information on each permitting effort. Successes and lessons learned are included in this report that will add value to the next generation of carbon storage efforts.« less

The European FP7 ULTimateCO2 project: A comprehensive approach to study the long term fate of CO2 geological storage sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Audigane, P.; Brown, S.; Dimier, A.; Pearce, J.; Frykman, P.; Maurand, N.; Le Gallo, Y.; Spiers, C. J.; Cremer, H.; Rutters, H.; Yalamas, T.

2013-12-01

The European FP7 ULTimateCO2 project aims at significantly advance our knowledge of specific processes that could influence the long-term fate of geologically stored CO2: i) trapping mechanisms, ii) fluid-rock interactions and effects on mechanical integrity of fractured caprock and faulted systems and iii) leakage due to mechanical and chemical damage in the well vicinity, iv) brine displacement and fluid mixing at regional scale. A realistic framework is ensured through collaboration with two demonstration sites in deep saline sandstone formations: the onshore former NER300 West Lorraine candidate in France (ArcelorMittal GeoLorraine) and the offshore EEPR Don Valley (former Hatfield) site in UK operated by National Grid. Static earth models have been generated at reservoir and basin scale to evaluate both trapping mechanisms and fluid displacement at short (injection) and long (post injection) time scales. Geochemical trapping and reservoir behaviour is addressed through experimental approaches using sandstone core materials in batch reactive mode with CO2 and impurities at reservoir pressure and temperature conditions and through geochemical simulations. Collection of data has been generated from natural and industrial (oil industry) analogues on the fluid flow and mechanical properties, structure, and mineralogy of faults and fractures that could affect the long-term storage capacity of underground CO2 storage sites. Three inter-related lines of laboratory experiments investigate the long-term evolution of the mechanical properties and sealing integrity of fractured and faulted caprocks using Opalinus clay of Mont Terri Gallery (Switzerland) (OPA), an analogue for caprock well investigated in the past for nuclear waste disposal purpose: - Characterization of elastic parameters in intact samples by measuring strain during an axial experiment, - A recording of hydraulic fracture flow properties by loading and shearing samples in order to create a 'realistic' fracture, followed by a gas injection in the fracture plan, - An assessment of temperature influences on carbonate and water content which affect carbonate bearing fault gouge using shear experiments at 20C and 120C on simulated fault gouges prepared by crushed OPA samples. To evaluate the interactions between CO2 (and formation fluids) and the well environment (formation, cement, casing) and to assess the consequences of these interactions on the transport properties of well materials, a 1:1 scale experiment has been set in the OPA to reproduce classical well objects (cemented annulus, casing and cement plug) perforating caprock formations (OPA). Innovative probabilistic modelling tools are also under development in order to build robust calibration methods for uncertainty management of the simulated long term scenarios.

Preliminary seismic characterization of parts of the island of Gotland in preparation for a potential CO2 storage test site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lydersen, Ida; Sopher, Daniel; Juhlin, Christopher

2015-04-01

Geological storage of CO2 is one of the available options to reduce CO2-emissions from large point sources. Previous work in the Baltic Sea Basin has inferred a large storage potential in several stratigraphic units. The most promising of these is the Faludden sandstone, exhibiting favorable reservoir properties and forming a regional stratigraphic trap. A potential location for a pilot CO2 injection site, to explore the suitability of the Faludden reservoir is onshore Gotland, Sweden. In this study onshore and offshore data have been digitized and interpreted, along with well data, to provide a detailed characterization of the Faludden reservoir below parts of Gotland. Maps and regional seismic profiles describing the extent and top structure of the Faludden sandstone are presented. The study area covers large parts of the island of Gotland, and extends about 50-70km offshore. The seismic data presented is part of a larger dataset acquired by Oljeprospektering AB (OPAB) between 1970 and 1990. The dataset is to this date largely unpublished, therefore re-processing and interpretation of these data provide improved insight into the subsurface of the study area. Two longer seismic profiles crossing Gotland ENE-WSW have been interpreted to give a large scale, regional control of the Faludden sandstone. A relatively tight grid of land seismic following the extent of the Faludden sandstone along the eastern coast to the southernmost point has been interpreted to better understand the actual distribution and geometry of the Faludden sandstone beneath Gotland. The maps from this study help to identify the most suitable area for a potential test injection site for CO2-storage, and to further the geological understanding of the area in general.

High-temperature molten salt thermal energy storage systems for solar applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petri, R. J.; Claar, T. D.; Ong, E.

1983-01-01

Experimental results of compatibility screening studies of 100 salt/containment/thermal conductivity enhancement (TCE) combinations for the high temperature solar thermal application range of 704 deg to 871 C (1300 to 1600 F) are presented. Nine candidate containment/HX alloy materials and two TCE materials were tested with six candidate solar thermal alkali and alkaline earth carbonate storage salts (both reagent and technical grade of each). Compatibility tests were conducted with salt encapsulated in approx. 6.0 inch x 1 inch welded containers of test material from 300 to 3000 hours. Compatibility evaluations were end application oriented, considering the potential 30 year lifetime requirement of solar thermal power plant components. Analyses were based on depth and nature of salt side corrosion of materials, containment alloy thermal aging effects, weld integrity in salt environment, air side containment oxidation, and chemical and physical analyses of the salt. A need for more reliable, and in some cases first time determined thermophysical and transport property data was also identified for molten carbonates in the 704 to 871 C temperature range. In particular, accurate melting point (mp) measurements were performed for Li2CO3 and Na2CO3 while melting point, heat of fusion, and specific heat determinations were conducted on 81.3 weight percent Na2CO3-18.7 weight percent K2CO3 and 52.2 weight percent BaCO3-47.8 weight percent Na2CO3 to support future TES system design and ultimate scale up of solar thermal energy storage (TES) subsystems.

Scoping Alternatives for Negative Emission Technologies. FRACCC - Possible Routes to Biomass-Derived Carbon Injection in Shallow Aquifers?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Correa Silva, R.; Larter, S.

2016-12-01

Atmospheric CO2 capture into biomass is one of the capture options for negative emission technologies, although proposed sequestration systems such as the permanent burial of total fresh biomass, algal lipids or soil amendment with biochar are yet to be successfully demonstrated as effective at scale. In the context of carbon sequestration, shallow geological reservoirs have not been exhaustively explored, even though they pose, away from groundwater protection zones, potentially low implementation cost, and geographically abundant potential carbon storage reservoirs. Typical carbon storage vectors considered, such as CO2 and biochar, are not suitable for shallow aquifer disposal, due either to cap rock containment requirements, or shallow aquifer CO2 densities, or issues related to formation damage from solid particles. Thus, a cost-effective technology, aimed at converting biomass into a large-scale carbon vector fit-for-disposal in shallow formations could be significant, linking promising carbon capture and containment strategies. In this work, we discuss the development of unconventional carbon vectors for subsurface storage in the form of Functionalized, Refractory and Aqueous Compatible Carbon Compounds (FRACCC), as a potential alternative negative emission technology (Larter et al., 2010). The concept is based on CO2 capture into microbial and algal biomass, followed by the modification of biomass constituents through facile chemical reactions aimed at rendering the biomass efficiently into a stable, biologically refractory but water soluble form, similar in some regards, to dissolved organic matter in the oceans, then sequestering the material in geological settings. As the injected material is not buoyant, containment specifications are more modest than for CO2 injection and potentially, more reservoirs could be accessible! This work analyses the technological, economic and societal implications of such potential FRACCC technologies, and make an assessment of whether such routes are likely to be technically, economically and politically viable.

Role of rock/fluid characteristics in carbon (CO2) storage and modeling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Verma, Mahendra K.

2005-01-01

The presentation ? Role of Rock/Fluid Characteristics in Carbon (CO2) Storage and Modeling ? was prepared for the meeting of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Houston, Tex., on April 6?7, 2005. It provides an overview of greenhouse gases, particularly CO2, and a summary of their effects on the Earth?s atmosphere. It presents methods of mitigating the effects of greenhouse gases, and the role of rock and fluid properties on CO2 storage mechanisms. It also lists factors that must be considered to adequately model CO2 storage.

Assessment of CO2 Mineralization and Dynamic Rock Properties at the Kemper Pilot CO2 Injection Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, F.; Kirkland, B. L.; Beckingham, L. E.

2017-12-01

CO2-brine-mineral reactions following CO2 injection may impact rock properties including porosity, permeability, and pore connectivity. The rate and extent of alteration largely depends on the nature and evolution of reactive mineral interfaces. In this work, the potential for geochemical reactions and the nature of the reactive mineral interface and corresponding hydrologic properties are evaluated for samples from the Lower Tuscaloosa, Washita-Fredericksburg, and Paluxy formations. These formations have been identified as future regionally extensive and attractive CO2 storage reservoirs at the CO2 Storage Complex in Kemper County, Mississippi, USA (Project ECO2S). Samples from these formations were obtained from the Geological Survey of Alabama and evaluated using a suite of complementary analyses. The mineral composition of these samples will be determined using petrography and powder X-ray Diffraction (XRD). Using these compositions, continuum-scale reactive transport simulations will be developed and the potential CO2-brine-mineral interactions will be examined. Simulations will focus on identifying potential reactive minerals as well as the corresponding rate and extent of reactions. The spatial distribution and accessibility of minerals to reactive fluids is critical to understanding mineral reaction rates and corresponding changes in the pore structure, including pore connectivity, porosity and permeability. The nature of the pore-mineral interface, and distribution of reactive minerals, will be determined through imaging analysis. Multiple 2D scanning electron microscopy (SEM) backscattered electron (BSE) images and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) images will be used to create spatial maps of mineral distributions. These maps will be processed to evaluate the accessibility of reactive minerals and the potential for flow-path modifications following CO2 injection. The "Establishing an Early CO2 Storage Complex in Kemper, MS" project is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory and cost-sharing partners.

Numerical studies of CO2 and brine leakage into a shallow aquifer through an open wellbore

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jingrui; Hu, Litang; Pan, Lehua; Zhang, Keni

2018-03-01

Industrial-scale geological storage of CO2 in saline aquifers may cause CO2 and brine leakage from abandoned wells into shallow fresh aquifers. This leakage problem involves the flow dynamics in both the wellbore and the storage reservoir. T2Well/ECO2N, a coupled wellbore-reservoir flow simulator, was used to analyze CO2 and brine leakage under different conditions with a hypothetical simulation model in water-CO2-brine systems. Parametric studies on CO2 and brine leakage, including the salinity, excess pore pressure (EPP) and initially dissolved CO2 mass fraction, are conducted to understand the mechanism of CO2 migration. The results show that brine leakage rates increase proportionally with EPP and inversely with the salinity when EPP varies from 0.5 to 1.5 MPa; however, there is no CO2 leakage into the shallow freshwater aquifer if EPP is less than 0.5 MPa. The dissolved CO2 mass fraction shows an important influence on the CO2 plume, as part of the dissolved CO2 becomes a free phase. Scenario simulation shows that the gas lifting effect will significantly increase the brine leakage rate into the shallow freshwater aquifer under the scenario of 3.89% dissolved CO2 mass fraction. The equivalent porous media (EPM) approach used to model the wellbore flow has been evaluated and results show that the EPM approach could either under- or over-estimate brine leakage rates under most scenarios. The discrepancies become more significant if a free CO2 phase evolves. Therefore, a model that can correctly describe the complex flow dynamics in the wellbore is necessary for investigating the leakage problems.

An Analysis of the Distribution and Economics of Oil Fields for Enhanced Oil Recovery-Carbon Capture and Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, Kristyn Ann

The rising carbon dioxide emissions contributing to climate change has lead to the examination of potential ways to mitigate the environmental impact. One such method is through the geological sequestration of carbon (CCS). Although there are several different forms of geological sequestration (i.e. Saline Aquifers, Oil and Gas Reservoirs, Unminable Coal Seams) the current projects are just initiating the large scale-testing phase. The lead entry point into CCS projects is to combine the sequestration with enhanced oil recovery (EOR) due to the improved economic model as a result of the oil recovery and the pre-existing knowledge of the geological structures. The potential scope of CCS-EOR projects throughout the continental United States in terms of a systematic examination of individual reservoir storage potential has not been examined. Instead the majority of the research completed has centered on either estimating the total United States storage potential or the potential of a single specific reservoir. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between oil recovery, carbon dioxide storage and cost during CCS-EOR. The characteristics of the oil and gas reservoirs examined in this study from the Nehring Oil and Gas Database were used in the CCS-EOR model developed by Sean McCoy to estimate the lifting and storage costs of the different reservoirs throughout the continental United States. This allows for an examination of both technical and financial viability of CCS-EOR as an intermediate step for future CCS projects in other geological formations. One option for mitigating climate change is to store industrial CO2 emissions in geologic reservoirs as part of a process known as carbon capture and storage (CCS). There is general consensus that large-scale deployment of CCS would best be initiated by combining geologic sequestration with enhanced oil recovery (EOR), which can use CO2 to improve production from declining oil fields. Revenues from the produced oil could help offset the current high costs of CCS. The cumulative potential of CCS-EOR in the continental U.S. has been evaluated in terms of both CO2 storage capacity and additional oil production. This thesis examines the same potential, but on a reservoir-by-reservoir basis. Reservoir properties from the Nehring Oil and Gas Database are used as inputs to a CCS-EOR model developed by McCoy (YR) to estimate the storage capacity, oil production and CCS-EOR costs for over 10,000 oil reservoirs located throughout the continental United States. We find that 86% of the reservoirs could store ≤1 y or CO2 emissions from a single 500 MW coal-fired power plant (i.e., 3 Mtons CO2). Less than 1% of the reservoirs, on the other hand, appear capable of storing ≥30 y of CO2 emissions from a 500 MW plan. But these larger reservoirs are also estimated to contain 48% of the predicted additional oil that could be produced through CCS-EOR. The McCoy model also predicts that the reservoirs will on average produce 4.5 bbl of oil for each ton of sequestered CO2, a ratio known as the utilization factor. This utilization factor is 1.5 times higher that arrived at by the U.S. Department of Energy, and leads to a cumulative production of oil for all the reservoirs examined of ˜183 billion barrels along with a cumulative storage capacity of 41 Mtons CO2. This is equivalent to 26.5 y of current oil consumption by the nation, and 8.5 y of current coal plant emissions.

Modeling of Single and Dual Reservoir Porous Media Compressed Gas (Air and CO2) Storage Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oldenburg, C. M.; Liu, H.; Borgia, A.; Pan, L.

2017-12-01

Intermittent renewable energy sources are causing increasing demand for energy storage. The deep subsurface offers promising opportunities for energy storage because it can safely contain high-pressure gases. Porous media compressed air energy storage (PM-CAES) is one approach, although the only facilities in operation are in caverns (C-CAES) rather than porous media. Just like in C-CAES, PM-CAES operates generally by injecting working gas (air) through well(s) into the reservoir compressing the cushion gas (existing air in the reservoir). During energy recovery, high-pressure air from the reservoir is mixed with fuel in a combustion turbine to produce electricity, thereby reducing compression costs. Unlike in C-CAES, the storage of energy in PM-CAES occurs variably across pressure gradients in the formation, while the solid grains of the matrix can release/store heat. Because air is the working gas, PM-CAES has fairly low thermal efficiency and low energy storage density. To improve the energy storage density, we have conceived and modeled a closed-loop two-reservoir compressed CO2 energy storage system. One reservoir is the low-pressure reservoir, and the other is the high-pressure reservoir. CO2 is cycled back and forth between reservoirs depending on whether energy needs to be stored or recovered. We have carried out thermodynamic and parametric analyses of the performance of an idealized two-reservoir CO2 energy storage system under supercritical and transcritical conditions for CO2 using a steady-state model. Results show that the transcritical compressed CO2 energy storage system has higher round-trip efficiency and exergy efficiency, and larger energy storage density than the supercritical compressed CO2 energy storage. However, the configuration of supercritical compressed CO2 energy storage is simpler, and the energy storage densities of the two systems are both higher than that of PM-CAES, which is advantageous in terms of storage volume for a given power rating.

Eco-Efficient Synthesis of Highly Porous CoCO3 Anodes from Supercritical CO2 for Li+ and Na+ Storage.

PubMed

Li, Hui-Ying; Tseng, Chuan-Ming; Yang, Cheng-Hsien; Lee, Tai-Chou; Su, Ching-Yuan; Hsieh, Chien-Te; Chang, Jeng-Kuei

2017-06-09

An eco-efficient synthetic route for the preparation of high-performance carbonate anodes for Li + and Na + batteries is developed. With supercritical CO 2 (scCO 2 ) as the precursor, which has gas-like diffusivity, extremely low viscosity, and near-zero surface tension, CoCO 3 particles are uniformly formed and tightly connected on graphene nanosheets (GNSs). This synthesis can be conducted at 50 °C, which is considerably lower than the temperature required for conventional preparation methods, minimizing energy consumption. The obtained CoCO 3 particles (ca. 20 nm in diameter), which have a unique interpenetrating porous structure, can increase the number of electroactive sites, promote electrolyte accessibility, shorten ion diffusion length, and readily accommodate the strain generated upon charging/discharging. With a reversible capacity of 1105 mAh g -1 , the proposed CoCO 3 /GNS anode shows an excellent rate capability, as it can deliver 745 mAh g -1 in 7.5 min. More than 98 % of the initial capacity is retained after 200 cycles. These properties are clearly superior to those of previously reported CoCO 3 -based electrodes for Li + storage, indicating the merit of our scCO 2 -based synthesis, which is facile, green, and can be easily scaled up for mass production. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Methods to assess geological CO2 storage capacity: Status and best practice

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heidug, Wolf; Brennan, Sean T.; Holloway, Sam; Warwick, Peter D.; McCoy, Sean; Yoshimura, Tsukasa

2013-01-01

To understand the emission reduction potential of carbon capture and storage (CCS), decision makers need to understand the amount of CO2 that can be safely stored in the subsurface and the geographical distribution of storage resources. Estimates of storage resources need to be made using reliable and consistent methods. Previous estimates of CO2 storage potential for a range of countries and regions have been based on a variety of methodologies resulting in a correspondingly wide range of estimates. Consequently, there has been uncertainty about which of the methodologies were most appropriate in given settings, and whether the estimates produced by these methods were useful to policy makers trying to determine the appropriate role of CCS. In 2011, the IEA convened two workshops which brought together experts for six national surveys organisations to review CO2 storage assessment methodologies and make recommendations on how to harmonise CO2 storage estimates worldwide. This report presents the findings of these workshops and an internationally shared guideline for quantifying CO2 storage resources.

Potential of carbon dioxide storage from petroleum industries in the Gulf of Thailand for green production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rawangphai, M.; Maneeintr, K.

2018-04-01

Recently, climate change and global warming are the global concern because of an increase in the huge amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. This gas comes from energy activities and industries like petroleum industries. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is the practical technology to reduce and storage CO2. In Thailand, one of the main potential sites for storage is the Gulf of Thailand. However, the research on this issue is very rare in Thailand. Consequently, this work is aiming on the potential study of CO2 geological storage in formations in the Gulf of Thailand by using simulation. The CO2 storage capacity, pressure buildup and plume migration have been estimated. Also, this study has been simulated with various conditions. CO2 injection is used from 1,000-4,000 tons per day with the depth from 2,200-2,330 meters and the results are studied for 50 years as a monitoring period. The results present that with the formation characteristics, CO2 storage in this area has potential. Moreover, pressure buildup and plume migration are illustrated for the period of 50 years. As a fundamental knowledge, this study can contribute to CO2 storage in an offshore area in Thailand.

Simulating CO₂ leakages from CCS to determine Zn toxicity using the marine microalgae Pleurochrysis roscoffensis.

PubMed

Bautista-Chamizo, Esther; De Orte, Manoela Romanó; DelValls, Tomás Ángel; Riba, Inmaculada

2016-02-01

Due to the current climate change and ocean acidification, a new technology for CO2 mitigation has been proposed, the Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS). However, there is an ecological risk associated with potential CO2 leakages from the sub-seabed storages sites. To evaluate the effects related to CO2 leakages, laboratory-scales experiments were performed using the marine microalgae Pleurochrysis roscoffensis. Five Zn concentrations were tested at different pHs to study Zn toxicity under acidified conditions. Seawater was collected and submitted to acidification by means of CO2 injection and by HCl addition. Results showed differences between both acidification techniques: while microalgae growth was enhanced by CO2 supply, reaching the optimal growth at pH 6.5 and full inhibition at pH 5.5, HCl acidification growth was inhibited at pH 6.5. Although small concentrations of Zn were positive for P. roscoffensis growth, Zn toxicity increased at lower pHs, and more severely on samples acidified with HCl. The conclusions obtained in this work are useful to address the potential effects on the marine ecosystem related to changes in metal bioavailability during CO2 leakages scenarios. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

RECONNAISSANCE ASSESSMENT OF CO2 SEQUESTRATION POTENTIAL IN THE TRIASSIC AGE RIFT BASIN TREND OF SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, AND NORTHERN FLORIDA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Blount, G.; Millings, M.

2011-08-01

A reconnaissance assessment of the carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) sequestration potential within the Triassic age rift trend sediments of South Carolina, Georgia and the northern Florida Rift trend was performed for the Office of Fossil Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). This rift trend also extends into eastern Alabama, and has been termed the South Georgia Rift by previous authors, but is termed the South Carolina, Georgia, northern Florida, and eastern Alabama Rift (SGFAR) trend in this report to better describe the extent of the trend. The objectives of the study were to: (1) integrate all pertinent geologic information (literaturemore » reviews, drilling logs, seismic data, etc.) to create an understanding of the structural aspects of the basin trend (basin trend location and configuration, and the thickness of the sedimentary rock fill), (2) estimate the rough CO{sub 2} storage capacity (using conservative inputs), and (3) assess the general viability of the basins as sites of large-scale CO{sub 2} sequestration (determine if additional studies are appropriate). The CO{sub 2} estimates for the trend include South Carolina, Georgia, and northern Florida only. The study determined that the basins within the SGFAR trend have sufficient sedimentary fill to have a large potential storage capacity for CO{sub 2}. The deeper basins appear to have sedimentary fill of over 15,000 feet. Much of this fill is likely to be alluvial and fluvial sedimentary rock with higher porosity and permeability. This report estimates an order of magnitude potential capacity of approximately 137 billion metric tons for supercritical CO{sub 2}. The pore space within the basins represent hundreds of years of potential storage for supercritical CO{sub 2} and CO{sub 2} stored in aqueous form. There are many sources of CO{sub 2} within the region that could use the trend for geologic storage. Thirty one coal fired power plants are located within 100 miles of the deepest portions of these basins. There are also several cement and ammonia plants near the basins. Sixteen coal fired power plants are present on or adjacent to the basins which could support a low pipeline transportation cost. The current geological information is not sufficient to quantify specific storage reservoirs, seals, or traps. There is insufficient hydrogeologic information to quantify the saline nature of the water present within all of the basins. Water data in the Dunbarton Basin of the Savannah River Site indicates dissolved solids concentrations of greater than 10,000 parts per million (not potential drinking water). Additional reservoir characterization is needed to take advantage of the SGFAR trend for anthropogenic CO{sub 2} storage. The authors of this report believe it would be appropriate to study the reservoir potential in the deeper basins that are in close proximity to the current larger coal fired power plants (Albany-Arabi, Camilla-Ocilla, Alamo-Ehrhardt, and Jedburg basin).« less

Multi-scale drivers of spatial variation in old-growth forest carbon density disentangled with Lidar and an individual-based landscape model

Treesearch

Rupert Seidl; Thomas A. Spies; Werner Rammer; E. Ashley Steel; Robert J. Pabst; Keith. Olsen

2012-01-01

Forest ecosystems are the most important terrestrial carbon (C) storage globally, and presently mitigate anthropogenic climate change by acting as a large and persistent sink for atmospheric CO2. Yet, forest C density varies greatly in space, both globally and at stand and landscape levels. Understanding the multi-scale drivers of this variation...

Effect of Mineral Dissolution/Precipitation and CO2 Exsolution on CO2 transport in Geological Carbon Storage.

PubMed

Xu, Ruina; Li, Rong; Ma, Jin; He, Di; Jiang, Peixue

2017-09-19

Geological carbon sequestration (GCS) in deep saline aquifers is an effective means for storing carbon dioxide to address global climate change. As the time after injection increases, the safety of storage increases as the CO 2 transforms from a separate phase to CO 2 (aq) and HCO 3 - by dissolution and then to carbonates by mineral dissolution. However, subsequent depressurization could lead to dissolved CO 2 (aq) escaping from the formation water and creating a new separate phase which may reduce the GCS system safety. The mineral dissolution and the CO 2 exsolution and mineral precipitation during depressurization change the morphology, porosity, and permeability of the porous rock medium, which then affects the two-phase flow of the CO 2 and formation water. A better understanding of these effects on the CO 2 -water two-phase flow will improve predictions of the long-term CO 2 storage reliability, especially the impact of depressurization on the long-term stability. In this Account, we summarize our recent work on the effect of CO 2 exsolution and mineral dissolution/precipitation on CO 2 transport in GCS reservoirs. We place emphasis on understanding the behavior and transformation of the carbon components in the reservoir, including CO 2 (sc/g), CO 2 (aq), HCO 3 - , and carbonate minerals (calcite and dolomite), highlight their transport and mobility by coupled geochemical and two-phase flow processes, and consider the implications of these transport mechanisms on estimates of the long-term safety of GCS. We describe experimental and numerical pore- and core-scale methods used in our lab in conjunction with industrial and international partners to investigate these effects. Experimental results show how mineral dissolution affects permeability, capillary pressure, and relative permeability, which are important phenomena affecting the input parameters for reservoir flow modeling. The porosity and the absolute permeability increase when CO 2 dissolved water is continuously injected through the core. The MRI results indicate dissolution of the carbonates during the experiments since the porosity has been increased after the core-flooding experiments. The mineral dissolution changes the pore structure by enlarging the throat diameters and decreasing the pore specific surface areas, resulting in lower CO 2 /water capillary pressures and changes in the relative permeability. When the reservoir pressure decreases, the CO 2 exsolution occurs due to the reduction of solubility. The CO 2 bubbles preferentially grow toward the larger pores instead of toward the throats or the finer pores during the depressurization. After exsolution, the exsolved CO 2 phase shows low mobility due to the highly dispersed pore-scale morphology, and the well dispersed small bubbles tend to merge without interface contact driven by the Ostwald ripening mechanism. During depressurization, the dissolved carbonate could also precipitate as a result of increasing pH. There is increasing formation water flow resistance and low mobility of the CO 2 in the presence of CO 2 exsolution and carbonate precipitation. These effects produce a self-sealing mechanism that may reduce unfavorable CO 2 migration even in the presence of sudden reservoir depressurization.

Active Management of Integrated Geothermal-CO2 Storage Reservoirs in Sedimentary Formations: Data used in Geosphere Journal Article

DOE Data Explorer

Thomas A. Buscheck

2015-06-01

This data submission is for Phase 2 of Active Management of Integrated Geothermal-CO2 Storage Reservoirs in Sedimentary Formations, which focuses on multi-fluid (CO2 and brine) geothermal energy production and diurnal bulk energy storage in geologic settings that are suitable for geologic CO2 storage. This data submission includes all data used in the Geosphere Journal article by Buscheck et al (2016). All assumptions are discussed in that article.

Comparison of Pore-scale CO2-water-glass System Wettability and Conventional Wettability Measurement on a Flat Plate for Geological CO2 Sequestration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jafari, M.; Cao, S. C.; Jung, J.

2017-12-01

Goelogical CO2 sequestration (GCS) has been recently introduced as an effective method to mitigate carbon dioxide emission. CO2 from main producer sources is collected and then is injected underground formations layers to be stored for thousands to millions years. A safe and economical storage project depends on having an insight of trapping mechanisms, fluids dynamics, and interaction of fluids-rocks. Among different forces governing fluids mobility and distribution in GCS condition, capillary pressure is of importance, which, in turn, wettability (measured by contact angel (CA)) is the most controversial parameters affecting it. To explore the sources of discrepancy in the literature for CA measurement, we conducted a series of conventional captive bubble test on glass plates under high pressure condition. By introducing a shape factor, we concluded that surface imperfection can distort the results in such tests. Since the conventional methods of measuring the CA is affected by gravity and scale effect, we introduced a different technique to measure pore-scale CA inside a transparent glass microchip. Our method has the ability to consider pore sizes and simulate static and dynamics CA during dewetting and imbibition. Glass plates shows a water-wet behavior (CA 30° - 45°) by a conventional experiment consistent with literature. However, CA of miniature bubbles inside of the micromodel can have a weaker water-wet behavior (CA 55° - 69°). In a more realistic pore-scale condition, water- CO2 interface covers whole width of a pore throats. Under this condition, the receding CA, which is used for injectability and capillary breakthrough pressure, increases with decreasing pores size. On the other hand, advancing CA, which is important for residual or capillary trapping, does not show a correlation with throat sizes. Static CA measured in the pores during dewetting is lower than static CA on flat plate, but it is much higher when measured during imbibition implying weaker water-wet behavior. Pore-scale CA, which realistically represents rocks wettability behavior, shows weaker water-wet behavior than conventional measurement methods, which must be considered for safety of geological storage.

A data driven model for the impact of IFT and density variations on CO2 storage capacity in geologic formations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nomeli, Mohammad A.; Riaz, Amir

2017-09-01

Carbon dioxide (CO2) storage in depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs and deep saline aquifers is one of the most promising solutions for decreasing CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. One of the important issues for CO2 storage in subsurface environments is the sealing efficiency of low-permeable cap-rocks overlying potential CO2 storage reservoirs. Though we focus on the effect of IFT in this study as a factor influencing sealing efficiency or storage capacity, other factors such as interfacial interactions, wettability, pore radius and interfacial mass transfer also affect the mobility and storage capacity of CO2 phase in the pore space. The study of the variation of IFT is however important because the pressure needed to penetrate a pore depends on both the pore size and the interfacial tension. Hence small variations in IFT can affect flow across a large population of pores. A novel model is proposed to find the IFT of the ternary systems (CO2/brine-salt) in a range of temperatures (300-373 K), pressures (50-250 bar), and up to 6 molal salinity applicable to CO2 storage in geological formations through a multi-variant non-linear regression of experimental data. The method uses a general empirical model for the quaternary system CO2/brine-salts that can be made to coincide with experimental data for a variety of solutions. We introduce correction parameters into the model, which compensates for uncertainties, and enforce agreement with experimental data. The results for IFT show a strong dependence on temperature, pressure, and salinity. The model has been found to describe the experimental data in the appropriate parameter space with reasonable precision. Finally, we use the new model to evaluate the effects of formation depth on the actual efficiency of CO2 storage. The results indicate that, in the case of CO2 storage in deep subsurface environments as a global-warming mitigation strategy, CO2 storage capacity increases with reservoir depth.

Upscaling of reaction rates in reactive transport using pore-scale reactive transport model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, H.; Dewers, T. A.; Arnold, B. W.; Major, J. R.; Eichhubl, P.; Srinivasan, S.

2013-12-01

Dissolved CO2 during geological CO2 storage may react with minerals in fractured rocks, confined aquifers, or faults, resulting in mineral precipitation and dissolution. The overall rate of reaction can be affected by coupled processes among hydrodynamics, transport, and reactions at the (sub) pore-scale. In this research pore-scale modeling of coupled fluid flow, reactive transport, and heterogeneous reaction at the mineral surface is applied to account for permeability alterations caused by precipitation-induced pore-blocking. This work is motivated by the observed CO2 seeps from a natural analog to geologic CO2 sequestration at Crystal Geyser, Utah. A key observation is the lateral migration of CO2 seep sites at a scale of ~ 100 meters over time. A pore-scale model provides fundamental mechanistic explanations of how calcite precipitation alters flow paths by pore plugging under different geochemical compositions and pore configurations. In addition, response function of reaction rates will be constructed from pore-scale simulations which account for a range of reaction regimes characterized by the Damkohler and Peclet numbers. Newly developed response functions will be used in a continuum scale model that may account for large-scale phenomena mimicking lateral migration of surface CO2 seeps. Comparison of field observations and simulations results will provide mechanistic explanations of the lateral migration and enhance our understanding of subsurface processes associated with the CO2 injection. This work is supported as part of the Center for Frontiers of Subsurface Energy Security, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences under Award Number DE-SC0001114. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Geologic framework for the national assessment of carbon dioxide storage resources: Hanna, Laramie, and Shirley Basins, Wyoming: Chapter C in Geologic framework for the national assessment of carbon dioxide storage resources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Merrill, Matthew D.; Covault, Jacob A.; Craddock, William H.; Slucher, Ernie R.; Warwick, Peter D.; Blondes, Madalyn S.; Gosai, Mayur A.; Freeman, P.A.; Cahan, Steven M.; Lohr, Celeste D.; Warwick, Peter D.; Corum, Margo D.

2012-01-01

The 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act (Public Law 110-140) directs the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a national assessment of potential geologic storage resources for carbon dioxide (CO2). The methodology used for the national CO2 assessment is non-economic and intended to be used at regional to subbasinal scales. This report identifies and contains geologic descriptions of twelve storage assessment units (SAUs) in six separate packages of sedimentary rock within the Hanna, Laramie, and Shirley Basins of Wyoming. It focuses on the particular characteristics, specified in the methodology, that influence the potential CO2 storage resource in those SAUs. Specific descriptions of SAU boundaries as well as their sealing and reservoir units are included. Properties for each SAU, such as depth to top, gross thickness, net porous thickness, porosity, permeability, groundwater quality, and structural reservoir traps are provided to illustrate geologic factors critical to the assessment. Although assessment results are not contained in this report, the geologic information included herein will be employed, as specified in the methodology, to calculate a statistical Monte Carlo-based distribution of potential storage space in the various SAUs. Figures in this report show SAU boundaries and cell maps of well penetrations through the sealing unit into the top of the storage formation. Cell maps show the number of penetrating wells within one square mile and are derived from interpretations of incompletely attributed well data in a digital compilation that is known not to include all drilling. The USGS does not expect to know the location of all wells and cannot guarantee the amount of drilling through specific formations in any given cell shown on cell maps.

MUFITS Code for Modeling Geological Storage of Carbon Dioxide at Sub- and Supercritical Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Afanasyev, A.

2012-12-01

Two-phase models are widely used for simulation of CO2 storage in saline aquifers. These models support gaseous phase mainly saturated with CO2 and liquid phase mainly saturated with H2O (e.g. TOUGH2 code). The models can be applied to analysis of CO2 storage only in relatively deeply-buried reservoirs where pressure exceeds CO2 critical pressure. At these supercritical reservoir conditions only one supercritical CO2-rich phase appears in aquifer due to CO2 injection. In shallow aquifers where reservoir pressure is less than the critical pressure CO2 can split in two different liquid-like and gas-like phases (e.g. Spycher et al., 2003). Thus a region of three-phase flow of water, liquid and gaseous CO2 can appear near the CO2 injection point. Today there is no widely used and generally accepted numerical model capable of the three-phase flows with two CO2-rich phases. In this work we propose a new hydrodynamic simulator MUFITS (Multiphase Filtration Transport Simulator) for multiphase compositional modeling of CO2-H2O mixture flows in porous media at conditions of interest for carbon sequestration. The simulator is effective both for supercritical flows in a wide range of pressure and temperature and for subcritical three-phase flows of water, liquid CO2 and gaseous CO2 in shallow reservoirs. The distinctive feature of the proposed code lies in the methodology for mixture properties determination. Transport equations and Darcy correlation are solved together with calculation of the entropy maximum that is reached in thermodynamic equilibrium and determines the mixture composition. To define and solve the problem only one function - mixture thermodynamic potential - is required. The potential is determined using a three-parametric generalization of Peng-Robinson equation of state fitted to experimental data (Todheide, Takenouchi, Altunin etc.). We apply MUFITS to simple 1D and 2D test problems of CO2 injection in shallow reservoirs subjected to phase changes between liquid and gaseous CO2. We consider CO2 injection into highly heterogeneous the 10th SPE reservoir. We provide analysis of physical phenomena that have control temperature distribution in the reservoir. The distribution is non-monotonic with regions of high and low temperature. The main phenomena responsible for considerable temperature decline around CO2 injection point is the liquid CO2 evaporation process. We also apply the code to real-scale 3D simulations of CO2 geological storage at supercritical conditions in Sleipner field and Johansen formation (Fig). The work is supported financially by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (12-01-31117) and grant for leading scientific schools (NSh 1303.2012.1). CO2 phase saturation in Johansen formation after 50 years of injection and 1000 years of rest period

High-temperature molten salt thermal energy storage systems for solar applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petri, R. J.; Claar, T. D.

1980-03-01

Alkali and alkaline earth carbonate latent-heat storage salts, metallic containment materials, and thermal conductivity enhancement materials were investigated to satisfy the high temperature (704 to 871 C) thermal energy storage requirements of advanced solar-thermal power generation concepts are described. Properties of the following six salts selected for compatibility studies are given: three pure carbonates, K2CO3, Li2CO3 and Na2CO3; two eutectic mixtures, BaCO3/Na2CO3 and K2CO3/NaCO3, and one off-eutectic mixture of Na2CO3/K2CO3.

High-temperature molten salt thermal energy storage systems for solar applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petri, R. J.; Claar, T. D.

1980-01-01

Alkali and alkaline earth carbonate latent-heat storage salts, metallic containment materials, and thermal conductivity enhancement materials were investigated to satisfy the high temperature (704 to 871 C) thermal energy storage requirements of advanced solar-thermal power generation concepts are described. Properties of the following six salts selected for compatibility studies are given: three pure carbonates, K2CO3, Li2CO3 and Na2CO3; two eutectic mixtures, BaCO3/Na2CO3 and K2CO3/NaCO3, and one off-eutectic mixture of Na2CO3/K2CO3.

A Comparative Study of the Corrosion Behavior of Three Stainless Steels in an Eutectic (Li,Na,K)2CO3 Melt with and without (Na,K)Cl Additives at 973K in Air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, C. L.; Liu, Y.

2011-04-01

The ternary carbonate eutectic mixture of Li2CO3, K2CO3 and Na2CO3 as a heat transfer and storage medium has excellent thermophysical properties, but with high viscidity as compared with some other inorganic salts such as chlorides and nitrates. The addition of chlorides or fluorides to molten carbonates may improve their fluidity, but possibly making the melt become more corrosive. In this study, the corrosion behavior of type 304, 310 and 316 stainless steels in an eutectic (Li,Na,K)2CO3 melt with and without an eutectic mixture of NaCl and KCl at 973K in air have been examined. The experimental results indicated that 310 steel shows a much better corrosion resistance in molten carbonates than both 304 and 316 steels, due to the formation of a continuous LiCrO2 scale. The addition of chlorides to carbonates melt accelerated the corrosion of the steels, especially 310 steel, producing scales with more porosity.

Framing and bias in CO2 capture and storage communication films: Reflections from a CO2 capture and storage research group.

PubMed

Maynard, Carly M; Shackley, Simon

2017-03-01

There has been a growing trend towards incorporating short, educational films as part of research funding and project proposals. Researchers and developers in CO 2 capture and storage are using films to communicate outcomes, but such films can be influenced by experiences and values of the producers. We document the content and presentation of seven online CO 2 capture and storage films to determine how framing occurs and its influence on the tone of films. The core frame presents CO 2 capture and storage as a potential solution to an imminent crisis in climatic warming and lack of a sustainable energy supply. Three subsidiary frames represent CO 2 capture and storage as (1) the only option, (2) a partial option or (3) a scientific curiosity. The results demonstrate that an understanding of the nuanced explicit and implicit messages portrayed by films is essential both for effective framing according to one's intention and for wider public understanding of a field.

Engineering Sedimentary Geothermal Resources for Large-Scale Dispatchable Renewable Electricity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bielicki, Jeffrey; Buscheck, Thomas; Chen, Mingjie; Sun, Yunwei; Hao, Yue; Saar, Martin; Randolph, Jimmy

2014-05-01

Mitigating climate change requires substantial penetration of renewable energy and economically viable options for CO2 capture and storage (CCS). We present an approach using CO2 and N2 in sedimentary basin geothermal resources that (1) generates baseload and dispatchable power, (2) efficiently stores large amounts of energy, and (3) enables seasonal storage of solar energy, all which (5) increase the value of CO2 and render CCS commercially viable. Unlike the variability of solar and wind resources, geothermal heat is a constant source of renewable energy. Using CO2 as a supplemental geothermal working fluid, in addition to brine, reduces the parasitic load necessary to recirculate fluids. Adding N2 is beneficial because it is cheaper, will not react with materials and subsurface formations, and enables bulk energy storage. The high coefficients of thermal expansion of CO2 and N2 (a) augment reservoir pressure, (b) generate artesian flow at the production wells, and (c) produce self-convecting thermosiphons that directly convert reservoir heat to mechanical energy for fluid recirculation. Stored pressure drives fluid production and responds faster than conventional brine-based geothermal systems. Our design uses concentric rings of horizontal wells to create a hydraulic divide that stores supplemental fluids and pressure. Production and injection wells are controlled to schedule power delivery and time-shift the parasitic power necessary to separate N2 from air and compress it for injection. The parasitic load can be scheduled during minimum power demand or when there is excess electricity from wind or solar. Net power output can nearly equal gross power output during peak demand, and energy storage is almost 100% efficient because it is achieved by the time-shift. Further, per-well production rates can take advantage of the large productivity of horizontal wells, with greater leveraging of well costs, which often constitute a major portion of capital costs for geothermal power systems.

Subsurface injection of combustion power plant effluent as a solid-phase carbon dioxide storage strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darnell, K. N.; Flemings, P. B.; DiCarlo, D.

2017-06-01

Long-term geological storage of CO2 may be essential for greenhouse gas mitigation, so a number of storage strategies have been developed that utilize a variety of physical processes. Recent work shows that injection of combustion power plant effluent, a mixture of CO2 and N2, into CH4 hydrate-bearing reservoirs blends CO2 storage with simultaneous CH4 production where the CO2 is stored in hydrate, an immobile, solid compound. This strategy creates economic value from the CH4 production, reduces the preinjection complexity since costly CO2 distillation is circumvented, and limits leakage since hydrate is immobile. Here we explore the phase behavior of these types of injections and describe the individual roles of H2O, CO2, CH4, and N2 as these components partition into aqueous, vapor, hydrate, and liquid CO2 phases. Our results show that CO2 storage in subpermafrost or submarine hydrate-forming reservoirs requires coinjection of N2 to maintain two-phase flow and limit plugging.

A combined methodology using electrical resistivity tomography, ordinary kriging and porosimetry for quantifying total C trapped in carbonate formations associated with natural analogues for CO2 leakage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prado-Pérez, A. J.; Aracil, E.; Pérez del Villar, L.

2014-06-01

Currently, carbon deep geological storage is one of the most accepted methods for CO2 sequestration, being the long-term behaviour assessment of these artificial systems absolutely essential to guarantee the safety of the CO2 storage. In this sense, hydrogeochemical modelling is being used for evaluating any artificial CO2 deep geological storage as a potential CO2 sinkhole and to assess the leakage processes that are usually associated with these engineered systems. Carbonate precipitation, as travertines or speleothems, is a common feature in the CO2 leakage scenarios and, therefore, is of the utmost importance to quantify the total C content trapped as a stable mineral phase in these carbonate formations. A methodology combining three classical techniques such as: electrical resistivity tomography, geostatistical analysis and mercury porosimetry is described in this work, which was developed for calculating the total amount of C trapped as CaCO3 associated with the CO2 leakages in Alicún de las Torres natural analogue (Granada, Spain). The proposed methodology has allowed estimating the amount of C trapped as calcite, as more than 1.7 Mt. This last parameter, focussed on an artificial CO2 deep geological storage, is essential for hydrogeochemical modellers when evaluating whether CO2 storages constitute or not CO2 sinkholes. This finding is extremely important when assessing the long-term behaviour and safety of any artificial CO2 deep geological storage.

Model for CO2 leakage including multiple geological layers and multiple leaky wells.

PubMed

Nordbotten, Jan M; Kavetski, Dmitri; Celia, Michael A; Bachu, Stefan

2009-02-01

Geological storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) is likely to be an integral component of any realistic plan to reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. In conjunction with large-scale deployment of carbon storage as a technology, there is an urgent need for tools which provide reliable and quick assessments of aquifer storage performance. Previously, abandoned wells from over a century of oil and gas exploration and production have been identified as critical potential leakage paths. The practical importance of abandoned wells is emphasized by the correlation of heavy CO2 emitters (typically associated with industrialized areas) to oil and gas producing regions in North America. Herein, we describe a novel framework for predicting the leakage from large numbers of abandoned wells, forming leakage paths connecting multiple subsurface permeable formations. The framework is designed to exploit analytical solutions to various components of the problem and, ultimately, leads to a grid-free approximation to CO2 and brine leakage rates, as well as fluid distributions. We apply our model in a comparison to an established numerical solverforthe underlying governing equations. Thereafter, we demonstrate the capabilities of the model on typical field data taken from the vicinity of Edmonton, Alberta. This data set consists of over 500 wells and 7 permeable formations. Results show the flexibility and utility of the solution methods, and highlight the role that analytical and semianalytical solutions can play in this important problem.

Discussion of the influence of CO and CH4 in CO2 transport, injection, and storage for CCS technology.

PubMed

Blanco, Sofía T; Rivas, Clara; Bravo, Ramón; Fernández, Javier; Artal, Manuela; Velasco, Inmaculada

2014-09-16

This paper discusses the influence of the noncondensable impurities CO and CH4 on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology. We calculated and drew conclusions about the impact of both impurities in the CO2 on selected transport, injection, and storage parameters (pipeline pressure drop, storage capacity, etc.), whose analysis is necessary for the safe construction and operation of CO2 pipelines and for the secure long-term geological storage of anthropogenic CO2. To calculate these parameters, it is necessary to acquire data on the volumetric properties and the vapor-liquid equilibrium of the fluid being subjected to CCS. In addition to literature data, we used new experimental data, which are presented here and were obtained for five mixtures of CO2+CO with compositions characteristic of the typical emissions of the E.U. and the U.S.A. Temperatures and pressures are based on relevant CO2 pipeline and geological storage site values. From our experimental results, Peng-Robinson, PC-SAFT, and GERG Equations of State for were validated CO2+CO under the conditions of CCS. We conclude that the concentration of both impurities strongly affects the studied parameters, with CO being the most influential and problematic. The overall result of these negative effects is an increase in the difficulties, risks, and overall costs of CCS.

The system-wide economics of a carbon dioxide capture, utilization, and storage network: Texas Gulf Coast with pure CO2-EOR flood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Carey W.; Gülen, Gürcan; Cohen, Stuart M.; Nuñez-Lopez, Vanessa

2013-09-01

This letter compares several bounding cases for understanding the economic viability of capturing large quantities of anthropogenic CO2 from coal-fired power generators within the Electric Reliability Council of Texas electric grid and using it for pure CO2 enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in the onshore coastal region of Texas along the Gulf of Mexico. All captured CO2 in excess of that needed for EOR is sequestered in saline formations at the same geographic locations as the oil reservoirs but at a different depth. We analyze the extraction of oil from the same set of ten reservoirs within 20- and five-year time frames to describe how the scale of the carbon dioxide capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) network changes to meet the rate of CO2 demand for oil recovery. Our analysis shows that there is a negative system-wide net present value (NPV) for all modeled scenarios. The system comes close to breakeven economics when capturing CO2 from three coal-fired power plants to produce oil via CO2-EOR over 20 years and assuming no CO2 emissions penalty. The NPV drops when we consider a larger network to produce oil more quickly (21 coal-fired generators with CO2 capture to produce 80% of the oil within five years). Upon applying a CO2 emissions penalty of 602009/tCO2 to fossil fuel emissions to ensure that coal-fired power plants with CO2 capture remain in baseload operation, the system economics drop significantly. We show near profitability for the cash flow of the EOR operations only; however, this situation requires relatively cheap electricity prices during operation.

The influence of open fracture anisotropy on CO2 movement within geological storage complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bond, C. E.; Wightman, R.; Ringrose, P. S.

2012-12-01

Carbon mitigation through the geological storage of carbon dioxide is dependent on the ability of geological formations to store CO2 trapping it within a geological storage complex. Secure long-term containment needs to be demonstrated, due to both political and social drivers, meaning that this containment must be verifiable over periods of 100-105 years. The effectiveness of sub-surface geological storage systems is dependent on trapping CO2 within a volume of rock and is reliant on the integrity of the surrounding rocks, including their chemical and physical properties, to inhibit migration to the surface. Oil and gas reservoir production data, and field evidence show that fracture networks have the potential to act as focused pathways for fluid movement. Fracture networks can allow large volumes of fluid to migrate to the surface within the time scales of interest. In this paper we demonstrate the importance of predicting the effects of fracture networks in storage, using a case study from the In Salah CO2 storage site, and show how the fracture permeability is closely controlled by the stress regime that determines the open fracture network. Our workflow combines well data of imaged fractures, with a discrete fracture network (DFN) model of tectonically induced fractures, within the horizon of interest. The modelled and observed fractures have been compared and combined with present day stress data to predict the open fracture network and its implications for anisotropic movement of CO2 in the sub-surface. The created fracture network model has been used to calculate the 2D permeability tensor for the reservoir for two scenarios: 1) a model in which all fractures are permeable, based on the whole DFN model and 2) those fractures determined to be in dilatational failure under the present day stress regime, a sub-set of the DFN. The resulting permeability anisotropy tensors show distinct anisotropies for the predicted CO2 movement within the reservoir. These predictions have been compared with InSAR imagery of surface uplift, used as an indicator of fluid pressure and movement in the sub-surface, around the CO2 injection wells. The analysis shows that the permeability tensor with the greatest anisotropy, that for the DFN sub-set of open fractures, matches well with the anisotropy in surface uplift imaged by InSAR. We demonstrate that predicting fracture networks alone does not predict fluid movement in the sub-surface, and that fracture permeability is closely controlled by the stress regime that determines the open fracture network. Our results show that a workflow of fracture network prediction combined with present day stress analysis can be used to successfully predict CO2 movement in the sub-surface at an active injection site.

Effects of sub-seabed CO2 leakage: Short- and medium-term responses of benthic macrofaunal assemblages.

PubMed

Amaro, T; Bertocci, I; Queiros, A M; Rastelli, E; Borgersen, G; Brkljacic, M; Nunes, J; Sorensen, K; Danovaro, R; Widdicombe, S

2018-03-01

The continued rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) levels is driving climate change and temperature shifts at a global scale. CO 2 Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies have been suggested as a feasible option for reducing CO 2 emissions and mitigating their effects. However, before CCS can be employed at an industrial scale, any environmental risks associated with this activity should be identified and quantified. Significant leakage of CO 2 from CCS reservoirs and pipelines is considered to be unlikely, however direct and/or indirect effects of CO 2 leakage on marine life and ecosystem functioning must be assessed, with particular consideration given to spatial (e.g. distance from the source) and temporal (e.g. duration) scales at which leakage impacts could occur. In the current mesocosm experiment we tested the potential effects of CO 2 leakage on macrobenthic assemblages by exposing infaunal sediment communities to different levels of CO 2 concentration (400, 1000, 2000, 10,000 and 20,000 ppm CO 2 ), simulating a gradient of distance from a hypothetic leakage, over short-term (a few weeks) and medium-term (several months). A significant impact on community structure, abundance and species richness of macrofauna was observed in the short-term exposure. Individual taxa showed idiosyncratic responses to acidification. We conclude that the main impact of CO 2 leakage on macrofaunal assemblages occurs almost exclusively at the higher CO 2 concentration and over short time periods, tending to fade and disappear at increasing distance and exposure time. Although under the cautious perspective required by the possible context-dependency of the present findings, this study contributes to the cost-benefit analysis (environmental risk versus the achievement of the intended objectives) of CCS strategies. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

System-level modeling for economic evaluation of geological CO2storage in gas reservoirs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Yingqi; Oldenburg, Curtis M.; Finsterle, Stefan

2006-03-02

One way to reduce the effects of anthropogenic greenhousegases on climate is to inject carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrialsources into deep geological formations such as brine aquifers ordepleted oil or gas reservoirs. Research is being conducted to improveunderstanding of factors affecting particular aspects of geological CO2storage (such as storage performance, storage capacity, and health,safety and environmental (HSE) issues) as well as to lower the cost ofCO2 capture and related processes. However, there has been less emphasisto date on system-level analyses of geological CO2 storage that considergeological, economic, and environmental issues by linking detailedprocess models to representations of engineering components andassociatedmore » economic models. The objective of this study is to develop asystem-level model for geological CO2 storage, including CO2 capture andseparation, compression, pipeline transportation to the storage site, andCO2 injection. Within our system model we are incorporating detailedreservoir simulations of CO2 injection into a gas reservoir and relatedenhanced production of methane. Potential leakage and associatedenvironmental impacts are also considered. The platform for thesystem-level model is GoldSim [GoldSim User's Guide. GoldSim TechnologyGroup; 2006, http://www.goldsim.com]. The application of the system modelfocuses on evaluating the feasibility of carbon sequestration withenhanced gas recovery (CSEGR) in the Rio Vista region of California. Thereservoir simulations are performed using a special module of the TOUGH2simulator, EOS7C, for multicomponent gas mixtures of methane and CO2.Using a system-level modeling approach, the economic benefits of enhancedgas recovery can be directly weighed against the costs and benefits ofCO2 injection.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuang, Xingya; Shankar, T.J.; Bi, X.T.

Wood pellets emit CO, CO2, CH4 and other volatiles during storage. Increased concentration of these gases in a sealed storage causes depletion of concentration of oxygen. The storage environment becomes toxic to those who operate in and around these storages. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of temperature, moisture and storage headspace on emissions from wood pellets in an enclosed space. Twelve 10-liter plastic containers were used to study the effects of headspace ratio (25%, 50%, and 75% of container volume) and temperatures (10-50oC). Another eight containers were set in uncontrolled storage relative humidity and temperature.more » Concentrations of CO2, CO and CH4 were measured by a gas chromatography (GC). The results showed that emissions of CO2, CO and CH4 from stored wood pellets are most sensitive to storage temperature. Higher peak emission factors are associated with higher temperatures. Increased headspace volume ratio increases peak off-gas emissions because of the availability of oxygen for pellet decomposition. Increased relative humidity in the enclosed container increases the rate of off-gas emissions of CO2, CO and CH4 and oxygen depletion.« less

Strength and Deformation Behaviour of Cap Rocks Above the CO2SINK-Reservoir

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mutschler, T.; Triantafyllidis, T.; Balthasar, K.; Norden, B.

2009-04-01

The cap-rock of the CO2SINK storage site close to Ketzin consists of clay rich rocks which are typical for cap rock formations above CO2 storage reservoirs. The strength and deformation behaviour of such claystone samples are therefore of fundamental importance for the characterization of secure geological storage of CO2. The elastic and anelastic deformation behaviour limits the maximum injection pressure during CO2-injection and is part of the security measures for the long term storage of CO2. The laboratory experiments where performed on samples gathered from the injection well of the Ketzin pilot test site in Germany and are compared with the elastic and anelastic behaviour of samples from the same Keuper formation in a near-surface outcrop in the Southwest of Germany showing a similar lithology. The samples from the outcrop allowed drilling of samples with a standard size of 100 mm diameter and 200 mm height as well as large samples with a diameter of 550 mm and a height of 1200 mm. The investigations have a special emphasis on the viscous behaviour of the clay stones and its scaling behaviour. A special triaxial testing procedure is applied both on standard and large size samples allowing the determination of the strength, stiffness and viscosity behaviour of the rock in one experimental run. Multi-stage technique (stepwise variation of the confining pressure) gives the strength behaviour of each single sample while applying a constant deformation rate. Stepwise varied deformation rates on the other hand lead to steps in the stress-strain-curve from which the viscosity index is determined. The viscosity index is directly used in the Norton's constitutive relations for viscoplastic simulations. The combination of tests allows for the determination of a broad range of elastic and anelastic properties. The comparison of results - both for elastic and anelastic behaviour - from standard and large samples shows that for the examined rocks a scale effect is negligible. Transition from cataclastic to non-cataclastic behaviour - the transition limit - occurs in a similar range of applied levels of pressure and deformation rates even at room temperature. The obtained transition limit is very important for the judgment of the sealing capacity and integrity of the cap rock. The deformation rates predicted for the pressure and temperature conditions of the caprock at Ketzin test site are far beneath the determined transition limit during the injection and after stop of injection. As a 0° friction angle is used for pressure and deformation limit at Ketzin, the measured elastic and anelastic behaviour of the real caprock act as additional safety margin during injection and in the post injection phase. As the examined rocks are typical for many possible storage sites, the discussed results are of importance beyond the Ketzin Pilot Experiment CO2SINK.

Monitoring field scale CO2 injection from time-lapse seismic and well log, integrating with advanced rock physics model at Cranfield EOR site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Ranjana

2017-12-01

Causes and effects of global warming have been highly debated in recent years. Nonetheless, injection and storage of CO2 (CO2 sequestration) in the subsurface is becoming increasingly accepted as a viable tool to reduce the amount of CO2 from the atmosphere, which is a primary contributor to global warming. Monitoring of CO2 movement with time is essential to ascertain that sequestration is not hazardous. A method is proposed here to appraise CO2 saturation from seismic attributes using differential effective medium theory modified for pressure (PDEM). The PDEM theory accounts pressure-induced fluid flow between cavities, which is a very important investigation in the CO2-sequestered regime of heterogeneous microstructure. The study area is the lower Tuscaloosa formation at Cranfield in Mississippi, USA, which is one of the active enhanced oil recovery (EOR), and CO2 capture and storage (CCS) fields. Injection well (F1) and two observation wells (F2 and F3) are present close (within 112 m) to the detailed area of study for this region. Since the three wells are closely situated, two wells, namely injection well F1 and the furthest observation well F3, have been focused on to monitor CO2 movement. Time-lapse (pre- and post-injection) log, core and surface seismic data are used in the quantitative assessment of CO2 saturation from the PDEM theory. It has been found that after approximately 9 months of injection, average CO2 saturations in F1 and F3 are estimated as 50% in a zone of thickness 25 m at a depth of 3 km.

Enabling Co-Design of Multi-Layer Exascale Storage Architectures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carothers, Christopher

Growing demands for computing power in applications such as energy production, climate analysis, computational chemistry, and bioinformatics have propelled computing systems toward the exascale: systems with 10 18 floating-point operations per second. These systems, to be designed and constructed over the next decade, will create unprecedented challenges in component counts, power consumption, resource limitations, and system complexity. Data storage and access are an increasingly important and complex component in extreme-scale computing systems, and significant design work is needed to develop successful storage hardware and software architectures at exascale. Co-design of these systems will be necessary to find the best possiblemore » design points for exascale systems. The goal of this work has been to enable the exploration and co-design of exascale storage systems by providing a detailed, accurate, and highly parallel simulation of exascale storage and the surrounding environment. Specifically, this simulation has (1) portrayed realistic application checkpointing and analysis workloads, (2) captured the complexity, scale, and multilayer nature of exascale storage hardware and software, and (3) executed in a timeframe that enables “what if'” exploration of design concepts. We developed models of the major hardware and software components in an exascale storage system, as well as the application I/O workloads that drive them. We used our simulation system to investigate critical questions in reliability and concurrency at exascale, helping guide the design of future exascale hardware and software architectures. Additionally, we provided this system to interested vendors and researchers so that others can explore the design space. We validated the capabilities of our simulation environment by configuring the simulation to represent the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility Blue Gene/Q system and comparing simulation results for application I/O patterns to the results of executions of these I/O kernels on the actual system.« less

Offshore Storage Resource Assessment - Final Scientific/Technical Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Savage, Bill; Ozgen, Chet

The DOE developed volumetric equation for estimating Prospective Resources (CO 2 storage) in oil and gas reservoirs was utilized on each depleted field in the Federal GOM. This required assessment of the in-situ hydrocarbon fluid volumes for the fields under evaluation in order to apply the DOE equation. This project utilized public data from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Reserves database and from a well reputed, large database (250,000+ wells) of GOM well and production data marketed by IHS, Inc. IHS interpreted structure map files were also accessed for a limited number ofmore » fields. The databases were used along with geological and petrophysical software to identify depleted oil and gas fields in the Federal GOM region. BOEM arranged for access by the project team to proprietary reservoir level maps under an NDA. Review of the BOEM’s Reserves database as of December 31, 2013 indicated that 675 fields in the region were depleted. NITEC identified and rank these 675 fields containing 3,514 individual reservoirs based on BOEM’s estimated OOIP or OGIP values available in the Reserves database. The estimated BOEM OOIP or OGIP values for five fields were validated by an independent evaluation using available petrophysical, geologic and engineering data in the databases. Once this validation was successfully completed, the BOEM ranked list was used to calculate the estimated CO 2 storage volume for each field/reservoir using the DOE CO 2 Resource Estimate Equation. This calculation assumed a range for the CO 2 efficiency factor in the equation, as it was not known at that point in time. NITEC then utilize reservoir simulation to further enhance and refine the DOE equation estimated range of CO 2 storage volumes. NITEC used a purpose built, publically available, 4-component, compositional reservoir simulator developed under funding from DOE (DE-FE0006015) to assess CO 2-EOR and CO 2 storage in 73 fields/461 reservoirs. This simulator was fast and easy to utilize and provided a valuable enhanced assessment and refinement of the estimated CO 2 storage volume for each reservoir simulated. The user interface was expanded to allow for calculation of a probability based assessment of the CO 2 storage volume based on typical uncertainties in operating conditions and reservoir properties during the CO 2 injection period. This modeling of the CO 2 storage estimates for the simulated reservoirs resulted in definition of correlations applicable to all reservoir types (a refined DOE equation) which can be used for predictive purposes using available public data. Application of the correlations to the 675 depleted fields yielded a total CO 2 storage capacity of 4,748 MM tons. The CO 2 storage assessments were supplemented with simulation modeling of eleven (11) oil reservoirs that quantified the change in the stored CO 2 storage volume with the addition of CO 2-EOR (Enhanced Oil Recovery) production. Application of CO 2-EOR to oil reservoirs resulted in higher volumes of CO 2 storage.« less

Geospatial Analysis of Near-Term Technical Potential of BECCS in the U.S.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baik, E.; Sanchez, D.; Turner, P. A.; Mach, K. J.; Field, C. B.; Benson, S. M.

2017-12-01

Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) removal using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is crucial for achieving stringent climate change mitigation targets. To date, previous work discussing the feasibility of BECCS has largely focused on land availability and bioenergy potential, while CCS components - including capacity, injectivity, and location of potential storage sites - have not been thoroughly considered in the context of BECCS. A high-resolution geospatial analysis of both biomass production and potential geologic storage sites is conducted to consider the near-term deployment potential of BECCS in the U.S. The analysis quantifies the overlap between the biomass resource and CO2 storage locations within the context of storage capacity and injectivity. This analysis leverages county-level biomass production data from the U.S. Department of Energy's Billion Ton Report alongside potential CO2 geologic storage sites as provided by the USGS Assessment of Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Resources. Various types of lignocellulosic biomass (agricultural residues, dedicated energy crops, and woody biomass) result in a potential 370-400 Mt CO2 /yr of negative emissions in 2020. Of that CO2, only 30-31% of the produced biomass (110-120 Mt CO2 /yr) is co-located with a potential storage site. While large potential exists, there would need to be more than 250 50-MW biomass power plants fitted with CCS to capture all the co-located CO2 capacity in 2020. Neither absolute injectivity nor absolute storage capacity is likely to limit BECCS, but the results show regional capacity and injectivity constraints in the U.S. that had not been identified in previous BECCS analysis studies. The state of Illinois, the Gulf region, and western North Dakota emerge as the best locations for near-term deployment of BECCS with abundant biomass, sufficient storage capacity and injectivity, and the co-location of the two resources. Future studies assessing BECCS potential should employ higher-resolution spatial datasets to identify near-term deployment opportunities, explicitly including the availability of co-located storage, regional capacity limitations, and integration of electricity produced with BECCS into local electricity grids.

46 CFR 108.451 - CO2 storage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false CO2 storage. 108.451 Section 108.451 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) A-MOBILE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNITS DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Fire Extinguishing Systems Fixed Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishing Systems § 108.451 CO2 storage. (a...

46 CFR 108.451 - CO2 storage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false CO2 storage. 108.451 Section 108.451 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) A-MOBILE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNITS DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Fire Extinguishing Systems Fixed Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishing Systems § 108.451 CO2 storage. (a...

46 CFR 108.451 - CO2 storage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false CO2 storage. 108.451 Section 108.451 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) A-MOBILE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNITS DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Fire Extinguishing Systems Fixed Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishing Systems § 108.451 CO2 storage. (a...

46 CFR 108.451 - CO2 storage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false CO2 storage. 108.451 Section 108.451 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) A-MOBILE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNITS DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Fire Extinguishing Systems Fixed Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishing Systems § 108.451 CO2 storage. (a...

46 CFR 108.451 - CO2 storage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false CO2 storage. 108.451 Section 108.451 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) A-MOBILE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNITS DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Fire Extinguishing Systems Fixed Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishing Systems § 108.451 CO2 storage. (a...

A shallow subsurface controlled release facility in Bozeman, Montana, USA, for testing near surface CO2 detection techniques and transport models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spangler, L.H.; Dobeck, L.M.; Repasky, K.S.; Nehrir, A.R.; Humphries, S.D.; Keith, C.J.; Shaw, J.A.; Rouse, J.H.; Cunningham, A.B.; Benson, S.M.; Oldenburg, C.M.; Lewicki, J.L.; Wells, A.W.; Diehl, J.R.; Strazisar, B.R.; Fessenden, J.E.; Rahn, T.A.; Amonette, J.E.; Barr, J.L.; Pickles, W.L.; Jacobson, J.D.; Silver, E.A.; Male, E.J.; Rauch, H.W.; Gullickson, K.S.; Trautz, R.; Kharaka, Y.; Birkholzer, J.; Wielopolski, L.

2010-01-01

A controlled field pilot has been developed in Bozeman, Montana, USA, to study near surface CO2 transport and detection technologies. A slotted horizontal well divided into six zones was installed in the shallow subsurface. The scale and CO2 release rates were chosen to be relevant to developing monitoring strategies for geological carbon storage. The field site was characterized before injection, and CO2 transport and concentrations in saturated soil and the vadose zone were modeled. Controlled releases of CO2 from the horizontal well were performed in the summers of 2007 and 2008, and collaborators from six national labs, three universities, and the U.S. Geological Survey investigated movement of CO2 through the soil, water, plants, and air with a wide range of near surface detection techniques. An overview of these results will be presented. ?? 2009 The Author(s).

Pilot Studies of Geologic and Terrestrial Carbon Sequestration in the Big Sky Region, USA, and Opportunities for Commercial Scale Deployment of New Technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waggoner, L. A.; Capalbo, S. M.; Talbott, J.

2007-05-01

Within the Big Sky region, including Montana, Idaho, South Dakota, Wyoming and the Pacific Northwest, industry is developing new coal-fired power plants using the abundant coal and other fossil-based resources. Of crucial importance to future development programs are robust carbon mitigation plans that include a technical and economic assessment of regional carbon sequestration opportunities. The objective of the Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Partnership (BSCSP) is to promote the development of a regional framework and infrastructure required to validate and deploy carbon sequestration technologies. Initial work compiled sources and potential sinks for carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Big Sky Region and developed the online Carbon Atlas. Current efforts couple geologic and terrestrial field validation tests with market assessments, economic analysis and regulatory and public outreach. The primary geological efforts are in the demonstration of carbon storage in mafic/basalt formations, a geology not yet well characterized but with significant long-term storage potential in the region and other parts of the world; and in the Madison Formation, a large carbonate aquifer in Wyoming and Montana. Terrestrial sequestration relies on management practices and technologies to remove atmospheric CO2 to storage in trees, plants, and soil. This indirect sequestration method can be implemented today and is on the front-line of voluntary, market-based approaches to reduce CO2 emissions. Details of pilot projects are presented including: new technologies, challenges and successes of projects and potential for commercial-scale deployment.

Study of CO2 bubble dynamics in seawater from QICS field Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, B.; Dewar, M.; Sellami, N.; Stahl, H.; Blackford, J.

2011-12-01

One of the concerns of employing CCS at engineering scale is the risk of leakage of storage CO2 on the environment and especially on the marine life. QICS, a scientific research project was launched with an aim to study the effects of a potential leak from a CCS system on the UK marine environment [1]. The project involves the injection of CO2 from a shore-based lab into shallow marine sediments. One of the main objectives of the project is to generate experimental data to be compared with the developed physical models. The results of the models are vital for the biogeochemical and ecological models in order to predict the impact of a CO2 leak in a variety of situations. For the evaluation of the fate of the CO2 bubbles into the surrounding seawater, the physical model requires two key parameters to be used as input which are: (i) a correlation of the drag coefficient as function of the CO2 bubble Reynolds number and (ii) the CO2 bubble size distribution. By precisely measuring the CO2 bubble size and rising speed, these two parameters can be established. For this purpose, the dynamical characteristics of the rising CO2 bubbles in Scottish seawater were investigated experimentally within the QICS project. Observations of the CO2 bubbles plume rising freely in the in seawater column were captured by video survey using a ruler positioned at the leakage pockmark as dimension reference. This observation made it possible, for the first time, to discuss the dynamics of the CO2 bubbles released in seawater. [1] QICS, QICS: Quantifying and Monitoring Potential Ecosystem Impacts of Geological Carbon Storage. (Accessed 15.07.13), http://www.bgs.ac.uk/qics/home.html

Study of CO2 bubble dynamics in seawater from QICS field Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, B.; Dewar, M.; Sellami, N.; Stahl, H.; Blackford, J.

2013-12-01

One of the concerns of employing CCS at engineering scale is the risk of leakage of storage CO2 on the environment and especially on the marine life. QICS, a scientific research project was launched with an aim to study the effects of a potential leak from a CCS system on the UK marine environment [1]. The project involves the injection of CO2 from a shore-based lab into shallow marine sediments. One of the main objectives of the project is to generate experimental data to be compared with the developed physical models. The results of the models are vital for the biogeochemical and ecological models in order to predict the impact of a CO2 leak in a variety of situations. For the evaluation of the fate of the CO2 bubbles into the surrounding seawater, the physical model requires two key parameters to be used as input which are: (i) a correlation of the drag coefficient as function of the CO2 bubble Reynolds number and (ii) the CO2 bubble size distribution. By precisely measuring the CO2 bubble size and rising speed, these two parameters can be established. For this purpose, the dynamical characteristics of the rising CO2 bubbles in Scottish seawater were investigated experimentally within the QICS project. Observations of the CO2 bubbles plume rising freely in the in seawater column were captured by video survey using a ruler positioned at the leakage pockmark as dimension reference. This observation made it possible, for the first time, to discuss the dynamics of the CO2 bubbles released in seawater. [1] QICS, QICS: Quantifying and Monitoring Potential Ecosystem Impacts of Geological Carbon Storage. (Accessed 15.07.13), http://www.bgs.ac.uk/qics/home.html

Transcriptome changes in apple peel tissues during CO2 injury symptom development under controlled atmosphere storage regimens

PubMed Central

Johnson, Franklin T; Zhu, Yanmin

2015-01-01

Apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) is one of the most widely cultivated tree crops, and fruit storability is vital to the profitability of the apple fruit industry. Fruit of many apple cultivars can be stored for an extended period due to the introduction of advanced storage technologies, such as controlled atmosphere (CA) and 1-methylcyclopropane (1-MCP). However, CA storage can cause external CO2 injury for some apple cultivars. The molecular changes associated with the development of CO2 injury are not well elucidated. In this study, the global transcriptional regulations were investigated under different storage conditions and during development of CO2 injury symptoms on ‘Golden Delicious’ fruit. Fruit peel tissues under three different storage regimens, regular cold atmosphere, CA and CA storage and 1-MCP application were sampled at four storage durations over a 12-week period. Fruit physiological changes were affected differently under these storage regimens, and CO2 injury symptoms were detectable 2 weeks after CA storage. Identification of the differentially expressed genes and a gene ontology enrichment analysis revealed the specific transcriptome changes associated with each storage regimen. Overall, a profound transcriptome change was associated with CA storage regimen as indicated by the large number of differentially expressed genes. The lighter symptom was accompanied by reduced transcriptome changes under the CA storage and 1-MCP application regimen. Furthermore, the higher enrichment levels in the functional categories of oxidative stress response, glycolysis and protein post-translational modification were only associated with CA storage regime; therefore, these processes potentially contribute to the development of external CO2 injury or its symptom in apple. PMID:27087982

Influence of methane in CO2 transport and storage for CCS technology.

PubMed

Blanco, Sofía T; Rivas, Clara; Fernández, Javier; Artal, Manuela; Velasco, Inmaculada

2012-12-04

CO(2) Capture and Storage (CCS) is a good strategy to mitigate levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases. The type and quantity of impurities influence the properties and behavior of the anthropogenic CO(2), and so must be considered in the design and operation of CCS technology facilities. Their study is necessary for CO(2) transport and storage, and to develop theoretical models for specific engineering applications to CCS technology. In this work we determined the influence of CH(4), an important impurity of anthropogenic CO(2), within different steps of CCS technology: transport, injection, and geological storage. For this, we obtained new pressure-density-temperature (PρT) and vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) experimental data for six CO(2) + CH(4) mixtures at compositions which represent emissions from the main sources in the European Union and United States. The P and T ranges studied are within those estimated for CO(2) pipelines and geological storage sites. From these data we evaluated the minimal pressures for transport, regarding the density and pipeline's capacity requirements, and values for the solubility parameter of the mixtures, a factor which governs the solubility of substances present in the reservoir before injection. We concluded that the presence of CH(4) reduces the storage capacity and increases the buoyancy of the CO(2) plume, which diminishes the efficiency of solubility and residual trapping of CO(2), and reduces the injectivity into geological formations.

Using improved technology for widespread application of a geological carbon sequestration study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raney, J.

2013-12-01

The Kansas Geological Survey is part of an ongoing collaboration between DOE-NETL, academia, and the petroleum industry to investigate the feasibility of carbon utilization and storage in Kansas. Latest findings in the 25,000 mi2 study area in southern Kansas estimate CO2 storage capacity ranges from 8.8 to 75.5 billion metric tons in a deep Lower Orodovican-age Arbuckle saline aquifer. In addition, an estimated 100 million tonnes of CO2 could be used for extracting additional oil from Kansas' fields, making transitions to carbon management economic. This partnership has a rare opportunity to synchronize abundant, yet previously disseminated knowledge into a cohesive scientific process to optimize sequestration site selection and implementation strategies. Following a thorough characterization, a small-scale CO2 injection of 70,000 tonnes will be implemented in Wellington Field in Sumner County, including a five-plot miscible CO2-EOR flood of a Mississippian reservoir followed by the underlying Arbuckle saline aquifer. Best practices and lessons learned from the field study will improve estimates on CO2 storage capacity, plume migration models, and identify potential leakage pathways to pursue safe and effective geological carbon sequestration at commercial scales. A highly accessible and multifunctional online database is being developed throughout the study that integrates all acquired geological, physical, chemical, and hydrogeologic knowledge. This public database incorporates tens of thousands of data points into easily viewable formats for user downloads. An Interactive Project Map Viewer is a key mechanism to present the scientific research, and will delineate compartment candidates and reservoirs matching reference criteria or user defined attributes. This tool uses a familiar pan and zoom interface to filter regional project data or scale down to detailed digitized information from over 3,300 carefully selected preexisting Kansas wells. A Java-based log analysis program can combine public LAS data with privately owned digital petrophysical information to create refined cross sections with details on lithology and geochemistry. The interactive mapper displays geophysical surveys such as depth and time converted 3D seismic, gravity, magnetic, remote sensing, simulations, regional geologic base layers, and launches web-based well profile tools. Geocelluar models that demonstrate porosity, fault boundaries, seal continuity, and other hydrostratigraphic parameters will illustrate the presence of aquifers and caprocks. Dynamic models will use this input to simulate in situ CO2 plume migration and entrapment mechanisms over time. Additional outreach activities such as core workshops that showcase geological samples, conference presentations to describe technology experiences, and publishing peer-review journal articles will ensure the scientific research is delivered to the general public and useful in academia. Next steps will seek to enhance the current 3D depiction of the subsurface, leading to a direct visual connection between conceptual models and their supporting scientific evidence. Together, these tools aim to unite various industries to perform streamlined data analysis leading to a greater understanding of future geological carbon utilization and storage.

Potential impacts on groundwater resources of deep CO2 storage: natural analogues for assessing potential chemical effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lions, J.; Gale, I.; May, F.; Nygaard, E.; Ruetters, H.; Beaubien, S.; Sohrabi, M.; Hatzignatiou, D. G.; CO2GeoNet Members involved in the present study Team

2011-12-01

Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS) is considered as one of the promising options for reducing atmospheric emissions of CO2 related to human activities. One of the main concerns associated with the geological storage of CO2 is that the CO2 may leak from the intended storage formation, migrate to the near-surface environment and, eventually, escape from the ground. This is a concern because such leakage may affect aquifers overlying the storage site and containing freshwater that may be used for drinking, industry and agriculture. The IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme (IEAGHG) recently commissioned the CO2GeoNet Association to undertake a review of published and unpublished literature on this topic with the aim of summarizing 'state of the art' knowledge and identifying knowledge gaps and research priorities in this field. Work carried out by various CO2GeoNet members was also used in this study. This study identifies possible areas of conflict by combining available datasets to map the global and regional superposition of deep saline formations (DSF) suitable for CO2 storage and overlying fresh groundwater resources. A scenario classification is developed for the various geological settings where conflict could occur. The study proposes two approaches to address the potential impact mechanisms of CO2 storage projects on the hydrodynamics and chemistry of shallow groundwater. The first classifies and synthesizes changes of water quality observed in natural/industrial analogues and in laboratory experiments. The second reviews hydrodynamic and geochemical models, including coupled multiphase flow and reactive transport. Various models are discussed in terms of their advantages and limitations, with conclusions on possible impacts on groundwater resources. Possible mitigation options to stop or control CO2 leakage are assessed. The effect of CO2 pressure in the host DSF and the potential effects on shallow aquifers are also examined. The study provides a review of CO2 storage-specific regulations in the main countries undertaking CCS evaluation and research. It aims to identify the constraints imposed by existing regulations on the protection of groundwater resources and highlight the inconsistencies and gaps between CCS regulations and Water Protection regulations. The present paper focuses specifically on potential risks on groundwater quality caused by CO2 storage in DSF assessed via natural CO2 analogues from both the literature and detailed European case studies.

Element mobilization and immobilization from carbonate rocks between CO2 storage reservoirs and the overlying aquifers during a potential CO2 leakage.

PubMed

Lawter, Amanda R; Qafoku, Nikolla P; Asmussen, R Matthew; Kukkadapu, Ravi K; Qafoku, Odeta; Bacon, Diana H; Brown, Christopher F

2018-04-01

Despite the numerous studies on changes within the reservoir following CO 2 injection and the effects of CO 2 release into overlying aquifers, little or no literature is available on the effect of CO 2 release on rock between the storage reservoirs and subsurface. This is important, because the interactions that occur in this zone between the CO 2 storage reservoir and the subsurface may have a significant impact on risk analysis for CO 2 storage projects. To address this knowledge gap, relevant rock materials, temperatures and pressures were used to study mineralogical and elemental changes in this intermediate zone. After rocks reacted with CO 2 -acidified 0.01 M NaCl, liquid analysis showed an increase of major elements (e.g., Ca and Mg) and variable concentrations of potential contaminants (e.g., Sr and Ba); lower aqueous concentrations of these elements were observed in N 2 control experiments, likely due to differences in pH between the CO 2 and N 2 experiments. In experiments with As/Cd and/or organic spikes, representing potential contaminants in the CO 2 plume originating in the storage reservoir, most or all of these contaminants were removed from the aqueous phase. SEM and Mössbauer spectroscopy results showed the formation of new minerals and Fe oxides in some CO 2 -reacted samples, indicating potential for contaminant removal through mineral incorporation or adsorption onto Fe oxides. These experiments show the interactions between the CO 2 -laden plume and the rock between storage reservoirs and overlying aquifers have the potential to affect the level of risk to overlying groundwater, and should be considered during site selection and risk evaluation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Element mobilization and immobilization from carbonate rocks between CO 2 storage reservoirs and the overlying aquifers during a potential CO 2 leakage

DOE PAGES

Lawter, Amanda R.; Qafoku, Nikolla P.; Asmussen, R. Matthew; ...

2018-01-04

In spite of the numerous studies on changes within the reservoir following CO 2 injection and the effects of CO 2 release into overlying aquifers, little or no literature is available on the effect of CO 2 release on rock between the storage reservoirs and subsurface. This is important, because the interactions that occur in this zone between the CO 2 storage reservoir and the subsurface may have a significant impact on risk analysis for CO 2 storage projects. To address this knowledge gap, relevant rock materials, temperatures and pressures were used to study mineralogical and elemental changes in thismore » intermediate zone. Furthermore, after rocks reacted with CO 2-acidified 0.01 M NaCl, liquid analysis showed an increase of major elements (e.g., Ca and Mg) and variable concentrations of potential contaminants (e.g., Sr and Ba); lower aqueous concentrations of these elements were observed in N 2 control experiments, likely due to differences in pH between the CO 2 and N 2 experiments. In experiments with As/Cd and/or organic spikes, representing potential contaminants in the CO 2 plume originating in the storage reservoir, most or all of these contaminants were removed from the aqueous phase. SEM and Mössbauer spectroscopy results showed the formation of new minerals and Fe oxides in some CO 2-reacted samples, indicating potential for contaminant removal through mineral incorporation or adsorption onto Fe oxides. These experiments show the interactions between the CO 2-laden plume and the rock between storage reservoirs and overlying aquifers have the potential to affect the level of risk to overlying groundwater, and should be considered during site selection and risk evaluation.« less

Element mobilization and immobilization from carbonate rocks between CO 2 storage reservoirs and the overlying aquifers during a potential CO 2 leakage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lawter, Amanda R.; Qafoku, Nikolla P.; Asmussen, R. Matthew

In spite of the numerous studies on changes within the reservoir following CO 2 injection and the effects of CO 2 release into overlying aquifers, little or no literature is available on the effect of CO 2 release on rock between the storage reservoirs and subsurface. This is important, because the interactions that occur in this zone between the CO 2 storage reservoir and the subsurface may have a significant impact on risk analysis for CO 2 storage projects. To address this knowledge gap, relevant rock materials, temperatures and pressures were used to study mineralogical and elemental changes in thismore » intermediate zone. Furthermore, after rocks reacted with CO 2-acidified 0.01 M NaCl, liquid analysis showed an increase of major elements (e.g., Ca and Mg) and variable concentrations of potential contaminants (e.g., Sr and Ba); lower aqueous concentrations of these elements were observed in N 2 control experiments, likely due to differences in pH between the CO 2 and N 2 experiments. In experiments with As/Cd and/or organic spikes, representing potential contaminants in the CO 2 plume originating in the storage reservoir, most or all of these contaminants were removed from the aqueous phase. SEM and Mössbauer spectroscopy results showed the formation of new minerals and Fe oxides in some CO 2-reacted samples, indicating potential for contaminant removal through mineral incorporation or adsorption onto Fe oxides. These experiments show the interactions between the CO 2-laden plume and the rock between storage reservoirs and overlying aquifers have the potential to affect the level of risk to overlying groundwater, and should be considered during site selection and risk evaluation.« less

On sorption and swelling of CO 2 in clays

DOE PAGES

Busch, A.; Bertier, P.; Gensterblum, Y.; ...

2016-03-23

One well-studied technology is the geological storage of carbon dioxide (CO 2), and a number of demonstration projects around the world have proven its feasibility and challenges. Storage conformance and seal integrity are among the most important aspects, as they determine risk of leakage as well as limits for storage capacity and injectivity. By providing evidence for safe storage is critical for improving public acceptance. Most caprocks are composed of clays as dominant mineral type which can typically be illite, kaolinite, chlorite or smectite. A number of recent studies addressed the interaction between CO 2 and these different clays andmore » it was shown that clay minerals adsorb considerable quantities of CO 2. For smectite this uptake can lead to volumetric expansion followed by the generation of swelling pressures. On the one hand CO 2 adsorption traps CO 2, on the other hand swelling pressures can potentially change local stress regimes and in unfavourable situations shear-type failure is assumed to occur. Moreover, for storage in a reservoir having high clay contents the CO 2 uptake can add to storage capacity which is widely underestimated so far. Smectite-rich seals in direct contact with a dry CO 2 plume at the interface to the reservoir might dehydrate leading to dehydration cracks. Such dehydration cracks can provide pathways for CO 2 ingress and further accelerate dewatering and penetration of the seal by supercritical CO 2. At the same time, swelling may also lead to the closure of fractures or the reduction of fracture apertures, thereby improving seal integrity. Finally, the goal of this communication is to theoretically evaluate and discuss these scenarios in greater detail in terms of phenomenological mechanisms, but also in terms of potential risks or benefits for carbon storage.« less

Nanocrystal-constructed mesoporous CoFe₂O₄ nanowire arrays aligned on flexible carbon fabric as integrated anodes with enhanced lithium storage properties.

PubMed

Wang, Bo; Li, Songmei; Wu, Xiaoyu; Li, Bin; Liu, Jianhua; Yu, Mei

2015-09-07

A novel and facile two-step strategy is successfully developed for the large-scale fabrication of hierarchical mesoporous CoFe2O4 nanowire arrays (NWAs) on flexible carbon fabric as integrated anodes for highly efficient and reversible lithium storage. The synthesis involves the co-deposition of uniform bimetallic (Co, Fe) carbonate hydroxide hydrate precursor NWAs on carbon fabric and subsequent thermal transformation to spinel CoFe2O4 without damaging the morphology. The as-prepared CoFe2O4 nanowires have unique mesoporous structures, which are constructed by many interconnected nanocrystals with sizes of about 15-20 nm. The typical size of the nanowires is in the range of 70-100 nm in width and up to several micrometers in length. Such a hybrid nanostructure electrode presented here not only simplifies electrode processing, but also promises fast electron transport/collection and ion diffusion, and withstands volume variation upon prolonged charge/discharge cycling. As a result, the binder-free CoFe2O4/carbon fabric composite exhibits a high reversible capacity of 1185.75 mA h g(-1) at a current density of 200 mA g(-1), and a superior rate capability. More importantly, a reversible capacity as high as ∼950 mA h g(-1) can be retained and there is no obvious decay after 150 cycles.

Response of Integrated CO 2 Capture and Storage Systems in Saline Aquifers and Fractured Shale Formations to Changes in CO 2 Capture Costs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Langenfeld, Julie K.; Bielicki, Jeffrey M.; Tao, Zhiyuan

Fractured shale formations are new potential target reservoirs for CO 2 capture and storage (CCS) and provide several potential advantages over storage in saline aquifers in terms of storage capacity, leakage risk, and cost savings from brownfield development. Here, we used a geospatial-optimization, engineering-economic model to investigate the sensitivity of integrated CCS networks in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia to reductions in CO 2 capture costs. The resulting reductions in CO 2 capture costs were based on hypothetical cases where technological innovation reduced CO 2 capture costs. There were also small differences in the spatial organization of the CCS deploymentmore » when the capture costs were reduced. We also found that the percent reduction in average cost of CCS systems became smaller as the CO 2 capture costs were decreased.« less

Response of Integrated CO 2 Capture and Storage Systems in Saline Aquifers and Fractured Shale Formations to Changes in CO 2 Capture Costs

DOE PAGES

Langenfeld, Julie K.; Bielicki, Jeffrey M.; Tao, Zhiyuan; ...

2017-08-18

Fractured shale formations are new potential target reservoirs for CO 2 capture and storage (CCS) and provide several potential advantages over storage in saline aquifers in terms of storage capacity, leakage risk, and cost savings from brownfield development. Here, we used a geospatial-optimization, engineering-economic model to investigate the sensitivity of integrated CCS networks in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia to reductions in CO 2 capture costs. The resulting reductions in CO 2 capture costs were based on hypothetical cases where technological innovation reduced CO 2 capture costs. There were also small differences in the spatial organization of the CCS deploymentmore » when the capture costs were reduced. We also found that the percent reduction in average cost of CCS systems became smaller as the CO 2 capture costs were decreased.« less

Convenient and large-scale synthesis of nitrogen-rich hierarchical porous carbon spheres for supercapacitors and CO2 capture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Binbin; Zhang, Shouren; Yin, Hang; Yang, Baocheng

2017-08-01

Herein, considering the great potential of nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbons in energy storage and CO2 capture, we designed a convenient and easily large-scale production strategy for preparing nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon sphere (NHPCS) materials. In this synthesis route, spherical resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) resins were selected as carbon precursor, and then the ZnCl2-impregnated RF resin spheres were carbonized in a NH3 atmosphere at a temperature range of 600-800 °C. During the one-step heat-treatment process, nitrogen atom could be efficiently incorporated into the carbon skeleton, and the interconnected and hierarchical pore structure with different micro/mesopore proportion could be generated and tuned by adjusting the activating agent ZnCl2 dosage and carbonization temperature. The resultant nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon sphere materials exhibited a satisfactory charge storage capacity, and the optimal sample of NHPCS-2-8 with a high mesopore proportion obtained at 800 °C with a ZnCl2/RF mass ratio of 2:1 presented a specific capacitance of 273.8 F g-1 at a current density of 0.5 A g-1. More importantly, the assembled NHPCS-2-8-based symmetric capacitor displayed a high energy density of 17.2 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 178.9 W kg-1 within a voltage window of 0 ∼ 1.8 V in 0.5 M Na2SO4 aqueous electrolyte. In addition, the CO2 capture application of these NHPCS materials was also explored, and the optimal sample of NHPCS-0-8 with a large micropore proportion prepared at 800 °C exhibited an exceptional CO2 uptake capacity at ambient pressures of up to 4.23 mmol g-1 at 0 °C.

Pseudocapacitive Sodium Storage by Ferroelectric Sn2 P2 S6 with Layered Nanostructure.

PubMed

Huang, Sheng; Meng, Chao; Xiao, Min; Ren, Shan; Wang, Shuanjin; Han, Dongmei; Li, Yuning; Meng, Yuezhong

2018-04-19

Sodium ion batteries (SIB) are considered promising alternative candidates for lithium ion batteries (LIB) because of the wide availability and low cost of sodium, therefore the development of alternative sodium storage materials with comparable performance to LIB is urgently desired. The sodium ions with larger sizes resist intercalation or alloying because of slow reaction kinetics. Most pseudocapacitive sodium storage materials are based on subtle nanomaterial engineering, which is difficult for large-scale production. Here, ferroelectric Sn 2 P 2 S 6 with layered nanostructure is developed as sodium ion storage material. The ferroelectricity-enhanced pseudocapacitance of sodium ion in the interlayer spacing makes the electrochemical reaction easier and faster, endowing the Sn 2 P 2 S 6 electrode with excellent rate capability and cycle stability. Furthermore, the facile solid state reaction synthesis and common electrode fabrication make the Sn 2 P 2 S 6 that becomes a promising anode material of SIB. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Proof-of-feasibility of using well bore deformation as a diagnostic tool to improve CO 2 sequestration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Murdoch, Larry; Moysey, Stephen; Germanovich, Leonid

Injecting CO 2 raises pore pressure and this causes subsurface formations to deform. The pattern and amount of deformation will reflect the distribution of pressure and formation properties in the subsurface, two quantities of interest during CO 2 storage. The hypothesis underlying this research is that the small deformation accompanying CO 2 storage can be measured and interpreted to improve the storage process.

A Commercialization Roadmap for Carbon-Negative Energy Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchez, D.

2016-12-01

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) envisages the need for large-scale deployment of net-negative CO2 emissions technologies by mid-century to meet stringent climate mitigation goals and yield a net drawdown of atmospheric carbon. Yet there are few commercial deployments of BECCS outside of niche markets, creating uncertainty about commercialization pathways and sustainability impacts at scale. This uncertainty is exacerbated by the absence of a strong policy framework, such as high carbon prices and research coordination. Here, we propose a strategy for the potential commercial deployment of BECCS. This roadmap proceeds via three steps: 1) via capture and utilization of biogenic CO2 from existing bioenergy facilities, notably ethanol fermentation, 2) via thermochemical co-conversion of biomass and fossil fuels, particularly coal, and 3) via dedicated, large-scale BECCS. Although biochemical conversion is a proven first market for BECCS, this trajectory alone is unlikely to drive commercialization of BECCS at the gigatonne scale. In contrast to biochemical conversion, thermochemical conversion of coal and biomass enables large-scale production of fuels and electricity with a wide range of carbon intensities, process efficiencies and process scales. Aside from systems integration, primarily technical barriers are involved in large-scale biomass logistics, gasification and gas cleaning. Key uncertainties around large-scale BECCS deployment are not limited to commercialization pathways; rather, they include physical constraints on biomass cultivation or CO2 storage, as well as social barriers, including public acceptance of new technologies and conceptions of renewable and fossil energy, which co-conversion systems confound. Despite sustainability risks, this commercialization strategy presents a pathway where energy suppliers, manufacturers and governments could transition from laggards to leaders in climate change mitigation efforts.

The Value of CO2-Geothermal Bulk Energy Storage to Reducing CO2 Emissions Compared to Conventional Bulk Energy Storage Technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogland-Hand, J.; Bielicki, J. M.; Buscheck, T. A.

2016-12-01

Sedimentary basin geothermal resources and CO2 that is captured from large point sources can be used for bulk energy storage (BES) in order to accommodate higher penetration and utilization of variable renewable energy resources. Excess energy is stored by pressurizing and injecting CO2 into deep, porous, and permeable aquifers that are ubiquitous throughout the United States. When electricity demand exceeds supply, some of the pressurized and geothermally-heated CO2 can be produced and used to generate electricity. This CO2-BES approach reduces CO2 emissions directly by storing CO2 and indirectly by using some of that CO2 to time-shift over-generation and displace CO2 emissions from fossil-fueled power plants that would have otherwise provided electricity. As such, CO2-BES may create more value to regional electricity systems than conventional pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) or compressed air energy storage (CAES) approaches that may only create value by time-shifting energy and indirectly reducing CO2 emissions. We developed and implemented a method to estimate the value that BES has to reducing CO2 emissions from regional electricity systems. The method minimizes the dispatch of electricity system components to meet exogenous demand subject to various CO2 prices, so that the value of CO2 emissions reductions can be estimated. We applied this method to estimate the performance and value of CO2-BES, PHES, and CAES within real data for electricity systems in California and Texas over the course of a full year to account for seasonal fluctuations in electricity demand and variable renewable resource availability. Our results suggest that the value of CO2-BES to reducing CO2 emissions may be as much as twice that of PHES or CAES and thus CO2-BES may be a more favorable approach to energy storage in regional electricity systems, especially those where the topography is not amenable to PHES or the subsurface is not amenable to CAES.

Conceptual design of multi-source CCS pipeline transportation network for Polish energy sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isoli, Niccolo; Chaczykowski, Maciej

2017-11-01

The aim of this study was to identify an optimal CCS transport infrastructure for Polish energy sector in regards of selected European Commission Energy Roadmap 2050 scenario. The work covers identification of the offshore storage site location, CO2 pipeline network design and sizing for deployment at a national scale along with CAPEX analysis. It was conducted for the worst-case scenario, wherein the power plants operate under full-load conditions. The input data for the evaluation of CO2 flow rates (flue gas composition) were taken from the selected cogeneration plant with the maximum electric capacity of 620 MW and the results were extrapolated from these data given the power outputs of the remaining units. A graph search algorithm was employed to estimate pipeline infrastructure costs to transport 95 MT of CO2 annually, which amount to about 612.6 M€. Additional pipeline infrastructure costs will have to be incurred after 9 years of operation of the system due to limited storage site capacity. The results show that CAPEX estimates for CO2 pipeline infrastructure cannot be relied on natural gas infrastructure data, since both systems exhibit differences in pipe wall thickness that affects material cost.

Practical modeling approaches for geological storage of carbon dioxide.

PubMed

Celia, Michael A; Nordbotten, Jan M

2009-01-01

The relentless increase of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions and the associated concerns about climate change have motivated new ideas about carbon-constrained energy production. One technological approach to control carbon dioxide emissions is carbon capture and storage, or CCS. The underlying idea of CCS is to capture the carbon before it emitted to the atmosphere and store it somewhere other than the atmosphere. Currently, the most attractive option for large-scale storage is in deep geological formations, including deep saline aquifers. Many physical and chemical processes can affect the fate of the injected CO2, with the overall mathematical description of the complete system becoming very complex. Our approach to the problem has been to reduce complexity as much as possible, so that we can focus on the few truly important questions about the injected CO2, most of which involve leakage out of the injection formation. Toward this end, we have established a set of simplifying assumptions that allow us to derive simplified models, which can be solved numerically or, for the most simplified cases, analytically. These simplified models allow calculation of solutions to large-scale injection and leakage problems in ways that traditional multicomponent multiphase simulators cannot. Such simplified models provide important tools for system analysis, screening calculations, and overall risk-assessment calculations. We believe this is a practical and important approach to model geological storage of carbon dioxide. It also serves as an example of how complex systems can be simplified while retaining the essential physics of the problem.

Pore-scale supercritical CO2 dissolution and mass transfer under imbibition conditions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chang, Chun; Zhou, Quanlin; Kneafsey, Timothy J.

2016-06-01

In modeling of geological carbon storage, dissolution of supercritical CO2 (scCO2) is often assumed to be instantaneous with equilibrium phase partitioning. In contrast, recent core-scale imbibition experiments have shown a prolonged depletion of residual scCO2 by dissolution, implying a non-equilibrium mechanism. In this study, eight pore-scale scCO2 dissolution experiments in a 2D heterogeneous, sandstone-analogue micromodel were conducted at supercritical conditions (9 MPa and 40 °C). The micromodel was first saturated with deionized (DI) water and drained by injecting scCO2 to establish a stable scCO2 saturation. DI water was then injected at constant flow rates after scCO2 drainage was completed. Highmore » resolution time-lapse images of scCO2 and water distributions were obtained during imbibition and dissolution, aided by a scCO2-soluble fluorescent dye introduced with scCO2 during drainage. These images were used to estimate scCO2 saturations and scCO2 depletion rates. Experimental results show that (1) a time-independent, varying number of water-flow channels are created during imbibition and later dominant dissolution by the random nature of water flow at the micromodel inlet, and (2) a time-dependent number of water-flow channels are created by coupled imbibition and dissolution following completion of dominant imbibition. The number of water-flow paths, constant or transient in nature, greatly affects the overall depletion rate of scCO2 by dissolution. The average mass fraction of dissolved CO2 (dsCO2) in water effluent varies from 0.38% to 2.72% of CO2 solubility, indicating non-equilibrium scCO2 dissolution in the millimeter-scale pore network. In general, the transient depletion rate decreases as trapped, discontinuous scCO2 bubbles and clusters within water-flow paths dissolve, then remains low with dissolution of large bypassed scCO2 clusters at their interfaces with longitudinal water flow, and finally increases with coupled transverse water flow and enhanced dissolution of large scCO2 clusters. The three stages of scCO2 depletion, common to experiments with time-independent water-flow paths, are revealed by zoom-in image analysis of individual scCO2 bubbles and clusters. The measured relative permeability of water, affected by scCO2 dissolution and bi-modal permeability, shows a non-monotonic dependence on saturation. The results for experiments with different injection rates imply that the non-equilibrium nature of scCO2 dissolution becomes less important when water flow is relatively low and the time scale for dissolution is large, and more pronounced when heterogeneity is strong.« less

Carbon Sequestration in Created and Natural Tidal Marshes of the Florida Panhandle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rainville, K. M.; Davis, J.; Currin, C.

2016-12-01

Salt marshes are widely understood to be efficient at storing carbon in sediments (aka blue carbon) through the production of roots and rhizomes. These marshes are also able to trap sediments from incoming tides, slowly increasing their elevation over time. These qualities have led to a great deal of interest in creation and preservation of salt marshes for offsetting changes associated with anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Determinations of the value of marshes in terms of CO2 offsets requires detailed knowledge of sediment carbon storage rates, but to date, measured rates of carbon storage in created salt marsh sediments are sparse. We measured carbon storage in natural and created marshes along the Northern Gulf Coast of Florida. The created marshes were in `living shoreline' projects and ranged in age from 8 to 28 years. Dominant plant cover of the marshes included Spartina alterniflora and Juncus spp. At all sites, sediment cores (22-75 cm in depth) were collected, extruded in 5 cm increments, and carbon content was determined by elemental analysis. Measured C storage rates in the created marshes ranged from 60 to 130 g C m-2 yr-1 and decreased with marsh age. A decrease in storage rates over time is evidence of continued decomposition of stored carbon as sediments age, an important factor to consider when estimating the value of a given marsh for CO2 offsets. The rates measured in Florida are well below previously published average values ( 200 g m-2 yr-1) and also below the default value allowed for carbon crediting through the verified carbon standard (146 g m-2 yr), but similar to those measured in created marshes in North Carolina. In addition, factors such as dominant plant type, water inundation, temperature, latitude, biological belowground activity and biomass values can impact carbon storage rates of marshes among geographically distinct regions. This makes it especially important to determine carbon storage rates on a local scale, and not following a verified carbon standard. These data add to the geographic coverage over which documented C storage rates are currently available and suggest that locally determined rates are necessary for accurate carbon accounting.

Advanced CO 2 Leakage Mitigation using Engineered Biomineralization Sealing Technologies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Spangler, Lee; Cunningham, Alfred; Phillips, Adrienne

2015-03-31

This research project addresses one of the goals of the DOE Carbon Sequestration Program (CSP). The CSP core R&D effort is driven by technology and is accomplished through laboratory and pilot scale research aimed at new technologies for greenhouse gas mitigation. Accordingly, this project was directed at developing novel technologies for mitigating unwanted upward leakage of carbon dioxide (CO 2) injected into the subsurface as part of carbon capture and storage (CCS) activities. The technology developed by way of this research project is referred to as microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP).

Significance for secure CO2 storage of earthquakes induced by fluid injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verdon, James P.

2014-05-01

The link between subsurface fluid injection and induced seismicity has gained recent significance with an increase in earthquakes associated with the disposal of oilfield waste fluids. There are obvious similarities between wastewater reinjection and proposed CO2 storage (CCS) operations. However, as well as the seismic hazard, induced seismicity during CCS operations poses additional risks, because an induced event located above the target reservoir could compromise the hydraulic integrity of the caprock. In this paper we re-examine case examples where earthquakes have been induced by wastewater injection into deep aquifers in the light of proposed future CCS operations. In particular we consider possible controls on event magnitudes, and look at the spatial distributions of events. We find that the majority of events are located below the target reservoirs. This is an encouraging observation from the perspective of caprock integrity, although it presents a challenge in terms of pre-injection characterization of deep-lying faults several kilometres below the target zone. We observe that 99% of events are found within 20 km of injection wells, suggesting a minimum radius for geomechanical characterization and monitoring. We conclude by making recommendations for modelling and monitoring strategies to be followed prior to and during commercial-scale deployment of CO2 storage projects.

Modelling CO2 flow in naturally fractured geological media using MINC and multiple subregion upscaling procedure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tatomir, Alexandru Bogdan A. C.; Flemisch, Bernd; Class, Holger; Helmig, Rainer; Sauter, Martin

2017-04-01

Geological storage of CO2 represents one viable solution to reduce greenhouse gas emission in the atmosphere. Potential leakage of CO2 storage can occur through networks of interconnected fractures. The geometrical complexity of these networks is often very high involving fractures occurring at various scales and having hierarchical structures. Such multiphase flow systems are usually hard to solve with a discrete fracture modelling (DFM) approach. Therefore, continuum fracture models assuming average properties are usually preferred. The multiple interacting continua (MINC) model is an extension of the classic double porosity model (Warren and Root, 1963) which accounts for the non-linear behaviour of the matrix-fracture interactions. For CO2 storage applications the transient representation of the inter-porosity two phase flow plays an important role. This study tests the accuracy and computational efficiency of the MINC method complemented with the multiple sub-region (MSR) upscaling procedure versus the DFM. The two phase flow MINC simulator is implemented in the free-open source numerical toolbox DuMux (www.dumux.org). The MSR (Gong et al., 2009) determines the inter-porosity terms by solving simplified local single-phase flow problems. The DFM is considered as the reference solution. The numerical examples consider a quasi-1D reservoir with a quadratic fracture system , a five-spot radial symmetric reservoir, and a completely random generated fracture system. Keywords: MINC, upscaling, two-phase flow, fractured porous media, discrete fracture model, continuum fracture model

Development status of regenerable solid amine CO2 control systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colling, A. K., Jr.; Nalette, T. A.; Cusick, R. J.; Reysa, R. P.

1985-01-01

The development history of solid amine/water desorbed (SAWD) CO2 control systems is reviewed. The design of the preprototype SAWD I CO2 system on the basis of a three-man metabolic load at the 3.8 mm Hg ambient CO2 level, and the functions of the CO2 removal, CO2 storage/delivery, controller, and life test laboratory support packages are described. The development of a full-scale multiple canister SAWD II preprototype system, which is capable of conducting the CO2 removal/concentration function in a closed-loop atmosphere revitalization system during zero-gravity operation, is examined. The operation of the SAWD II system, including the absorption and desorption cycles, is analyzed. A reduction in the thermal mass of the canister and the system's energy transfer technique result in efficient energy use. The polyether foam, nylon felt, nickel foam, spring retained, and metal bellows bed tests performed to determine the design of the zero-gravity canister are studied; metal bellows are selected for the canister's configuration.

The key to commercial-scale geological CO2 sequestration: Displaced fluid management

USGS Publications Warehouse

Surdam, R.C.; Jiao, Z.; Stauffer, P.; Miller, T.

2011-01-01

The Wyoming State Geological Survey has completed a thorough inventory and prioritization of all Wyoming stratigraphic units and geologic sites capable of sequestering commercial quantities of CO2 (5-15 Mt CO 2/year). This multi-year study identified the Paleozoic Tensleep/Weber Sandstone and Madison Limestone (and stratigraphic equivalent units) as the leading clastic and carbonate reservoir candidates for commercial-scale geological CO2 sequestration in Wyoming. This conclusion was based on unit thickness, overlying low permeability lithofacies, reservoir storage and continuity properties, regional distribution patterns, formation fluid chemistry characteristics, and preliminary fluid-flow modeling. This study also identified the Rock Springs Uplift in southwestern Wyoming as the most promising geological CO2 sequestration site in Wyoming and probably in any Rocky Mountain basin. The results of the WSGS CO2 geological sequestration inventory led the agency and colleagues at the UW School of Energy Resources Carbon Management Institute (CMI) to collect available geologic, petrophysical, geochemical, and geophysical data on the Rock Springs Uplift, and to build a regional 3-D geologic framework model of the Uplift. From the results of these tasks and using the FutureGen protocol, the WSGS showed that on the Rock Springs Uplift, the Weber Sandstone has sufficient pore space to sequester 18 billion tons (Gt) of CO2, and the Madison Limestone has sufficient pore space to sequester 8 Gt of CO2. ?? 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

CSP ELEMENTS: High-Temperature Thermochemical Storage with Redox-Stable Perovskites for Concentrating Solar Power

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jackson, Gregory S; Braun, Robert J; Ma, Zhiwen

This project was motivated by the potential of reducible perovskite oxides for high-temperature, thermochemical energy storage (TCES) to provide dispatchable renewable heat for concentrating solar power (CSP) plants. This project sought to identify and characterize perovskites from earth-abundant cations with high reducibility below 1000 °C for coupling TCES of solar energy to super-critical CO2 (s-CO2) plants that operate above temperature limits (< 600 °C) of current molten-salt storage. Specific TCES > 750 kJ/kg for storage cycles between 500 and 900 °C was targeted with a system cost goal of $15/kWhth. To realize feasibility of TCES systems based on reducible perovskites,more » our team focused on designing and testing a lab-scale concentrating solar receiver, wherein perovskite particles capture solar energy by fast O2 release and sensible heating at a thermal efficiency of 90% and wall temperatures below 1100 °C. System-level models of the receiver and reoxidation reactor coupled to validated thermochemical materials models can assess approaches to scale-up a full TCES system based on reduction/oxidation cycles of perovskite oxides at large scales. After characterizing many Ca-based perovskites for TCES, our team identified strontium-doped calcium manganite Ca1-xSrxMnO3-δ (with x ≤ 0.1) as a composition with adequate stability and specific TCES capacity (> 750 kJ/kg for Ca0.95Sr0.05MnO3-δ) for cycling between air at 500 °C and low-PO2 (10-4 bar) N2 at 900 °C. Substantial kinetic tests demonstrated that resident times of several minutes in low-PO2 gas were needed for these materials to reach the specific TCES goals with particles of reasonable size for large-scale transport (diameter dp > 200 μm). On the other hand, fast reoxidation kinetics in air enables subsequent rapid heat release in a fluidized reoxidation reactor/ heat recovery unit for driving s-CO2 power plants. Validated material thermochemistry coupled to radiation and convective particle-gas transport models facilitated full TCES system analysis for CSP and results showed that receiver efficiencies approaching 85% were feasible with wall-to-particle heat transfer coefficients observed in laboratory experiments. Coupling these reactive particle-gas transport models to external SolTrace and CFD models drove design of a reactive-particle receiver with indirect heating through flux spreading. A lab-scale receiver using Ca0.9Sr0.1MnO3-δ was demonstrated at NREL’s High Flux Solar Furnace with particle temperatures reaching 900 °C while wall temperatures remained below 1100 °C and approximately 200 kJ/kg of chemical energy storage. These first demonstrations of on-sun perovskite reduction and the robust modeling tools from this program provide a basis for going forward with improved receiver designs to increase heat fluxes and solar-energy capture efficiencies. Measurements and modeling tools from this project provide the foundations for advancing TCES for CSP and other applications using reducible perovskite oxides from low-cost, earth-abundant elements. A perovskite composition has been identified that has the thermodynamic potential to meet the targeted TCES capacity of 750 kJ/kg over a range of temperatures amenable for integration with s-CO2 cycles. Further research needs to explore ways of accelerating effective particle kinetics through variations in composition and/or reactor/receiver design. Initial demonstrations of on-sun particle reduction for TCES show a need for testing at larger scales with reduced heat losses and improved particle-wall heat transfer. The gained insight into particle-gas transport and reactor design can launch future development of cost-effective, large-scale particle-based TCES as a technology for enabling increased renewable energy penetration.« less

System-level modeling for geological storage of CO2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Yingqi; Oldenburg, Curtis M.; Finsterle, Stefan

2006-04-24

One way to reduce the effects of anthropogenic greenhousegases on climate is to inject carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrialsources into deep geological formations such as brine formations ordepleted oil or gas reservoirs. Research has and is being conducted toimprove understanding of factors affecting particular aspects ofgeological CO2 storage, such as performance, capacity, and health, safetyand environmental (HSE) issues, as well as to lower the cost of CO2capture and related processes. However, there has been less emphasis todate on system-level analyses of geological CO2 storage that considergeological, economic, and environmental issues by linking detailedrepresentations of engineering components and associated economic models.Themore » objective of this study is to develop a system-level model forgeological CO2 storage, including CO2 capture and separation,compression, pipeline transportation to the storage site, and CO2injection. Within our system model we are incorporating detailedreservoir simulations of CO2 injection and potential leakage withassociated HSE effects. The platform of the system-level modelingisGoldSim [GoldSim, 2006]. The application of the system model is focusedon evaluating the feasibility of carbon sequestration with enhanced gasrecovery (CSEGR) in the Rio Vista region of California. The reservoirsimulations are performed using a special module of the TOUGH2 simulator,EOS7C, for multicomponent gas mixtures of methane and CO2 or methane andnitrogen. Using this approach, the economic benefits of enhanced gasrecovery can be directly weighed against the costs, risks, and benefitsof CO2 injection.« less

The Ca-looping process for CO2 capture and energy storage: role of nanoparticle technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valverde, Jose Manuel

2018-02-01

The calcium looping (CaL) process, based on the cyclic carbonation/calcination of CaO, has come into scene in the last years with a high potential to be used in large-scale technologies aimed at mitigating global warming. In the CaL process for CO2 capture, the CO2-loaded flue gas is used to fluidize a bed of CaO particles at temperatures around 650 °C. The carbonated particles are then circulated into a calciner reactor wherein the CaO solids are regenerated at temperatures near 950 °C under high CO2 concentration. Calcination at such harsh conditions causes a marked sintering and loss of reactivity of the regenerated CaO. This main drawback could be however compensated from the very low cost of natural CaO precursors such as limestone or dolomite. Another emerging application of the CaL process is thermochemical energy storage (TCES) in concentrated solar power (CSP) plants. Importantly, carbonation/calcination conditions to maximize the global CaL-CSP plant efficiency could differ radically from those used for CO2 capture. Thus, carbonation could be carried out at high temperatures under high CO2 partial pressure for maximum efficiency, whereas the solids could be calcined at relatively low temperatures in the absence of CO2 to promote calcination. Our work highlights the critical role of carbonation/calcination conditions on the performance of CaO derived from natural precursors. While conditions in the CaL process for CO2 capture lead to a severe CaO deactivation with the number of cycles, the same material may exhibit a high and stable conversion at optimum CaL-CSP conditions. Moreover, the type of CaL conditions influences critically the reaction kinetics, which plays a main role on the optimization of relevant operation parameters such as the residence time in the reactors. This paper is devoted to a brief review on the latest research activity in our group concerning these issues as well as the possible role of nanoparticle technology to enhance the activity of Ca-based materials at CaL conditions for CO2 capture and energy storage.

Application of a pore-scale reactive transport model to a natural analog for reaction-induced pore alterations

DOE PAGES

Yoon, Hongkyu; Major, Jonathan; Dewers, Thomas; ...

2017-01-05

Dissolved CO 2 in the subsurface resulting from geological CO 2 storage may react with minerals in fractured rocks, confined aquifers, or faults, resulting in mineral precipitation and dissolution. The overall rate of reaction can be affected by coupled processes including hydrodynamics, transport, and reactions at the (sub) pore-scale. In this work pore-scale modeling of coupled fluid flow, reactive transport, and heterogeneous reactions at the mineral surface is applied to account for permeability alterations caused by precipitation-induced pore-blocking. This paper is motivated by observations of CO 2 seeps from a natural CO 2 sequestration analog, Crystal Geyser, Utah. Observations alongmore » the surface exposure of the Little Grand Wash fault indicate the lateral migration of CO 2 seep sites (i.e., alteration zones) of 10–50 m width with spacing on the order of ~100 m over time. Sandstone permeability in alteration zones is reduced by 3–4 orders of magnitude by carbonate cementation compared to unaltered zones. One granular porous medium and one fracture network systems are used to conceptually represent permeable porous media and locations of conduits controlled by fault-segment intersections and/or topography, respectively. Simulation cases accounted for a range of reaction regimes characterized by the Damköhler (Da) and Peclet (Pe) numbers. Pore-scale simulation results demonstrate that combinations of transport (Pe), geochemical conditions (Da), solution chemistry, and pore and fracture configurations contributed to match key patterns observed in the field of how calcite precipitation alters flow paths by pore plugging. This comparison of simulation results with field observations reveals mechanistic explanations of the lateral migration and enhances our understanding of subsurface processes associated with the CO 2 injection. In addition, permeability and porosity relations are constructed from pore-scale simulations which account for a range of reaction regimes characterized by the Da and Pe numbers. Finally, the functional relationships obtained from pore-scale simulations can be used in a continuum scale model that may account for large-scale phenomena mimicking lateral migration of surface CO 2 seeps.« less

Multiphase Flow Characteristics of Heterogeneous Rocks From CO2 Storage Reservoirs in the United Kingdom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reynolds, Catriona A.; Blunt, Martin J.; Krevor, Samuel

2018-02-01

We have studied the impact of heterogeneity on relative permeability and residual trapping for rock samples from the Bunter sandstone of the UK Southern North Sea, the Ormskirk sandstone of the East Irish Sea, and the Captain sandstone of the UK Northern North Sea. Reservoir condition CO2-brine relative permeability measurements were made while systematically varying the ratio of viscous to capillary flow potential, across a range of flow rates, fractional flow, and during drainage and imbibition displacement. This variation resulted in observations obtained across a range of core-scale capillary number 0.2

Field-Scale Modeling of Local Capillary Trapping During CO2 Injection into a Saline Aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, B.; Lake, L. W.; Bryant, S. L.

2015-12-01

Local capillary trapping is the small-scale (10-2 to 10+1 m) CO2 trapping that is caused by the capillary pressure heterogeneity. The benefit of LCT, applied specially to CO2 sequestration, is that saturation of stored CO2 is larger than the residual gas, yet these CO2 are not susceptible to leakage through failed seals. Thus quantifying the extent of local capillary trapping is valuable in design and risk assessment of geologic storage projects. Modeling local capillary trapping is computationally expensive and may even be intractable using a conventional reservoir simulator. In this paper, we propose a novel method to model local capillary trapping by combining geologic criteria and connectivity analysis. The connectivity analysis originally developed for characterizing well-to-reservoir connectivity is adapted to this problem by means of a newly defined edge weight property between neighboring grid blocks, which accounts for the multiphase flow properties, injection rate, and gravity effect. Then the connectivity is estimated from shortest path algorithm to predict the CO2 migration behavior and plume shape during injection. A geologic criteria algorithm is developed to estimate the potential local capillary traps based only on the entry capillary pressure field. The latter is correlated to a geostatistical realization of permeability field. The extended connectivity analysis shows a good match of CO2 plume computed by the full-physics simulation. We then incorporate it into the geologic algorithm to quantify the amount of LCT structures identified within the entry capillary pressure field that can be filled during CO2 injection. Several simulations are conducted in the reservoirs with different level of heterogeneity (measured by the Dykstra-Parsons coefficient) under various injection scenarios. We find that there exists a threshold Dykstra-Parsons coefficient, below which low injection rate gives rise to more LCT; whereas higher injection rate increases LCT in heterogeneous reservoirs. Both the geologic algorithm and connectivity analysis are very fast; therefore, the integrated methodology can be used as a quick tool to estimate local capillary trapping. It can also be used as a potential complement to the full-physics simulation to evaluate safe storage capacity.

Experimental analysis of the performance of optimized fin structures in a latent heat energy storage test rig

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Maike; Hübner, Stefan; Reichmann, Carsten; Schönberger, Manfred; Fiß, Michael

2017-06-01

Energy storage systems are a key technology for developing a more sustainable energy supply system and lowering overall CO2 emissions. Among the variety of storage technologies, high temperature phase change material (PCM) storage is a promising option with a wide range of applications. PCM storages using an extended finned tube storage concept have been designed and techno-economically optimized for solar thermal power plant operations. These finned tube components were experimentally tested in order to validate the optimized design and simulation models used. Analysis of the charging and discharging characteristics of the storage at the pilot scale gives insight into the heat distribution both axially as well as radially in the storage material, thereby allowing for a realistic validation of the design. The design was optimized for discharging of the storage, as this is the more critical operation mode in power plant applications. The data show good agreement between the model and the experiments for discharging.

Reducing Risk in CO2 Sequestration: A Framework for Integrated Monitoring of Basin Scale Injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seto, C. J.; Haidari, A. S.; McRae, G. J.

2009-12-01

Geological sequestration of CO2 is an option for stabilization of atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Technical ability to safely store CO2 in the subsurface has been demonstrated through pilot projects and a long history of enhanced oil recovery and acid gas disposal operations. To address climate change, current injection operations must be scaled up by a factor of 100, raising issues of safety and security. Monitoring and verification is an essential component in ensuring safe operations and managing risk. Monitoring provides assurance that CO2 is securely stored in the subsurface, and the mechanisms governing transport and storage are well understood. It also provides an early warning mechanism for identification of anomalies in performance, and a means for intervention and remediation through the ability to locate the CO2. Through theoretical studies, bench scale experiments and pilot tests, a number of technologies have demonstrated their ability to monitor CO2 in the surface and subsurface. Because the focus of these studies has been to demonstrate feasibility, individual techniques have not been integrated to provide a more robust method for monitoring. Considering the large volumes required for injection, size of the potential footprint, length of time a project must be monitored and uncertainty, operational considerations of cost and risk must balance safety and security. Integration of multiple monitoring techniques will reduce uncertainty in monitoring injected CO2, thereby reducing risk. We present a framework for risk management of large scale injection through model based monitoring network design. This framework is applied to monitoring CO2 in a synthetic reservoir where there is uncertainty in the underlying permeability field controlling fluid migration. Deformation and seismic data are used to track plume migration. A modified Ensemble Kalman filter approach is used to estimate flow properties by jointly assimilating flow and geomechanical observations. Issues of risk, cost and uncertainty are considered.

An ultrastable anode for long-life room-temperature sodium-ion batteries.

PubMed

Yu, Haijun; Ren, Yang; Xiao, Dongdong; Guo, Shaohua; Zhu, Yanbei; Qian, Yumin; Gu, Lin; Zhou, Haoshen

2014-08-18

Sodium-ion batteries are important alternative energy storage devices that have recently come again into focus for the development of large-scale energy storage devices because sodium is an abundant and low-cost material. However, the development of electrode materials with long-term stability has remained a great challenge. A novel negative-electrode material, a P2-type layered oxide with the chemical composition Na(2/3)Co(1/3)Ti(2/3)O2, exhibits outstanding cycle stability (ca. 84.84 % capacity retention for 3000 cycles, very small decrease in the volume (0.046 %) after 500 cycles), good rate capability (ca. 41 % capacity retention at a discharge/charge rate of 10 C), and a usable reversible capacity of about 90 mAh g(-1) with a safe average storage voltage of approximately 0.7 V in the sodium half-cell. This P2-type layered oxide is a promising anode material for sodium-ion batteries with a long cycle life and should greatly promote the development of room-temperature sodium-ion batteries. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Modified atmosphere packaging and vacuum packaging for long period chilled storage of dry-cured Iberian ham.

PubMed

Parra, V; Viguera, J; Sánchez, J; Peinado, J; Espárrago, F; Gutierrez, J I; Andrés, A I

2010-04-01

Dry-cured Iberian ham slices were stored under vacuum and under four different modified atmospheres (60/40=60%N(2)+40%CO(2); 70/30=70%N(2)+30%CO(2); 80/20=80%N(2)+20%CO(2); argon=70%argon+30%CO(2)) at 4+/-1 degrees C during 120 days. Gas composition, moisture content, pH, colour, pigment content, and lipid stability were measured, as well as sensory and microbial analysis were carried out throughout storage. A loss of intensity of red colour (a(*)-values) was observed during storage in ham slices (P<0.05). Consistently, MbFe(II)NO content also decreased throughout storage (P>0.05). Slices of ham packed in 40%CO(2) (60/40) and 30%CO(2) (70/30) showed lower a(*)-values than the rest of the batches after 60 days (P<0.05), though differences were not evident after 120 days (P>0.05). TBARs values showed an upward trend during the storage of packaged slices (P<0.05). Vacuum-packed slices showed the lowest TBARs values and those packed with 40%CO(2), the highest. Sensory attributes did not vary significantly (P>0.05) throughout storage under refrigeration and packed either in vacuum or in modified atmospheres. No safety problems were detected in relation to the microbial quality in any case. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SECARB Commercial Scale CO 2 Injection and Optimization of Storage Capacity in the Southeastern United States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koperna, George J.; Pashin, Jack; Walsh, Peter

The Commercial Scale Project is a US DOE/NETL funded initiative aimed at enhancing the knowledge-base and industry’s ability to geologically store vast quantities of anthropogenic carbon. In support of this goal, a large-scale, stacked reservoir geologic model was developed for Gulf Coast sediments centered on the Citronelle Dome in southwest Alabama, the site of the SECARB Phase III Anthropogenic Test. Characterization of regional geology to construct the model consists of an assessment of the entire stratigraphic continuum at Citronelle Dome, from surface to the depth of the Donovan oil-bearing formation. This project utilizes all available geologic data available, which includes:more » modern geophysical well logs from three new wells drilled for SECARB’s Anthropogenic Test; vintage logs from the Citronelle oilfield wells; porosity and permeability data from whole core and sidewall cores obtained from the injection and observation wells drilled for the Anthropogenic Test; core data obtained from the SECARB Phase II saline aquifer injection test; regional core data for relevant formations from the Geological Survey of Alabama archives. Cross sections, isopach maps, and structure maps were developed to validate the geometry and architecture of the Citronelle Dome for building the model, and assuring that no major structural defects exist in the area. A synthetic neural network approach was used to predict porosity using the available SP and resistivity log data for the storage reservoir formations. These data are validated and applied to extrapolate porosity data over the study area wells, and to interpolate permeability amongst these data points. Geostatistical assessments were conducted over the study area. In addition to geologic characterization of the region, a suite of core analyses was conducted to construct a depositional model and constrain caprock integrity. Petrographic assessment of core was conducted by OSU and analyzed to build a depositional framework for the region and provide modern day analogues. Stability of the caprock over several test parameters was conducted by UAB to yield comprehensive measurements on long term stability of caprocks. The detailed geologic model of the full earth volume from surface thru the Donovan oil reservoir is incorporated into a state-of-the-art reservoir simulation conducted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to explore optimization of CO 2 injection and storage under different characterizations of reservoir flow properties. The application of a scaled up geologic modeling and reservoir simulation provides a proof of concept for the large scale volumetric modeling of CO 2 injection and storage the subsurface.« less

Development of Science-Based Permitting Guidance for Geological Sequestration of CO2 in Deep Saline Aquifers Based on Modeling and Risk Assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jean-Philippe Nicot; Renaud Bouroullec; Hugo Castellanos

2006-06-30

Underground carbon storage may become one of the solutions to address global warming. However, to have an impact, carbon storage must be done at a much larger scale than current CO{sub 2} injection operations for enhanced oil recovery. It must also include injection into saline aquifers. An important characteristic of CO{sub 2} is its strong buoyancy--storage must be guaranteed to be sufficiently permanent to satisfy the very reason that CO{sub 2} is injected. This long-term aspect (hundreds to thousands of years) is not currently captured in legislation, even if the U.S. has a relatively well-developed regulatory framework to handle carbonmore » storage, especially in the operational short term. This report proposes a hierarchical approach to permitting in which the State/Federal Government is responsible for developing regional assessments, ranking potential sites (''General Permit'') and lessening the applicant's burden if the general area of the chosen site has been ranked more favorably. The general permit would involve determining in the regional sense structural (closed structures), stratigraphic (heterogeneity), and petrophysical (flow parameters such as residual saturation) controls on the long-term fate of geologically sequestered CO{sub 2}. The state-sponsored regional studies and the subsequent local study performed by the applicant will address the long-term risk of the particular site. It is felt that a performance-based approach rather than a prescriptive approach is the most appropriate framework in which to address public concerns. However, operational issues for each well (equivalent to the current underground injection control-UIC-program) could follow regulations currently in place. Area ranking will include an understanding of trapping modes. Capillary (due to residual saturation) and structural (due to local geological configuration) trappings are two of the four mechanisms (the other two are solubility and mineral trappings), which are the most relevant to the time scale of interest. The most likely pathways for leakage, if any, are wells and faults. We favor a defense-in-depth approach, in which storage permanence does not rely upon a primary seal only but assumes that any leak can be contained by geologic processes before impacting mineral resources, fresh ground water, or ground surface. We examined the Texas Gulf Coast as an example of an attractive target for carbon storage. Stacked sand-shale layers provide large potential storage volumes and defense-in-depth leakage protection. In the Texas Gulf Coast, the best way to achieve this goal is to establish the primary injection level below the total depth of most wells (>2,400 m-8,000 ft). In addition, most faults, particularly growth faults, present at the primary injection level do not reach the surface. A potential methodology, which includes an integrated approach comprising the whole chain of potential events from leakage from the primary site to atmospheric impacts, is also presented. It could be followed by the State/Federal Government, as well as by the operators.« less

Prolonged shelf life and reduced drip loss of chicken filets by the use of carbon dioxide emitters and modified atmosphere packaging.

PubMed

Holck, Askild L; Pettersen, Marit K; Moen, Marie H; Sørheim, Oddvin

2014-07-01

Modified atmosphere packaging containing CO2 is widely used for extending the shelf life of chicken meat. Active packaging by adding CO2 emitter sachets to packages of meat is an alternative to traditional modified atmosphere packaging. The purpose of the study was to investigate the shelf life of chicken filets under different CO2 concentrations at 4°C storage. The inhibition of microbial growth was proportional to the CO2 concentration. Storage in 100% CO2 both with and without a CO2 emitter sachet gave a microbiological shelf-life extension of 7 days compared with 60% CO2. Carnobacterium divergens, Carnobacterium sp., and Lactococcus sp. were the dominating species at the end of the storage period. During storage in pure CO2, the carbon dioxide dissolved in the meat and caused the collapse of the packages. The resulting squeeze of the meat lead to a severe increase in drip loss. The drip loss was reduced profoundly by using the CO2 emitting sachet in the packages. The addition of CO2 emitters can easily be implemented at industrial packaging lines without reduction in production efficiency.

The sensitivity of terrestrial carbon storage to historical climate variability and atmospheric CO2 in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tian, H.; Melillo, J.M.; Kicklighter, D.W.; McGuire, A.D.; Helfrich, J.

1999-01-01

We use the Terrestrial Ecosystem Model (TEM, Version 4.1) and the land cover data set of the international geosphere-biosphere program to investigate how increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration and climate variability during 1900-1994 affect the carbon storage of terrestrial ecosystems in the conterminous USA, and how carbon storage has been affected by land-use change. The estimates of TEM indicate that over the past 95 years a combination of increasing atmospheric CO2 with historical temperature and precipitation variability causes a 4.2% (4.3 Pg C) decrease in total carbon storage of potential vegetation in the conterminous US, with vegetation carbon decreasing by 7.2% (3.2 Pg C) and soil organic carbon decreasing by 1.9% (1.1 Pg C). Several dry periods including the 1930s and 1950s are responsible for the loss of carbon storage. Our factorial experiments indicate that precipitation variability alone decreases total carbon storage by 9.5%. Temperature variability alone does not significantly affect carbon storage. The effect of CO2 fertilization alone increases total carbon storage by 4.4%. The effects of increasing atmospheric CO2 and climate variability are not additive. Interactions among CO2, temperature and precipitation increase total carbon storage by 1.1%. Our study also shows substantial year-to-year variations in net carbon exchange between the atmosphere and terrestrial ecosystems due to climate variability. Since the 1960s, we estimate these terrestrial ecosystems have acted primarily as a sink of atmospheric CO2 as a result of wetter weather and higher atmospheric CO2 concentrations. For the 1980s, we estimate the natural terrestrial ecosystems, excluding cropland and urban areas, of the conterminous US have accumulated 78.2 Tg C yr-1 because of the combined effect of increasing atmospheric CO2 and climate variability. For the conterminous US, we estimate that the conversion of natural ecosystems to cropland and urban areas has caused a 18.2% (17.7 Pg C) reduction in total carbon storage from that estimated for potential vegetation. The carbon sink capacity of natural terrestrial ecosystems in the conterminous US is about 69% of that estimated for potential vegetation.

Completion of five years of safe CO2 injection and transition into the post-closure phase at the Ketzin pilot site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martens, Sonja; Moeller, Fabian; Streibel, Martin; Liebscher, Axel; Ketzin Group

2014-05-01

The injection of CO2 at the Ketzin pilot site in Germany ended after five years in August 2013. We present the key results from site operation and outline future activities within the post-closure phase. From June 2008 onwards, a total amount of 67 kt of CO2 was safely injected into a saline aquifer (Upper Triassic sandstone) at a depth of 630 m - 650 m. The CO2 used was mainly of food grade quality (purity > 99.9%). In addition, 1.5 kt of CO2 from the pilot capture facility "Schwarze Pumpe" (power plant CO2 with purity > 99.7%) was injected in 2011. During regular operation, the CO2 was pre-heated on-site to 45°C before injection in order to avoid pressure build-up within the reservoir. During the final months of injection a "cold-injection" experiment with a stepwise decrease of the injection temperature down to 10°C was conducted between March and July 2013. In summer 2013, the injection of a mixture of 95% CO2 and 5% N2 was also tested. After ceasing the injection in August the injection facility and pipeline were removed in December 2013. Geological storage of CO2 at the Ketzin pilot site has so far proceeded in a safe and reliable manner. As a result of one of the most comprehensive R&D programs worldwide, a combination of different geochemical and geophysical monitoring methods is able to detect even small quantities of CO2 and map their spatial extent. After the cessation of CO2 injection a series of activities and further investigations are involved in the post-closure phase. The aim is that Ketzin will for the first time ever close the complete life-time cycle of a CO2 storage site at pilot scale. The five wells (1 injection/observation well, 4 pure observation wells) will be successively abandoned within the next few years while monitoring is continuing. The partial plugging of one observation well in the reservoir section was already completed in fall 2013. The new four-years project COMPLETE (CO2 post-injection monitoring and post-closure phase at the Ketzin pilot site) started in January 2014. Activities within COMPLETE include R&D work on well integrity, post-closure monitoring as well as two field experiments. One is a back-production test of the CO2 aiming at information on the physicochemical properties of the back-produced CO2 as well as the pressure response of the reservoir. The other experiment will focus on brine injection into the CO2 storage reservoir in order to study e.g. the residual gas saturation. Public outreach has been a key element for the project from the very beginning and accompanies the research on CO2 storage at Ketzin since 2004. Thus dissemination (e.g. www.co2ketzin.de) and activities at the visitor centre at the pilot site will continue within COMPLETE and along the entire life cycle of the Ketzin project.

Testing the Injectivity of CO2 in a Sub-surface Heterogeneous Reservoir

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sundal, A.; Nystuen, J.; Dypvik, H.; Aagaard, P.

2011-12-01

This case study on subsurface reservoir characterization, considers the effect of geological heterogeneities on the storage capacity and injectivity of the Johansen Formation, which is a deep, saline aquifer underlying the Troll Gas Field off the Norwegian coast. The Johansen Formation has been interpreted as a sandy, prograding unit, deposited in a shallow marine environment during Early Jurassic time, and is overlain by a shaly unit; the Amundsen Formation. It appears as a wedge shaped sandstone body, up to 140m thick, with an areal extent in the order of 10 000 km2. The Johansen Formation is currently being considered for large scale CO2 storage from two gas power plants situated on the west coast of Norway, both of which will operate with full scale CO2 handling, as proposed by Norwegian authorities. The storage capacity needed is in the order of 3 Mt CO2/year. With access to a new 3D seismic survey (Gassnova, 2010), and based on existing well log data from 25 penetrating wells, we have studied large scale geometries and intra-formational features, and built a geo-conceptual model of the Johansen Formation. The reservoir is heterogeneous, with distinct permeability zonation within clinothems separated by less permeable layers. In order to obtain better understanding of crucial reservoir parameters and supplement limited data, comparison of data from easily accessible analogue rock units is useful. For this purpose the unit should be well exposed and thoroughly documented, such as the Panther Tongue Member (Star Point Formation, Mesa Verde Group) in Book Cliffs, from which we have collected some comparable permeability estimates for the model. On a micro scale, mineralogy, grain size/shape and pore geometry constitue major controls on reservoir porosity and permeability. Direct geological information is at this point in time limited to a few meters of core, from which detailed mineralogical information has been derived (optical microscopy, SEM, XRD), and some additional data from side wall cores and cuttings. From this we evaluate facies dependence related to observed diagenetic features and compositional variations due to burial depth (2-4km), mainly considering chlorite coatings (preserving porosity) and cementation (calcite and quartz). Using Schlumberger soft-wares; Petrel (reservoir) and Eclipse (fluid flow), we are testing injection scenarios (one point, several points, bleeding wells) in several intra-formational geological settings. These results will be evaluated relative to the distribution of facies and heterogeneities in the reservoir, considering multiphase flow given the local pressure regime.

Direct electrolytic dissolution of silicate minerals for air CO2 mitigation and carbon-negative H2 production

PubMed Central

Rau, Greg H.; Carroll, Susan A.; Bourcier, William L.; Singleton, Michael J.; Smith, Megan M.; Aines, Roger D.

2013-01-01

We experimentally demonstrate the direct coupling of silicate mineral dissolution with saline water electrolysis and H2 production to effect significant air CO2 absorption, chemical conversion, and storage in solution. In particular, we observed as much as a 105-fold increase in OH− concentration (pH increase of up to 5.3 units) relative to experimental controls following the electrolysis of 0.25 M Na2SO4 solutions when the anode was encased in powdered silicate mineral, either wollastonite or an ultramafic mineral. After electrolysis, full equilibration of the alkalized solution with air led to a significant pH reduction and as much as a 45-fold increase in dissolved inorganic carbon concentration. This demonstrated significant spontaneous air CO2 capture, chemical conversion, and storage as a bicarbonate, predominantly as NaHCO3. The excess OH− initially formed in these experiments apparently resulted via neutralization of the anolyte acid, H2SO4, by reaction with the base mineral silicate at the anode, producing mineral sulfate and silica. This allowed the NaOH, normally generated at the cathode, to go unneutralized and to accumulate in the bulk electrolyte, ultimately reacting with atmospheric CO2 to form dissolved bicarbonate. Using nongrid or nonpeak renewable electricity, optimized systems at large scale might allow relatively high-capacity, energy-efficient (<300 kJ/mol of CO2 captured), and inexpensive (<$100 per tonne of CO2 mitigated) removal of excess air CO2 with production of carbon-negative H2. Furthermore, when added to the ocean, the produced hydroxide and/or (bi)carbonate could be useful in reducing sea-to-air CO2 emissions and in neutralizing or offsetting the effects of ongoing ocean acidification. PMID:23729814

Fluid Substitution Modeling to Determine Sensitivity of 3D Vertical Seismic Profile Data to Injected CO­2­ at an active Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage Project, Farnsworth field, TX.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haar, K. K.; Balch, R. S.

2015-12-01

The Southwest Regional Partnership on Carbon Sequestration monitors a CO2 capture, utilization and storage project at Farnsworth field, TX. The reservoir interval is a Morrowan age fluvial sand deposited in an incised valley. The sands are between 10 to 25m thick and located about 2800m below the surface. Primary oil recovery began in 1958 and by the late 1960's secondary recovery through waterflooding was underway. In 2009, Chaparral Energy began tertiary recovery using 100% anthropogenic CO2 sourced from an ethanol and a fertilizer plant. This constitutes carbon sequestration and fulfills the DOE's initiative to determine the best approach to permanent carbon storage. One purpose of the study is to understand CO­2 migration from injection wells. CO2­ plume spatial distribution for this project is analyzed with the use of time-lapse 3D vertical seismic profiles centered on CO2 injection wells. They monitor raypaths traveling in a single direction compared to surface seismic surveys with raypaths traveling in both directions. 3D VSP surveys can image up to 1.5km away from the well of interest, exceeding regulatory requirements for maximum plume extent by a factor of two. To optimize the timing of repeat VSP acquisition, the sensitivity of the 3D VSP surveys to CO2 injection was analyzed to determine at what injection volumes a seismic response to the injected CO­2 will be observable. Static geologic models were generated for pre-CO2 and post-CO2 reservoir states through construction of fine scale seismic based geologic models, which were then history matched via flow simulations. These generated static states of the model, where CO2­ replaces oil and brine in pore spaces, allow for generation of impedance volumes which when convolved with a representative wavelet generate synthetic seismic volumes used in the sensitivity analysis. Funding for the project is provided by DOE's National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) under Award No. DE-FC26-05NT42591.

Soil organic matter dynamics and CO2 fluxes in relation to landscape scale processes: linking process understanding to regional scale carbon mass-balances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Oost, Kristof; Nadeu, Elisabet; Wiaux, François; Wang, Zhengang; Stevens, François; Vanclooster, Marnik; Tran, Anh; Bogaert, Patrick; Doetterl, Sebastian; Lambot, Sébastien; Van wesemael, Bas

2014-05-01

In this paper, we synthesize the main outcomes of a collaborative project (2009-2014) initiated at the UCL (Belgium). The main objective of the project was to increase our understanding of soil organic matter dynamics in complex landscapes and use this to improve predictions of regional scale soil carbon balances. In a first phase, the project characterized the emergent spatial variability in soil organic matter storage and key soil properties at the regional scale. Based on the integration of remote sensing, geomorphological and soil analysis techniques, we quantified the temporal and spatial variability of soil carbon stock and pool distribution at the local and regional scales. This work showed a linkage between lateral fluxes of C in relation with sediment transport and the spatial variation in carbon storage at multiple spatial scales. In a second phase, the project focused on characterizing key controlling factors and process interactions at the catena scale. In-situ experiments of soil CO2 respiration showed that the soil carbon response at the catena scale was spatially heterogeneous and was mainly controlled by the catenary variation of soil physical attributes (soil moisture, temperature, C quality). The hillslope scale characterization relied on advanced hydrogeophysical techniques such as GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar), EMI (Electromagnetic induction), ERT (Electrical Resistivity Tomography), and geophysical inversion and data mining tools. Finally, we report on the integration of these insights into a coupled and spatially explicit model and its application. Simulations showed that C stocks and redistribution of mass and energy fluxes are closely coupled, they induce structured spatial and temporal patterns with non negligible attached uncertainties. We discuss the main outcomes of these activities in relation to sink-source behavior and relevance of erosion processes for larger-scale C budgets.

National assessment of geologic carbon dioxide storage resources: results

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2013-01-01

In 2012, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed an assessment of the technically accessible storage resources (TASR) for carbon dioxide (CO2) in geologic formations underlying the onshore and State waters area of the United States. The formations assessed are at least 3,000 feet (914 meters) below the ground surface. The TASR is an estimate of the CO2 storage resource that may be available for CO2 injection and storage that is based on present-day geologic and hydrologic knowledge of the subsurface and current engineering practices. Individual storage assessment units (SAUs) for 36 basins were defined on the basis of geologic and hydrologic characteristics outlined in the assessment methodology of Brennan and others (2010, USGS Open-File Report 2010–1127) and the subsequent methodology modification and implementation documentation of Blondes, Brennan, and others (2013, USGS Open-File Report 2013–1055). The mean national TASR is approximately 3,000 metric gigatons (Gt). The estimate of the TASR includes buoyant trapping storage resources (BSR), where CO2 can be trapped in structural or stratigraphic closures, and residual trapping storage resources, where CO2 can be held in place by capillary pore pressures in areas outside of buoyant traps. The mean total national BSR is 44 Gt. The residual storage resource consists of three injectivity classes based on reservoir permeability: residual trapping class 1 storage resource (R1SR) represents storage in rocks with permeability greater than 1 darcy (D); residual trapping class 2 storage resource (R2SR) represents storage in rocks with moderate permeability, defined as permeability between 1 millidarcy (mD) and 1 D; and residual trapping class 3 storage resource (R3SR) represents storage in rocks with low permeability, defined as permeability less than 1 mD. The mean national storage resources for rocks in residual trapping classes 1, 2, and 3 are 140 Gt, 2,700 Gt, and 130 Gt, respectively. The known recovery replacement storage resource (KRRSR) is a conservative estimate that represents only the amount of CO2 at subsurface conditions that could replace the volume of known hydrocarbon production. The mean national KRRSR, determined from production volumes rather than the geologic model of buoyant and residual traps that make up TASR, is 13 Gt. The estimated storage resources are dominated by residual trapping class 2, which accounts for 89 percent of the total resources. The Coastal Plains Region of the United States contains the largest storage resource of any region. Within the Coastal Plains Region, the resources from the U.S. Gulf Coast area represent 59 percent of the national CO2 storage capacity.

Active CO2 Reservoir Management: A Strategy for Controlling Pressure, CO2 and Brine Migration in Saline-Formation CCS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buscheck, T. A.; Sun, Y.; Hao, Y.; Court, B.; Celia, M. A.; Wolery, T.; Tompson, A. F.; Aines, R. D.; Friedmann, J.

2010-12-01

CO2 capture and sequestration (CCS) in deep geological formations is regarded as a promising means of lowering the amount of CO2 emitted to the atmosphere and thereby mitigate global warming. The most promising systems for CCS are depleted oil reservoirs, particularly those suited to CO2-based Enhanced Oil Recovery (CCS-EOR), and deep saline formations, both of which are well separated from the atmosphere. For conventional, industrial-scale, saline-formation CCS, pressure buildup can have a limiting effect on CO2 storage capacity. To address this concern, we analyze Active CO2 Reservoir Management (ACRM), which combines brine extraction and residual-brine reinjection with CO2 injection, comparing it with conventional saline-formation CCS. We investigate the influence of brine extraction on pressure response and CO2 and brine migration using the NUFT code. By extracting brine from the lower portion of the storage formation, from locations progressively further from the center of injection, we can counteract buoyancy that drives CO2 to the top of the formation, which is useful in dipping formations. Using “push-pull” manipulation of the CO2 plume, we expose less of the caprock seal to CO2 and more of the storage formation to CO2, with more of the formation utilized for trapping mechanisms. Plume manipulation can also counteract the influence of heterogeneity. We consider the impact of extraction ratio, defined as net extracted brine volume (extraction minus reinjection) divided by injected CO2 volume. Pressure buildup is reduced with increasing extraction ratio, which reduces CO2 and brine migration, increases CO2 storage capacity, and reduces other risks, such as leakage up abandoned wells, caprock fracturing, fault activation, and induced seismicity. For a 100-yr injection period, a 10-yr delay in brine extraction does not diminish the magnitude of pressure reduction. Moreover, it is possible to achieve pressure management with just a few brine-extraction wells, located far from the injection zone. For an extraction ratio of 1, pressure buildup is minimized, greatly reducing the Area of Review, as well as the area required for securing mineral rights. For an extraction ratio of 1, CO2 and brine migration are unaffected by neighboring CO2 operations, which allows planning, assessing, and conducting of each operation to be carried out independently; thus, permits could be granted on a single-site basis. Brine-extraction wells will be useful during monitoring, providing information for system calibration and history matching. One of several key aspects that ACRM has in common with CCS-EOR is the possibility of generating revenue from the extracted fluids; namely, fresh water produced via brine desalination, using technologies such as Reverse Osmosis. These benefits can offset brine extraction and treatment costs, streamline permitting, and help gain public acceptance. This work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Framework for the assessment of interaction between CO2 geological storage and other sedimentary basin resources.

PubMed

Michael, K; Whittaker, S; Varma, S; Bekele, E; Langhi, L; Hodgkinson, J; Harris, B

2016-02-01

Sedimentary basins around the world considered suitable for carbon storage usually contain other natural resources such as petroleum, coal, geothermal energy and groundwater. Storing carbon dioxide in geological formations in the basins adds to the competition for access to the subsurface and the use of pore space where other resource-based industries also operate. Managing potential impacts that industrial-scale injection of carbon dioxide may have on other resource development must be focused to prevent potential conflicts and enhance synergies where possible. Such a sustainable coexistence of various resource developments can be accomplished by implementing a Framework for Basin Resource Management strategy (FBRM). The FBRM strategy utilizes the concept of an Area of Review (AOR) for guiding development and regulation of CO2 geological storage projects and for assessing their potential impact on other resources. The AOR is determined by the expected physical distribution of the CO2 plume in the subsurface and the modelled extent of reservoir pressure increase resulting from the injection of the CO2. This information is used to define the region to be characterised and monitored for a CO2 injection project. The geological characterisation and risk- and performance-based monitoring will be most comprehensive within the region of the reservoir containing the carbon dioxide plume and should consider geological features and wells continuously above the plume through to its surface projection; this region defines where increases in reservoir pressure will be greatest and where potential for unplanned migration of carbon dioxide is highest. Beyond the expanse of the carbon dioxide plume, geological characterisation and monitoring should focus only on identified features that could be a potential migration conduit for either formation water or carbon dioxide.

Interactions Between Stratigraphy and Interfacial Properties on Flow and Trapping in Geologic Carbon Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Bo; Clarens, Andres F.

2018-01-01

Gas leakage from geologic carbon storage sites could undermine the long-term goal of reducing emissions to the atmosphere and negatively impact groundwater resources. Despite this, there remain uncertainties associated with the transport processes that would govern this leakage. These stem from the complex interaction between governing forces (e.g., gravitational, viscous, and capillary), the heterogeneous nature of the porous media, and the characteristic length scales of these leakage events, all of which impact the CO2 fluid flow processes. Here we assessed how sub-basin-scale horizons in porous media could impact the migration and trapping of a CO2 plume. A high-pressure column packed with two layers of sand with different properties (e.g., grain size and wettability) was used to create a low-contrast stratigraphic horizon. CO2 in supercritical or liquid phase was injected into the bottom of the column under various conditions (e.g., temperature, pressure, and capillary number) and the transport of the resulting plume was recorded using electrical resistivity. The results show that CO2 trapping was most strongly impacted by shifting the wettability balance to mixed-wet conditions, particularly for residual saturation. A 16% increase in the cosine of the contact angle for a mixed-wet sand resulted in nearly twice as much residual trapping. Permeability contrast, pressure, and temperature also impacted the residual saturation but to a lesser extent. Flow rate affected the dynamics of saturation profile development, but the effect is transient, suggesting that the other effects observed here could apply to a broad range of leakage conditions.

Reactive transport of CO2-rich fluids in simulated wellbore interfaces: Experiments and models exploring behaviour on length scales of 1 to 6 m

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolterbeek, T. K. T.; Raoof, A.; Peach, C. J.; Spiers, C. J.

2016-12-01

Defects present at casing-cement interfaces in wellbores constitute potential pathways for CO2 to migrate from geological storage systems. It is essential to understand how the transport properties of such pathways evolve when penetrated by CO2-rich fluids. While numerous studies have explored this problem at the decimetre length-scale, the 1-10-100 m scales relevant for real wellbores have received little attention. The present work addresses the effects of long-range reactive transport on a length scale of 1-6 m. This is done by means of a combined experimental and modelling study. The experimental work consisted of flow-through tests, performed on cement-filled steel tubes, 1-6 m in length, containing artificially debonded cement-interfaces. Four tests were performed, at 60-80 °C, imposing flow-through of CO2-rich fluid at mean pressures of 10-15 MPa, controlling the pressure difference at 0.12-4.8 MPa, while measuring flow-rate. In the modelling work, we developed a numerical model to explore reactive transport in CO2-exposed defects on a similar length scale. The formulation adopted incorporates fluid flow, advective and diffusive solute transport, and CO2-cement chemical reactions. Our results show that long-range reactive transport strongly affects the permeability evolution of CO2-exposed defects. In the experiments, sample permeability decreased by 2-4 orders, which microstructural observations revealed was associated with downstream precipitation of carbonates, possibly aided by migration of fines. The model simulations show precipitation in initially open defects produces a sharp decrease in flow rate, causing a transition from advection to diffusion-dominated reactive transport. While the modelling results broadly reproduce the experimental observations, it is further demonstrated that non-uniformity in initial defect aperture has a profound impact on self-sealing behaviour and system permeability evolution on the metre scale. The implication is that future reactive transport models and wellbore scale analyses must include defects with variable aperture in order to obtain reliable upscaling relations.

A method for examining the geospatial distribution of CO2 storage resources applied to the Pre-Punta Gorda Composite and Dollar Bay reservoirs of the South Florida Basin, U.S.A

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roberts-Ashby, Tina; Brandon N. Ashby,

2016-01-01

This paper demonstrates geospatial modification of the USGS methodology for assessing geologic CO2 storage resources, and was applied to the Pre-Punta Gorda Composite and Dollar Bay reservoirs of the South Florida Basin. The study provides detailed evaluation of porous intervals within these reservoirs and utilizes GIS to evaluate the potential spatial distribution of reservoir parameters and volume of CO2 that can be stored. This study also shows that incorporating spatial variation of parameters using detailed and robust datasets may improve estimates of storage resources when compared to applying uniform values across the study area derived from small datasets, like many assessment methodologies. Geospatially derived estimates of storage resources presented here (Pre-Punta Gorda Composite = 105,570 MtCO2; Dollar Bay = 24,760 MtCO2) were greater than previous assessments, which was largely attributed to the fact that detailed evaluation of these reservoirs resulted in higher estimates of porosity and net-porous thickness, and areas of high porosity and thick net-porous intervals were incorporated into the model, likely increasing the calculated volume of storage space available for CO2 sequestration. The geospatial method for evaluating CO2 storage resources also provides the ability to identify areas that potentially contain higher volumes of storage resources, as well as areas that might be less favorable.

A Dynamic Programming Model for Optimizing Frequency of Time-Lapse Seismic Monitoring in Geological CO2 Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharjya, D.; Mukerji, T.; Mascarenhas, O.; Weyant, J.

2005-12-01

Designing a cost-effective and reliable monitoring program is crucial to the success of any geological CO2 storage project. Effective design entails determining both, the optimal measurement modality, as well as the frequency of monitoring the site. Time-lapse seismic provides the best spatial coverage and resolution for reservoir monitoring. Initial results from Sleipner (Norway) have demonstrated effective monitoring of CO2 plume movement. However, time-lapse seismic is an expensive monitoring technique especially over the long term life of a storage project and should be used judiciously. We present a mathematical model based on dynamic programming that can be used to estimate site-specific optimal frequency of time-lapse surveys. The dynamics of the CO2 sequestration process are simplified and modeled as a four state Markov process with transition probabilities. The states are M: injected CO2 safely migrating within the target zone; L: leakage from the target zone to the adjacent geosphere; R: safe migration after recovery from leakage state; and S: seepage from geosphere to the biosphere. The states are observed only when a monitoring survey is performed. We assume that the system may go to state S only from state L. We also assume that once observed to be in state L, remedial measures are always taken to bring it back to state R. Remediation benefits are captured by calculating the expected penalty if CO2 seeped into the biosphere. There is a trade-off between the conflicting objectives of minimum discounted costs of performing the next time-lapse survey and minimum risk of seepage and its associated costly consequences. A survey performed earlier would spot the leakage earlier. Remediation methods would have been utilized earlier, resulting in savings in costs attributed to excessive seepage. On the other hand, there are also costs for the survey and remedial measures. The problem is solved numerically using Bellman's optimality principal of dynamic programming to optimize over the entire finite time horizon. We use a Monte Carlo approach to explore trade-offs between survey costs, remediation costs, and survey frequency and to analyze the sensitivity to leakage probabilities, and carbon tax. The model can be useful in determining a monitoring regime appropriate to a specific site's risk and set of remediation options, rather than a generic one based on a maximum downside risk threshold for CO2 storage as a whole. This may have implications on the overall costs associated with deploying Carbon capture and storage on a large scale.

Impact of hydrogeological and geomechanical properties on surface uplift at a CO2 injection site: Parameter estimation and uncertainty quantification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newell, P.; Yoon, H.; Martinez, M. J.; Bishop, J. E.; Arnold, B. W.; Bryant, S.

2013-12-01

It is essential to couple multiphase flow and geomechanical response in order to predict a consequence of geological storage of CO2. In this study, we estimate key hydrogeologic features to govern the geomechanical response (i.e., surface uplift) at a large-scale CO2 injection project at In Salah, Algeria using the Sierra Toolkit - a multi-physics simulation code developed at Sandia National Laboratories. Importantly, a jointed rock model is used to study the effect of postulated fractures in the injection zone on the surface uplift. The In Salah Gas Project includes an industrial-scale demonstration of CO2 storage in an active gas field where CO2 from natural gas production is being re-injected into a brine-filled portion of the structure downdip of the gas accumulation. The observed data include millimeter scale surface deformations (e.g., uplift) reported in the literature and injection well locations and rate histories provided by the operators. Our preliminary results show that the intrinsic permeability and Biot coefficient of the injection zone are important. Moreover pre-existing fractures within the injection zone affect the uplift significantly. Estimation of additional (i.e., anisotropy ratio) and coupled parameters will help us to develop models, which account for the complex relationship between mechanical integrity and CO2 injection-induced pressure changes. Uncertainty quantification of model predictions will be also performed using various algorithms including null-space Monte Carlo and polynomial-chaos expansion methods. This work will highlight that our coupled reservoir and geomechanical simulations associated with parameter estimation can provide a practical solution for designing operating conditions and understanding subsurface processes associated with the CO2 injection. This work is supported as part of the Center for Frontiers of Subsurface Energy Security, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences under Award Number DE-SC0001114. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

A Probabilistic Assessment Methodology for the Evaluation of Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brennan, Sean T.; Burruss, Robert A.; Merrill, Matthew D.; Freeman, P.A.; Ruppert, Leslie F.

2010-01-01

In 2007, the Energy Independence and Security Act (Public Law 110-140) authorized the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a national assessment of potential geologic storage resources for carbon dioxide (CO2) in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. The first year of that activity was specified for development of a methodology to estimate storage potential that could be applied uniformly to geologic formations across the United States. After its release, the methodology was to receive public comment and external expert review. An initial methodology was developed and published in March 2009 (Burruss and others, 2009), and public comments were received. The report was then sent to a panel of experts for external review. The external review report was received by the USGS in December 2009. This report is in response to those external comments and reviews and describes how the previous assessment methodology (Burruss and others, 2009) was revised. The resource that is assessed is the technically accessible storage resource, which is defined as the mass of CO2 that can be stored in the pore volume of a storage formation. The methodology that is presented in this report is intended to be used for assessments at scales ranging from regional to subbasinal in which storage assessment units are defined on the basis of common geologic and hydrologic characteristics. The methodology does not apply to site-specific evaluation of storage resources or capacity.

Controlled-atmosphere effects on postharvest quality and antioxidant activity of cranberry fruits.

PubMed

Gunes, Gurbuz; Liu, Rui Hai; Watkins, Christopher B

2002-10-09

The effects of controlled-atmosphere (CA) storage on the firmness, respiration rate, quality, weight loss, total phenolics and flavonoids contents, and total antioxidant activities of the Pilgrim and Stevens cultivars of cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton) have been studied during storage in atmospheres of 2, 21, and 70% O(2) with 0, 15, and 30% CO(2) (balance N(2)); and 100% N(2) at 3 degrees C. Elevated CO(2) concentrations decreased bruising, physiological breakdown, and decay of berries, thereby reducing fruit losses. Respiration and weight loss of fruits decreased, but fruit softening increased, at higher CO(2) concentrations. Accumulations of acetaldehyde, ethanol, and ethyl acetate varied by cultivar and storage atmosphere but were generally highest in the 2 and 70% O(2) and 100% N(2) atmospheres and increased in response to elevated CO(2) concentrations. Overall, the 30% CO(2) plus 21% O(2) atmosphere appeared optimal for the storage of cranberries. Sensory analysis is required, however, to confirm that accumulations of fermentation products at this atmosphere are acceptable for consumers. Stevens fruits had a higher phenolics content and total antioxidant activity than Pilgrim fruits. The storage atmosphere did not affect the content of total phenolics or flavonoids. However, the total antioxidant activity of the fruits increased overall by about 45% in fruits stored in air. This increase was prevented by storage in 30% CO(2) plus 21% O(2).

Geologic framework for the national assessment of carbon dioxide storage resources: Greater Green River Basin, Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah, and Wyoming-Idaho-Utah Thrust Belt: Chapter E in Geologic framework for the national assessment of carbon dioxide storage resources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buursink, Marc L.; Slucher, Ernie R.; Brennan, Sean T.; Doolan, Colin A.; Drake II, Ronald M.; Merrill, Matthew D.; Warwick, Peter D.; Blondes, Madalyn S.; Freeman, P.A.; Cahan, Steven M.; DeVera, Christina A.; Lohr, Celeste D.

2014-01-01

The 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act (Public Law 110–140) directs the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a national assessment of potential geologic storage resources for carbon dioxide (CO2). The methodology used by the USGS for the national CO2 assessment follows up on previous USGS work. The methodology is non-economic and intended to be used at regional to subbasinal scales. This report identifies and contains geologic descriptions of 14 storage assessment units (SAUs) in Ordovician to Upper Cretaceous sedimentary rocks within the Greater Green River Basin (GGRB) of Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah, and eight SAUs in Ordovician to Upper Cretaceous sedimentary rocks within the Wyoming-Idaho-Utah Thrust Belt (WIUTB). The GGRB and WIUTB are contiguous with nearly identical geologic units; however, the GGRB is larger in size, whereas the WIUTB is more structurally complex. This report focuses on the characteristics, specified in the methodology, that influence the potential CO2 storage resource in the SAUs. Specific descriptions of the SAU boundaries, as well as their sealing and reservoir units, are included. Properties for each SAU, such as depth to top, gross thickness, porosity, permeability, groundwater quality, and structural reservoir traps, are typically provided to illustrate geologic factors critical to the assessment. This geologic information was employed, as specified in the USGS methodology, to calculate a probabilistic distribution of potential storage resources in each SAU. Figures in this report show SAU boundaries and cell maps of well penetrations through sealing units into the top of the storage formations. The cell maps show the number of penetrating wells within one square mile and are derived from interpretations of variably attributed well data and a digital compilation that is known not to include all drilling.

CO2-dependent metabolic modulation in red blood cells stored under anaerobic conditions

PubMed Central

Dumont, Larry J.; D'Alessandro, Angelo; Szczepiorkowski, Zbigniew M.; Yoshida, Tatsuro

2015-01-01

Background Anaerobic RBC storage reduces oxidative damage, maintains ATP & 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) levels and has superior 24hr recovery at 6weeks compared to standard storage. This study will determine if removal of CO2 during O2 depletion by gas exchange may affect RBC during anaerobic storage. Methods This is a matched 3 arm study (n=14): control, O2&CO2 depleted with Ar (AN), O2 depleted with 95%Ar/5%CO2 (AN[CO2]). RBC in additives AS-3 or OFAS3 were evenly divided into 3 bags, and anaerobic conditions were established by gas exchange. Bags were stored 1-6°C in closed chambers under anaerobic conditions or ambient air, sampled weekly for up to 9weeks for a panel of in vitro tests. A full metabolomics screening was conducted for the first 4 weeks of storage. Results Purging with Ar (AN) results in alkalization of the RBC and increased glucose consumption. The addition of 5%CO2 to the purging gas prevented CO2 loss with an equivalent starting and final pH and lactate to control bags (p>0.5, days0-21). ATP levels are higher in AN[CO2] (p<0.0001). DPG was maintained beyond 2 weeks in the AN arm (p<0.0001). Surprisingly, DPG was lost at the same rate in both control and AN[CO2] arms (p=0.6). Conclusion Maintenance of ATP in the AN[CO2] arm demonstrates that ATP production is not solely a function of the pH effect on glycolysis. CO2 in anaerobic storage prevented the maintenance of DPG, and DPG production appears to be pH dependent. CO2 as well as O2 depletion provides metabolic advantage for stored RBC. PMID:26477888

Conceptual Design of Optimized Fossil Energy Systems with Capture and Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nils Johnson; Joan Ogden

2010-12-31

In this final report, we describe research results from Phase 2 of a technical/economic study of fossil hydrogen energy systems with carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) capture and storage (CCS). CO{sub 2} capture and storage, or alternatively, CO{sub 2} capture and sequestration, involves capturing CO{sub 2} from large point sources and then injecting it into deep underground reservoirs for long-term storage. By preventing CO{sub 2} emissions into the atmosphere, this technology has significant potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from fossil-based facilities in the power and industrial sectors. Furthermore, the application of CCS to power plants and hydrogen production facilitiesmore » can reduce CO{sub 2} emissions associated with electric vehicles (EVs) and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) and, thus, can also improve GHG emissions in the transportation sector. This research specifically examines strategies for transitioning to large-scale coal-derived energy systems with CCS for both hydrogen fuel production and electricity generation. A particular emphasis is on the development of spatially-explicit modeling tools for examining how these energy systems might develop in real geographic regions. We employ an integrated modeling approach that addresses all infrastructure components involved in the transition to these energy systems. The overall objective is to better understand the system design issues and economics associated with the widespread deployment of hydrogen and CCS infrastructure in real regions. Specific objectives of this research are to: Develop improved techno-economic models for all components required for the deployment of both hydrogen and CCS infrastructure, Develop novel modeling methods that combine detailed spatial data with optimization tools to explore spatially-explicit transition strategies, Conduct regional case studies to explore how these energy systems might develop in different regions of the United States, and Examine how the design and cost of coal-based H{sub 2} and CCS infrastructure depend on geography and location.« less

Hydrogen Storage Technologies for Future Energy Systems.

PubMed

Preuster, Patrick; Alekseev, Alexander; Wasserscheid, Peter

2017-06-07

Future energy systems will be determined by the increasing relevance of solar and wind energy. Crude oil and gas prices are expected to increase in the long run, and penalties for CO 2 emissions will become a relevant economic factor. Solar- and wind-powered electricity will become significantly cheaper, such that hydrogen produced from electrolysis will be competitively priced against hydrogen manufactured from natural gas. However, to handle the unsteadiness of system input from fluctuating energy sources, energy storage technologies that cover the full scale of power (in megawatts) and energy storage amounts (in megawatt hours) are required. Hydrogen, in particular, is a promising secondary energy vector for storing, transporting, and distributing large and very large amounts of energy at the gigawatt-hour and terawatt-hour scales. However, we also discuss energy storage at the 120-200-kWh scale, for example, for onboard hydrogen storage in fuel cell vehicles using compressed hydrogen storage. This article focuses on the characteristics and development potential of hydrogen storage technologies in light of such a changing energy system and its related challenges. Technological factors that influence the dynamics, flexibility, and operating costs of unsteady operation are therefore highlighted in particular. Moreover, the potential for using renewable hydrogen in the mobility sector, industrial production, and the heat market is discussed, as this potential may determine to a significant extent the future economic value of hydrogen storage technology as it applies to other industries. This evaluation elucidates known and well-established options for hydrogen storage and may guide the development and direction of newer, less developed technologies.

Offsetting Water Requirements and Stress with Enhanced Water Recovery from CO 2 Storage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hunter, Kelsey Anne

2016-08-04

Carbon dioxide (CO 2) capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) operations ultimately require injecting and storing CO 2 into deep saline aquifers. Reservoir pressure typically rises as CO 2 is injected increasing the cost and risk of CCUS and decreasing viable storage within the formation. Active management of the reservoir pressure through the extraction of brine can reduce the pressurization while providing a number of benefits including increased storage capacity for CO 2, reduced risks linked to reservoir overpressure, and CO 2 plume management. Through enhanced water recovery (EWR), brine within the saline aquifer can be extracted and treated through desalinationmore » technologies which could be used to offset the water requirements for thermoelectric power plants or local water needs such as agriculture, or produce a marketable such as lithium through mineral extraction. This paper discusses modeled scenarios of CO 2 injection into the Rock Springs Uplift (RSU) formation in Wyoming with EWR. The Finite Element Heat and Mass Transfer Code (FEHM), developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), was used to model CO 2 injection with brine extraction and the corresponding pressure tradeoffs. Scenarios were compared in order to analyze how pressure management through the quantity and location of brine extraction wells can increase CO 2 storage capacity and brine extraction while reducing risks associated with over pressurization. Future research will couple a cost-benefit analysis to these simulations in order to determine if the benefit of subsurface pressure management and increase CO 2 storage capacity can outweigh multiple extraction wells with increased cost of installation and maintenance as well as treatment and/or disposal of the extracted brine.« less

Electrochemical energy storage device based on carbon dioxide as electroactive species

DOEpatents

Nemeth, Karoly; van Veenendaal, Michel Antonius; Srajer, George

2013-03-05

An electrochemical energy storage device comprising a primary positive electrode, a negative electrode, and one or more ionic conductors. The ionic conductors ionically connect the primary positive electrode with the negative electrode. The primary positive electrode comprises carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) and a means for electrochemically reducing the CO.sub.2. This means for electrochemically reducing the CO.sub.2 comprises a conductive primary current collector, contacting the CO.sub.2, whereby the CO.sub.2 is reduced upon the primary current collector during discharge. The primary current collector comprises a material to which CO.sub.2 and the ionic conductors are essentially non-corrosive. The electrochemical energy storage device uses CO.sub.2 as an electroactive species in that the CO.sub.2 is electrochemically reduced during discharge to enable the release of electrical energy from the device.

Experimental Investigation of the Influence of Small Scale Geological Heterogeneity on Capillary Trapping of CO2 Using Engineered Beadpacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganesan Krishnamurthy, P.; Trevisan, L.; Meckel, T. A.

2017-12-01

During geologic CO2 sequestration, most of the storage domain far from the injection sites is likely to be dominated by buoyancy and capillary forces. Under such flow regimes, small scale geological heterogeneities have been shown to dampen plume migration rates and cause trapping beneath capillary barriers. To understand the impact of such heterogeneities on CO2 trapping processes experimentally, many core-scale and lab scale flow studies have been conducted. Reservoir cores are limited by the scale of investigation possible and most lab experiments are conducted in macroheterogeneous media constructed by arranging homogeneous units to represent heterogeneity. However, most natural sedimentary facies display heterogeneity at a hierarchy of scales, and heterogeneity at the mesoscale (mm to decimeters) goes unrepresented in laboratory experiments due to the difficulty in reproducibility. This work presents results from buoyancy driven migration experiments conducted at the meter scale using glass beads packed in a quasi 2D glass cell and complementary reduced physics simulations. We demonstrate a novel automated technique to build beadpacks with 2D heterogeneous sedimentary features in a reproducible manner. A fluid pair that mimics the phase density and viscosity contrasts, and interfacial tension of CO2-Brine at reservoir pressures and temperatures is employed for the flow experiments. Light transmission technique is used for visualization, and to calibrate and quantify saturation of the trapped non-wetting fluid during the experiments. Invasion Percolation is used to simulate the buoyancy driven flow. With the ability to generate different types of heterogeneous structures in a reproducible manner, and by comparing experiments and simulations, a systematic investigation of the effect of heterogeneity on capillary trapping becomes possible.

Electrochemical CO2 Reduction via Gas-Phase Catholyte

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, Brittany E.; Nesbitt, Nathan T.; D'Imperio, Luke A.; Naughton, Jeffrey R.; Courtney, Dave T.; Shepard, Steve; Burns, Michael J.; Vermaas, David A.; Smith, Wilson A.; Naughton, Michael J.

Reducing CO2 to CO through electrolysis, for the eventual conversion to hydrocarbons, provides a path towards utility-scale seasonal storage of renewable energy. Electrochemical reduction of CO2 has previously been achieved using a two chamber system. The chambers are typically separated by a semipermeable Nafion membrane, with an oxygen evolution catalyst anode on one side, a gold cathode on the other, and a solution containing CO2 on both sides. If instead, CO2 gas was in the second chamber, the reaction should yield more CO formed from CO2 at a given overpotential; this would result from the increased concentration of CO2 at the cathode surface and more facile mass transport of the CO and CO2. With liquid in one chamber and gas in the other, electrolysis is performed by integrating the cathode onto the semipermeable Nafion membrane. This membrane electrode assembly is fabricated via nanoimprint lithography (NIL), simultaneously achieving high active surface area and permeability. Challenges to the Nafion NIL process, and the performance of the system in CO2 reduction, will be presented. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship under Grant No. (DGE-1258923).

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yoon, Hongkyu; Major, Jonathan; Dewers, Thomas

Dissolved CO 2 in the subsurface resulting from geological CO 2 storage may react with minerals in fractured rocks, confined aquifers, or faults, resulting in mineral precipitation and dissolution. The overall rate of reaction can be affected by coupled processes including hydrodynamics, transport, and reactions at the (sub) pore-scale. In this work pore-scale modeling of coupled fluid flow, reactive transport, and heterogeneous reactions at the mineral surface is applied to account for permeability alterations caused by precipitation-induced pore-blocking. This paper is motivated by observations of CO 2 seeps from a natural CO 2 sequestration analog, Crystal Geyser, Utah. Observations alongmore » the surface exposure of the Little Grand Wash fault indicate the lateral migration of CO 2 seep sites (i.e., alteration zones) of 10–50 m width with spacing on the order of ~100 m over time. Sandstone permeability in alteration zones is reduced by 3–4 orders of magnitude by carbonate cementation compared to unaltered zones. One granular porous medium and one fracture network systems are used to conceptually represent permeable porous media and locations of conduits controlled by fault-segment intersections and/or topography, respectively. Simulation cases accounted for a range of reaction regimes characterized by the Damköhler (Da) and Peclet (Pe) numbers. Pore-scale simulation results demonstrate that combinations of transport (Pe), geochemical conditions (Da), solution chemistry, and pore and fracture configurations contributed to match key patterns observed in the field of how calcite precipitation alters flow paths by pore plugging. This comparison of simulation results with field observations reveals mechanistic explanations of the lateral migration and enhances our understanding of subsurface processes associated with the CO 2 injection. In addition, permeability and porosity relations are constructed from pore-scale simulations which account for a range of reaction regimes characterized by the Da and Pe numbers. Finally, the functional relationships obtained from pore-scale simulations can be used in a continuum scale model that may account for large-scale phenomena mimicking lateral migration of surface CO 2 seeps.« less

NanoSIMS Analyses of Mo Indicate Nitrogenase Activity and Help Solve a N and C Fixation Puzzle in a Marine Cyanobacterium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pett-Ridge, J.; Weber, P. K.; Finzi, J.; Hutcheon, I. D.; Capone, D. G.

2006-12-01

Diazotrophic cyanobacteria are capable of both CO2 and N2 fixation, yet must separate these two functions because the nitrogenase enzymes used in N2 fixation are strongly inhibited by O2 produced during photosynthesis. Some lineages, such as Anabaena, use specialized cells (heterocysts) to maintain functional segregation. However the mechanism of this segregation is poorly understood in Trichodesmium, a critical component of marine primary production in the tropical and subtropical North Atlantic. While some Trichodesmium studies suggest a temporal segregation of the nitrogen and carbon fixing processes, others indicate nitrogen fixation is spatially isolated in differentiated cells called diazocytes. In order to isolate the intracellular location of N fixation in both species, we used a combination of TEM, SEM and NanoSIMS analysis to map the distribution of C, N and Mo (a critical nitrogenase co-factor) isotopes in intact cells. NanoSIMS is a powerful surface analysis tool which combines nanometer-scale imaging resolution with the high sensitivity of mass spectrometry. Using cells grown in a 13CO^2 and 15N2 enriched atmosphere, our analyses indicate that in Anabaena, heterocysts are consistently enriched in Mo, and Mo accumulation suggests active N fixation (as opposed to N storage). In the non- heterocystous Trichodesmium, Mo is concentrated in sub-regions of individual cells, and is not associated with regions of N storage (cyanophycin granules). We suggest that NanoSIMS mapping of metal enzyme co- factors is a unique method of identifying physiological and morphological characteristics within individual bacterial cells. This combination of NanoSIMS analysis and high resolution microscopy allows isotopic analysis to be linked to morphological features and holds great promise for fine-scale studies of bacteria metabolism.

Ventilation of carbon monoxide from a biomass pellet storage tank--a study of the effects of variation of temperature and cross-ventilation on the efficiency of natural ventilation.

PubMed

Emhofer, Waltraud; Lichtenegger, Klaus; Haslinger, Walter; Hofbauer, Hermann; Schmutzer-Roseneder, Irene; Aigenbauer, Stefan; Lienhard, Martin

2015-01-01

Wood pellets have been reported to emit toxic gaseous emissions during transport and storage. Carbon monoxide (CO) emission, due to the high toxicity of the gas and the possibility of it being present at high levels, is the most imminent threat to be considered before entering a pellet storage facility. For small-scale (<30 tons storage capacity) residential pellet storage facilities, ventilation, preferably natural ventilation utilizing already existing openings, has become the most favored solution to overcome the problem of high CO concentrations. However, there is little knowledge on the ventilation rates that can be reached and thus on the effectiveness of such measures. The aim of the study was to investigate ventilation rates for a specific small-scale pellet storage system depending on characteristic temperature differences. Furthermore, the influence of the implementation of a chimney and the influence of cross-ventilation on the ventilation rates were investigated. The air exchange rates observed in the experiments ranged between close to zero and up to 8 m(3) h(-1), depending largely on the existing temperature differences and the existence of cross-ventilation. The results demonstrate that implementing natural ventilation is a possible measure to enhance safety from CO emissions, but not one without limitations. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

Surplus from and storage of electricity generated by intermittent sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, Friedrich

2016-12-01

Data from the German electricity system for the years 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2015 are used and scaled up to a 100% supply by intermittent renewable energy sources (iRES). In the average, 330GW wind and PV power are required to meet this 100% target. A back-up system is necessary with the power of 89% of peak load. Surplus electricity accrues at high power levels. Curtailing surplus power to a large extent is found to be uneconomic. Demand-side management will suffer from the strong day-to-day variation of available surplus energy. A day storage is ineffective because of the day-night correlation of surplus power during winter. A seasonal storage loses its character when transformation losses are considered because it can contribute only after periods with excessive surplus production. The option of an oversized iRES system to feed the storage is also not effective because, in this case, energy can be taken directly from the large iRES supply, making storage superfluous. The capacities to be installed stress the difficulty to base heat supply and mobility also on iRES generated electricity in the future. As the German energy transition replaces one CO2-free electricity supply system by another one, no major reduction in CO2 emission can be expected till 2022, when the last nuclear reactor will be switched off. By 2022, an extremely oversized power supply system has to be created, which can be expected to continue running down spot-market electricity prices. The continuation of the economic response -to replace expensive gas fuel by cheap lignite- causes an overall increase in CO2 emission. The German GHG emission targets for 2020 and beyond are therefore in jeopardy.

Predicting possible effects of H2S impurity on CO2 transportation and geological storage.

PubMed

Ji, Xiaoyan; Zhu, Chen

2013-01-02

For CO(2) geological storage, permitting impurities, such as H(2)S, in CO(2) streams can lead to a great potential for capital and energy savings for CO(2) capture and separation, but it also increases costs and risk management for transportation and storage. To evaluate the cost-benefits, using a recently developed model (Ji, X.; Zhu, C. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 2012, 91, 40-59), this study predicts phase equilibria and thermodynamic properties of the system H(2)S-CO(2)-H(2)O-NaCl under transportation and storage conditions and discusses potential effects of H(2)S on transportation and storage. The prediction shows that inclusion of H(2)S in CO(2) streams may lead to two-phase flow. For H(2)S-CO(2) mixtures, at a given temperature, the bubble and dew pressures decrease with increasing H(2)S content, while the mass density increases at low pressures and decreases at high pressures. For the CO(2)-H(2)S-H(2)O system, the total gas solubility increases while the mass density of the aqueous solution with dissolved gas decreases. For the CO(2)-H(2)S-H(2)O-NaCl system, at a given temperature, pressure and NaCl concentration, the solubility of the gas mixture in aqueous phase increases with increasing H(2)S content and then decreases, while the mass density of aqueous solution decreases and may be lower than the mass density of the solution without gas dissolution.

Real-time monitoring of CO2 storage sites: Application to Illinois Basin-Decatur Project

USGS Publications Warehouse

Picard, G.; Berard, T.; Chabora, E.; Marsteller, S.; Greenberg, S.; Finley, R.J.; Rinck, U.; Greenaway, R.; Champagnon, C.; Davard, J.

2011-01-01

Optimization of carbon dioxide (CO2) storage operations for efficiency and safety requires use of monitoring techniques and implementation of control protocols. The monitoring techniques consist of permanent sensors and tools deployed for measurement campaigns. Large amounts of data are thus generated. These data must be managed and integrated for interpretation at different time scales. A fast interpretation loop involves combining continuous measurements from permanent sensors as they are collected to enable a rapid response to detected events; a slower loop requires combining large datasets gathered over longer operational periods from all techniques. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it presents an analysis of the monitoring objectives to be performed in the slow and fast interpretation loops. Second, it describes the implementation of the fast interpretation loop with a real-time monitoring system at the Illinois Basin-Decatur Project (IBDP) in Illinois, USA. ?? 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Impact of Precooling and Controlled-Atmosphere Storage on γ-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) Accumulation in Longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) Fruit.

PubMed

Zhou, Molin; Ndeurumio, Kessy H; Zhao, Lei; Hu, Zhuoyan

2016-08-24

Longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) fruit cultivars 'Chuliang' and 'Shixia' were analyzed for γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) accumulation after precooling and in controlled-atmosphere storage. Fruit were exposed to 5% O2 plus 3%, 5%, or 10% CO2 at 4 °C, and GABA and associated enzymes, aril firmness, and pericarp color were measured. Aril softening and pericarp browning were delayed by 5% CO2 + 5% O2. GABA concentrations and glutamate decarboxylase (GAD; EC 4.1.1.15) activities declined during storage at the higher-CO2 treatments. However, GABA aminotransferase (GABA-T; EC 2.6.1.19) activities in elevated CO2-treated fruit fluctuated during storage. GABA concentrations increased after precooling treatments. GAD activity and GABA-T activity were different between cultivars after precooling. GABA concentrations in fruit increased after 3 days of 10% CO2 + 5% O2 treatment and then declined as storage time increased. GABA accumulation was associated with stimulation of GAD activity rather than inhibition of GABA-T activity.

Quasi-solid state rechargeable Na-CO2 batteries with reduced graphene oxide Na anodes.

PubMed

Hu, Xiaofei; Li, Zifan; Zhao, Yaran; Sun, Jianchao; Zhao, Qing; Wang, Jianbin; Tao, Zhanliang; Chen, Jun

2017-02-01

Na-CO 2 batteries using earth-abundant Na and greenhouse gas CO 2 are promising tools for mobile and stationary energy storage, but they still pose safety risks from leakage of liquid electrolyte and instability of the Na metal anode. These issues result in extremely harsh operating conditions of Na-CO 2 batteries and increase the difficulty of scaling up this technology. We report the development of quasi-solid state Na-CO 2 batteries with high safety using composite polymer electrolyte (CPE) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) Na anodes. The CPE of PVDF-HFP [poly(vinylidene fluoride- co -hexafluoropropylene)]-4% SiO 2 /NaClO 4 -TEGDME (tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether) has high ion conductivity (1.0 mS cm -1 ), robust toughness, a nonflammable matrix, and strong electrolyte-locking ability. In addition, the rGO-Na anode presents fast and nondendritic Na + plating/stripping (5.7 to 16.5 mA cm -2 ). The improved kinetics and safety enable the constructed rGO-Na/CPE/CO 2 batteries to successfully cycle in wide CO 2 partial pressure window (5 to 100%, simulated car exhaust) and especially to run for 400 cycles at 500 mA g -1 with a fixed capacity of 1000 mA·hour g -1 in pure CO 2 . Furthermore, we scaled up the reversible capacity to 1.1 A·hour in pouch-type batteries (20 × 20 cm, 10 g, 232 Wh kg -1 ). This study makes quasi-solid state Na-CO 2 batteries an attractive prospect.

Quasi–solid state rechargeable Na-CO2 batteries with reduced graphene oxide Na anodes

PubMed Central

Hu, Xiaofei; Li, Zifan; Zhao, Yaran; Sun, Jianchao; Zhao, Qing; Wang, Jianbin; Tao, Zhanliang; Chen, Jun

2017-01-01

Na-CO2 batteries using earth-abundant Na and greenhouse gas CO2 are promising tools for mobile and stationary energy storage, but they still pose safety risks from leakage of liquid electrolyte and instability of the Na metal anode. These issues result in extremely harsh operating conditions of Na-CO2 batteries and increase the difficulty of scaling up this technology. We report the development of quasi–solid state Na-CO2 batteries with high safety using composite polymer electrolyte (CPE) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) Na anodes. The CPE of PVDF-HFP [poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene)]–4% SiO2/NaClO4–TEGDME (tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether) has high ion conductivity (1.0 mS cm−1), robust toughness, a nonflammable matrix, and strong electrolyte-locking ability. In addition, the rGO-Na anode presents fast and nondendritic Na+ plating/stripping (5.7 to 16.5 mA cm−2). The improved kinetics and safety enable the constructed rGO-Na/CPE/CO2 batteries to successfully cycle in wide CO2 partial pressure window (5 to 100%, simulated car exhaust) and especially to run for 400 cycles at 500 mA g−1 with a fixed capacity of 1000 mA·hour g−1 in pure CO2. Furthermore, we scaled up the reversible capacity to 1.1 A·hour in pouch-type batteries (20 × 20 cm, 10 g, 232 Wh kg−1). This study makes quasi–solid state Na-CO2 batteries an attractive prospect. PMID:28164158

Monitoring CO2 penetration and storage in the brine-saturated low permeable sandstone by the geophysical exploration technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Honda, H.; Mitani, Y.; Kitamura, K.; Ikemi, H.; Imasato, M.

2017-12-01

Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and storage (CCS) plays a vital role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In the northern part of Kyushu region of Japan, complex geological structure (Coalfield) is existed near the CO2 emission source and has 1.06 Gt of CO2 storage capacity. The geological survey shows that these layers are formed by low permeable sandstone. It is necessary to monitor the CO2 behavior and clear the mechanisms of CO2 penetration and storage in the low permeable sandstone. In this study, measurements of complex electrical impedance (Z) and elastic wave velocity (P-wave velocity: Vp) were conducted during the supercritical CO2 injection experiment into the brine-saturated low permeable sandstone. The experiment conditions were as follows; Confining pressure: 20 MPa, Initial pore pressure: 10 MPa, 40 °, CO2 injection rate: 0.01 to 0.5 mL/min. Z was measured in the center of the specimen and Vp were measured at three different heights of the specimen at constant intervals. In addition, we measured the longitudinal and lateral strain at the center of the specimen, the pore pressure and CO2 injection volume (CO2 saturation). During the CO2 injection, the change of Z and Vp were confirmed. In the drainage terms, Vp decreased drastically once CO2 reached the measurement cross section.Vp showed the little change even if the flow rate increased (CO2 saturation increased). On the other hand, before the CO2 front reached, Z decreased with CO2-dissolved brine. After that, Z showed continuously increased as the CO2 saturation increased. From the multi-parameter (Hydraulic and Rock-physics parameters), we revealed the detail CO2 behavior in the specimen. In the brine-saturated low permeable sandstone, the slow penetration of CO2 was observed. However, once CO2 has passed, the penetration of CO2 became easy in even for brine-remainded low permeable sandstone. We conclude low permeable sandstone has not only structural storage capacity but also residual tapping (Capillary trapping) capacity. There is a positive possibility to conduct CCS in the low-quality reservoir (low permeable sandstone).

Short-term treatments with high CO2 and low O2 concentrations on quality of fresh goji berries (Lycium barbarum L.) during cold storage.

PubMed

Kafkaletou, Mina; Christopoulos, Miltiadis V; Tsantili, Eleni

2017-12-01

Goji berries (Lycium barbarum L.) are functional fruits but are usually marketed as a dried product. The aim of this study was to investigate the storability of fresh goji berries treated with high CO 2 and low O 2 concentrations before air storage at 1 °C for 21 days. Berries harvested without stems were exposed to air (controls) or subjected for 2 days at 1 °C to the following controlled atmosphere (CA) treatments: 21% O 2 + 0% CO 2 (21+0), 5% O 2 + 15% CO 2 (5+15), 10% O 2 + 10% CO 2 (10+10) and 20% O 2 + 20% CO 2 (20+20). During 14 days of storage, all treatments decreased weight loss, while treatments 5+15 and 20+20 prevented fungal decay. No fermentation was observed. The treatments did not affect color changes, decreases in soluble sugars and increases in total soluble solids, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, total carotenoids, total phenolics and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) during storage, apart from the marginally reduced FRAP by treatment 20+20 on day 7. Treatments 5+15, 10+10 and 20+20 resulted in residual decreases in respiration rates and pH values early during storage. After 14 days of storage, panelists rated the CA-treated samples as sweet, with good acceptance. Treatments 5+15 and 20+20 showed the best results after 14 days of storage. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Geologic Storage of CO2: Leakage Pathways and Environmental Risks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Celia, M. A.; Peters, C. A.; Bachu, S.

2002-05-01

Geologic storage of CO2 appears to be an attractive option for carbon mitigation because it offers sufficient capacity to solve the problem, and it can be implemented with existing technology. Among the list of options for storage sites, depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs and deep saline aquifers are two major categories. While injection into hydrocarbon reservoirs offers immediate possibilities, especially in the context of enhanced oil recovery, it appears that deep saline aquifers provide the extensive capacity necessary to solve the problem over the decade to century time scale. Capacity and technology argue favorably for this option, but remaining obstacles to implementation include capture technologies, overall economic considerations, and potential environmental consequences of the injection. Of these, the environmental questions may be most difficult to solve. Experience from CO2 floods for enhanced oil recovery and from CO2 and acid gas disposal operations indicates that geological storage of CO2 is safe over the short term for comparatively small amounts of CO2. However, there is no experience to date regarding the long-term fate and safety of the large volumes of CO2 that must be injected to significantly reduce atmospheric emissions. In order to make proper evaluation of environmental risks, the full range of possible environmental consequences must be considered. Most of these environmental concerns involve migration and leakage of CO2 into shallow portions of the subsurface and eventually into the atmosphere. In shallow subsurface zones, elevated levels of carbon dioxide can cause pH changes, leading to possible mobilization of ground-water contaminants including metals. In the unsaturated zone, vegetation can be adversely affected, as can other ecosystem components. At the land surface, elevated levels of CO2 can lead to asphyxiation in humans and other animals. And finally, in the atmosphere, CO2 that leaks from underground diminishes the effectiveness of the overall storage scheme and contributes to possible climate change. To characterize these environmental consequences, reliable models of leakage characteristics and rates are needed. While leakage through natural flowpaths in the subsurface may occur, a more likely pathway is leakage through abandoned wells. This may be especially troublesome in mature sedimentary basins, which are often "punctured" by a very large number of exploration and production wells. For example, in the Alberta Basin there are more than 100,000 abandoned wells, the oldest from 1883. The cement used in the completion and abandonment of these wells, historically of variable quality and quantity, most probably has degraded with age and under the effect of formation brines. The cement may degrade even more rapidly when contacted by CO2 and possibly other components in the injection mixture (such as H2S). Cement properties and their modification through time must be understood in order to provide reliable estimates of leakage rates. Those leakage rates must then be linked to models of environmental consequences, and ultimately the entire analysis must be embedded in a probabilistic framework. Such an approach will allow leakage to be addressed rationally in terms of safety and long-term environmental impacts.

Solution-Processed Two-Dimensional Metal Dichalcogenide-Based Nanomaterials for Energy Storage and Conversion.

PubMed

Cao, Xiehong; Tan, Chaoliang; Zhang, Xiao; Zhao, Wei; Zhang, Hua

2016-08-01

The development of renewable energy storage and conversion devices is one of the most promising ways to address the current energy crisis, along with the global environmental concern. The exploration of suitable active materials is the key factor for the construction of highly efficient, highly stable, low-cost and environmentally friendly energy storage and conversion devices. The ability to prepare two-dimensional (2D) metal dichalcogenide (MDC) nanosheets and their functional composites in high yield and large scale via various solution-based methods in recent years has inspired great research interests in their utilization for renewable energy storage and conversion applications. Here, we will summarize the recent advances of solution-processed 2D MDCs and their hybrid nanomaterials for energy storage and conversion applications, including rechargeable batteries, supercapacitors, electrocatalytic hydrogen generation and solar cells. Moreover, based on the current progress, we will also give some personal insights on the existing challenges and future research directions in this promising field. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Negative emissions—Part 2: Costs, potentials and side effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuss, Sabine; Lamb, William F.; Callaghan, Max W.; Hilaire, Jérôme; Creutzig, Felix; Amann, Thorben; Beringer, Tim; de Oliveira Garcia, Wagner; Hartmann, Jens; Khanna, Tarun; Luderer, Gunnar; Nemet, Gregory F.; Rogelj, Joeri; Smith, Pete; Vicente, José Luis Vicente; Wilcox, Jennifer; del Mar Zamora Dominguez, Maria; Minx, Jan C.

2018-06-01

The most recent IPCC assessment has shown an important role for negative emissions technologies (NETs) in limiting global warming to 2 °C cost-effectively. However, a bottom-up, systematic, reproducible, and transparent literature assessment of the different options to remove CO2 from the atmosphere is currently missing. In part 1 of this three-part review on NETs, we assemble a comprehensive set of the relevant literature so far published, focusing on seven technologies: bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), afforestation and reforestation, direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS), enhanced weathering, ocean fertilisation, biochar, and soil carbon sequestration. In this part, part 2 of the review, we present estimates of costs, potentials, and side-effects for these technologies, and qualify them with the authors’ assessment. Part 3 reviews the innovation and scaling challenges that must be addressed to realise NETs deployment as a viable climate mitigation strategy. Based on a systematic review of the literature, our best estimates for sustainable global NET potentials in 2050 are 0.5–3.6 GtCO2 yr‑1 for afforestation and reforestation, 0.5–5 GtCO2 yr‑1 for BECCS, 0.5–2 GtCO2 yr‑1 for biochar, 2–4 GtCO2 yr‑1 for enhanced weathering, 0.5–5 GtCO2 yr‑1 for DACCS, and up to 5 GtCO2 yr‑1 for soil carbon sequestration. Costs vary widely across the technologies, as do their permanency and cumulative potentials beyond 2050. It is unlikely that a single NET will be able to sustainably meet the rates of carbon uptake described in integrated assessment pathways consistent with 1.5 °C of global warming.

Training Students to Analyze Spatial and Temporal Heterogeneities in Reservoir and Seal Petrology, Mineralogy, and Geochemistry: Implications for CO{sub 2} Sequestration Prediction, Simulation, and Monitoring

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bowen, Brenda

The objective of this project was to expose and train multiple students in geological tools that are essential to reservoir characterization and geologic sequestration including but not limited to advanced petrological methods, mineralogical methods, and geochemical methods; core analysis, and geophysical well-log interpretation. These efforts have included training of multiple students through geologically based curriculum and research using advanced petrological, mineralogical, and geochemical methods. In whole, over the last 3+ years, this award has supported 5,828 hours of student research, supporting the work of several graduate and undergraduate students. They have all received training directly related to ongoing CO{sub 2}more » sequestration demonstrations. The students have all conducted original scientific research on topics related to understanding the importance of lithological, textural, and compositional variability in formations that are being targeted as CO{sub 2} sequestration reservoirs and seals. This research was linked to the Mount Simon Sandstone reservoir and overlying Eau Claire Formation seal in the Illinois Basin- a system where over one million tons of CO{sub 2} are actively being injected with the first large-scale demonstration of anthropogenic CO{sub 2} storage in the U.S. Student projects focused specifically on 1) reservoir porosity characterization and evaluation, 2) petrographic, mineralogical, and geochemical evidence of fluid-related diagenesis in the caprock, 3) textural changes in reservoir samples exposed to experimental CO{sub 2} + brine conditions, 4) controls on spatial heterogeneity in composition and texture in both the reservoir and seal, 5) the implications of small-scale fractures within the reservoir, and 6) petrographic and stable isotope analyses of carbonates in the seal to understand the burial history of the system. The student-led research associated with this project provided real-time and hands-on experience with a relevant CO{sub 2} system, provided relevant information to the regional partnerships who are working within these formations, and provides more broadly applicable understanding and method development for other carbon capture and storage systems.« less

An evaluation of the carbon sequestration potential of the Cambro-Ordovician Strata of the Illinois and Michigan basins

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leetaru, Hannes

2014-12-01

The studies summarized herein were conducted during 2009–2014 to investigate the utility of the Knox Group and St. Peter Sandstone deeply buried geologic strata for underground storage of carbon dioxide (CO 2), a practice called CO 2 sequestration (CCS). In the subsurface of the midwestern United States, the Knox and associated strata extend continuously over an area approaching 500,000 sq. km, about three times as large as the State of Illinois. Although parts of this region are underlain by the deeper Mt. Simon Sandstone, which has been proven by other Department of Energy-funded research as a resource for CCS, themore » Knox strata may be an additional CCS resource for some parts of the Midwest and may be the sole geologic storage (GS) resource for other parts. One group of studies assembles, analyzes, and presents regional-scale and point-scale geologic information that bears on the suitability of the geologic formations of the Knox for a CCS project. New geologic and geo-engineering information was developed through a small-scale test of CO 2 injection into a part of the Knox, conducted in western Kentucky. These studies and tests establish the expectation that, at least in some locations, geologic formations within the Knox will (a) accept a commercial-scale flow rate of CO 2 injected through a drilled well; (b) hold a commercial-scale mass of CO 2 (at least 30 million tons) that is injected over decades; and (c) seal the injected CO 2 within the injection formations for hundreds to thousands of years. In CCS literature, these three key CCS-related attributes are called injectivity, capacity, and containment. The regional-scale studies show that reservoir and seal properties adequate for commercial-scale CCS in a Knox reservoir are likely to extend generally throughout the Illinois and Michigan Basins. Information distinguishing less prospective subregions from more prospective fairways is included in this report. Another group of studies report the results of reservoir flow simulations that estimate the progress and outcomes of hypothetical CCS projects carried out within the Knox (particularly within the Potosi Dolomite subunit, which, in places, is highly permeable) and within the overlying St. Peter Sandstone. In these studies, the regional-scale information and a limited amount of detailed data from specific boreholes is used as the basis for modeling the CO 2 injection process (dynamic modeling). The simulation studies were conducted progressively, with each successive study designed to refine the conclusions of the preceding one or to answer additional questions. The simulation studies conclude that at Decatur, Illinois or a geologically similar site, the Potosi Dolomite reservoir may provide adequate injectivity and capacity for commercial-scale injection through a single injection well. This conclusion depends on inferences from seismic-data attributes that certain highly permeable horizons observed in the wells represent laterally persistent, porous vuggy zones that are vertically more common than initially evident from wellbore data. Lateral persistence of vuggy zones is supported by isotopic evidence that the conditions that caused vug development (near-surface processes) were of regional rather than local scale. Other studies address aspects of executing and managing a CCS project that targets a Knox reservoir. These studies cover well drilling, public interactions, representation of datasets and conclusions using geographic information system (GIS) platforms, and risk management.« less

Sequestering CO(2) by mineral carbonation: stability against acid rain exposure.

PubMed

Allen, Daniel J; Brent, Geoff F

2010-04-01

Mineral carbonation is a potentially attractive alternative to storage of compressed CO(2) in underground repositories, known as geosequestration. Processes for the conversion of basic ores, such as magnesium silicates, to carbonates have been proposed by various researchers, with storage of the carbonate as backfill in the original mine representing a solid carbon sink. The stability of such carbon sinks against acid rain and other sources of strong acids is examined here. It is acknowledged that in the presence of strong acid, carbonates will dissolve and release carbon dioxide. A sensitivity analysis covering annual average rainfall and pH that may be encountered in industrialized areas of the United States, China, Europe, and Australia was conducted to determine maximum CO(2) rerelease rates from mineral carbonation carbon sinks. This analysis is based on a worst-case premise that is equivalent to assuming infinitely rapid kinetics of dissolution of the carbonate. The analysis shows that under any likely conditions of pH and rainfall, leakage rates of stored CO(2) are negligible. This is illustrated in a hypothetical case study under Australian conditions. It is thus proposed that sequestration by mineral carbonation can be considered to be permanent on practical human time scales. Other possible sources of acid have also been considered.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nygaard, Runar; Xiao, Hai; He, Xiaoming

Energy generation by use of fossil fuels produces large volumes of CO 2 and other greenhouse gases, whose accumulation in the atmosphere is widely seen as undesirable. CO 2 Capture followed by sequestration has been identified as the solution. Subsurface geologic formations offer a potential location for long-term storage of CO 2 because of their requisite size. Unfortunately, the inaccessibility and complexity of the subsurface, the wide range of scales of variability, and the coupled nonlinear processes, impose tremendous challenges to determine the transport and predict the fate of the stored CO 2. Among the various monitoring approaches, in situmore » down-hole monitoring of the various state parameters provides critical and direct data points that can be used to validate the models, optimize the injection, detect leakage and track the CO 2 plume. However, down-hole sensors that can withstand the harsh conditions and operate over decades of the project lifecycle remain unavailable. Given that the widespread of carbon capture and storage will be the necessity and reality in the future, fundamental and applied research is required to address the significant challenges and technological gaps in lack of long-term reliable down-hole sensors This project focused on the development and demonstration of a novel, low-cost, distributed, robust ceramic coaxial cable sensor platform for in situ down-hole monitoring of geologic CO 2 injection and storage with high spatial and temporal resolutions. The coaxial cable Fabry-Perot interferometer (CCFPI) has been studied as a general sensor platform for in situ, long-term, measurement of temperature, pressure and strain, which are critical to CO 2 injection and storage. A novel signal processing scheme has been developed and demonstrated for dense multiplexing of the sensors for low-cost distributed sensing with high spatial resolution. The developed temperature, pressure and strain sensors have been extensively tested under laboratory conditions that are similar to the downhole CO 2 storage environment, showing excellent capability for in situ monitoring the various parameters that are important to model, optimize the injection, detect leakage and track the CO 2 plume. In addition, the interactions between the sensor datum and the geological models have been investigated in details for the purposes of model validation, guiding sensor installation/placement, enhancement of model prediction capability and optimization of the injection processes. This project has resulted in the successful development of new ceramic coaxial cable based sensor systems that can monitor directly the changes in pressure, temperature, and strain caused by increased reservoir pressure and reduced reservoir temperature due to the supercritical CO 2 injection. Integrated with geological models, the sensors and measurement data can improve the possibility to identify plume movement and leakage in the cap rock and wells with higher precision and more accuracy. The low cost, ease of deployment, small size and dense multiplexing features of the new sensing technology will allow a large number of sensors to be deployed to address the objective to demonstrate that 99% of the CO 2 remains in the injection zone.« less

Economics of carbon dioxide capture and utilization-a supply and demand perspective.

PubMed

Naims, Henriette

2016-11-01

Lately, the technical research on carbon dioxide capture and utilization (CCU) has achieved important breakthroughs. While single CO 2 -based innovations are entering the markets, the possible economic effects of a large-scale CO 2 utilization still remain unclear to policy makers and the public. Hence, this paper reviews the literature on CCU and provides insights on the motivations and potential of making use of recovered CO 2 emissions as a commodity in the industrial production of materials and fuels. By analyzing data on current global CO 2 supply from industrial sources, best practice benchmark capture costs and the demand potential of CO 2 utilization and storage scenarios with comparative statics, conclusions can be drawn on the role of different CO 2 sources. For near-term scenarios the demand for the commodity CO 2 can be covered from industrial processes, that emit CO 2 at a high purity and low benchmark capture cost of approximately 33 €/t. In the long-term, with synthetic fuel production and large-scale CO 2 utilization, CO 2 is likely to be available from a variety of processes at benchmark costs of approx. 65 €/t. Even if fossil-fired power generation is phased out, the CO 2 emissions of current industrial processes would suffice for ambitious CCU demand scenarios. At current economic conditions, the business case for CO 2 utilization is technology specific and depends on whether efficiency gains or substitution of volatile priced raw materials can be achieved. Overall, it is argued that CCU should be advanced complementary to mitigation technologies and can unfold its potential in creating local circular economy solutions.

Glacial CO2 Cycles: A Composite Scenario

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Broecker, W. S.

2015-12-01

There are three main contributors to the glacial drawdown of atmospheric CO2 content: starvation of the supply of carbon to the ocean-atmosphere reservoir, excess CO2 storage in the deep sea, and surface-ocean cooling. In this talk, I explore a scenario in which all three play significant roles. Key to this scenario is the assumption that deep ocean storage is related to the extent of nutrient stratification of the deep Atlantic. The stronger this stratification, the larger the storage of respiration CO2. Further, it is my contention that the link between Milankovitch insolation cycles and climate is reorganizations of the ocean's thermohaline circulation leading to changes in the deep ocean's CO2 storage. If this is the case, the deep Atlantic d13C record kept in benthic foraminifera shells tells us that deep ocean CO2 storage follows Northern Hemisphere summer insolation cycles and thus lacks the downward ramp so prominent in the records of sea level, benthic 18O and CO2. Rather, the ramp is created by the damping of planetary CO2 emissions during glacial time intervals. As it is premature to present a specific scenario, I provide an example as to how these three contributors might be combined. As their magnitudes and shapes remain largely unconstrained, the intent of this exercise is to provoke creative thinking.

Integrated Geophysical Monitoring Program to Study Flood Performance and Incidental CO2 Storage Associated with a CO2 EOR Project in the Bell Creek Oil Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burnison, S. A.; Ditty, P.; Gorecki, C. D.; Hamling, J. A.; Steadman, E. N.; Harju, J. A.

2013-12-01

The Plains CO2 Reduction (PCOR) Partnership, led by the Energy & Environmental Research Center, is working with Denbury Onshore LLC to determine the effect of a large-scale injection of carbon dioxide (CO2) into a deep clastic reservoir for the purpose of simultaneous CO2 enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and to study incidental CO2 storage at the Bell Creek oil field located in southeastern Montana. This project will reduce CO2 emissions by more than 1 million tons a year while simultaneously recovering an anticipated 30 million barrels of incremental oil. The Bell Creek project provides a unique opportunity to use and evaluate a comprehensive suite of technologies for monitoring, verification, and accounting (MVA) of CO2 on a large-scale. The plan incorporates multiple geophysical technologies in the presence of complementary and sometimes overlapping data to create a comprehensive data set that will facilitate evaluation and comparison. The MVA plan has been divided into shallow and deep subsurface monitoring. The deep subsurface monitoring plan includes 4-D surface seismic, time-lapse 3-D vertical seismic profile (VSP) surveys incorporating a permanent borehole array, and baseline and subsequent carbon-oxygen logging and other well-based measurements. The goal is to track the movement of CO2 in the reservoir, evaluate the recovery/storage efficiency of the CO2 EOR program, identify fluid migration pathways, and determine the ultimate fate of injected CO2. CO2 injection at Bell Creek began in late May 2013. Prior to injection, a monitoring and characterization well near the field center was drilled and outfitted with a distributed temperature-monitoring system and three down-hole pressure gauges to provide continuous real-time data of the reservoir and overlying strata. The monitoring well allows on-demand access for time-lapse well-based measurements and borehole seismic instrumentation. A 50-level permanent borehole array of 3-component geophones was installed in a second monitoring well. A pre-injection series of carbon-oxygen logging across the reservoir was acquired in 35 wells. The baseline 3-D surface seismic survey was acquired in September 2012. A 3-D VSP incorporating two wells and 2 square miles of overlapping seismic coverage in the middle of the field was acquired in May 2013. Initial iterations of geologic modeling and reservoir simulation of the field have been completed. Currently, passive seismic monitoring with the permanent borehole array is being conducted during injection. Interpretation results from the baseline surface 3-D survey and preliminary results from the baseline 3-D VSP are being evaluated and integrated into the reservoir model. The PCOR Partnership's philosophy is to combine site characterization, modeling, and monitoring strategies into an iterative process to produce descriptive integrated results. The comprehensive effort at Bell Creek will allow a comparison of the effectiveness of several complementary geophysical and well-based methods in meeting the goals of the deep subsurface monitoring effort.

Thermal effects on geologic carbon storage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vilarrasa, Victor; Rutqvist, Jonny

One of the most promising ways to significantly reduce greenhouse gases emissions, while carbon-free energy sources are developed, is Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Non-isothermal effects play a major role in all stages of CCS. In this paper, we review the literature on thermal effects related to CCS, which is receiving an increasing interest as a result of the awareness that the comprehension of non-isothermal processes is crucial for a successful deployment of CCS projects. We start by reviewing CO 2 transport, which connects the regions where CO 2 is captured with suitable geostorage sites. The optimal conditions for COmore » 2 transport, both onshore (through pipelines) and offshore (through pipelines or ships), are such that CO 2 stays in liquid state. To minimize costs, CO 2 should ideally be injected at the wellhead in similar pressure and temperature conditions as it is delivered by transport. To optimize the injection conditions, coupled wellbore and reservoir simulators that solve the strongly non-linear problem of CO 2 pressure, temperature and density within the wellbore and non-isothermal two-phase flow within the storage formation have been developed. CO 2 in its way down the injection well heats up due to compression and friction at a lower rate than the geothermal gradient, and thus, reaches the storage formation at a lower temperature than that of the rock. Inside the storage formation, CO 2 injection induces temperature changes due to the advection of the cool injected CO 2, the Joule-Thomson cooling effect, endothermic water vaporization and exothermic CO 2 dissolution. These thermal effects lead to thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical coupled processes with non-trivial interpretations. These coupled processes also play a relevant role in “Utilization” options that may provide an added value to the injected CO 2 , such as Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), Enhanced Coal Bed Methane (ECBM) and geothermal energy extraction combined with CO 2 storage. If the injected CO 2 leaks through faults, the caprock or wellbores, strong cooling will occur due to the expansion of CO 2 as pressure decreases with depth. Finally, we conclude by identifying research gaps and challenges of thermal effects related to CCS.« less

Thermal effects on geologic carbon storage

DOE PAGES

Vilarrasa, Victor; Rutqvist, Jonny

2016-12-27

One of the most promising ways to significantly reduce greenhouse gases emissions, while carbon-free energy sources are developed, is Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Non-isothermal effects play a major role in all stages of CCS. In this paper, we review the literature on thermal effects related to CCS, which is receiving an increasing interest as a result of the awareness that the comprehension of non-isothermal processes is crucial for a successful deployment of CCS projects. We start by reviewing CO 2 transport, which connects the regions where CO 2 is captured with suitable geostorage sites. The optimal conditions for COmore » 2 transport, both onshore (through pipelines) and offshore (through pipelines or ships), are such that CO 2 stays in liquid state. To minimize costs, CO 2 should ideally be injected at the wellhead in similar pressure and temperature conditions as it is delivered by transport. To optimize the injection conditions, coupled wellbore and reservoir simulators that solve the strongly non-linear problem of CO 2 pressure, temperature and density within the wellbore and non-isothermal two-phase flow within the storage formation have been developed. CO 2 in its way down the injection well heats up due to compression and friction at a lower rate than the geothermal gradient, and thus, reaches the storage formation at a lower temperature than that of the rock. Inside the storage formation, CO 2 injection induces temperature changes due to the advection of the cool injected CO 2, the Joule-Thomson cooling effect, endothermic water vaporization and exothermic CO 2 dissolution. These thermal effects lead to thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical coupled processes with non-trivial interpretations. These coupled processes also play a relevant role in “Utilization” options that may provide an added value to the injected CO 2 , such as Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), Enhanced Coal Bed Methane (ECBM) and geothermal energy extraction combined with CO 2 storage. If the injected CO 2 leaks through faults, the caprock or wellbores, strong cooling will occur due to the expansion of CO 2 as pressure decreases with depth. Finally, we conclude by identifying research gaps and challenges of thermal effects related to CCS.« less

Effects on the mobility of metals from acidification caused by possible CO₂ leakage from sub-seabed geological formations.

PubMed

de Orte, Manoela Romanó; Sarmiento, Aguasanta M; Basallote, Maria Dolores; Rodríguez-Romero, Araceli; Riba, Inmaculada; Delvalls, Angel

2014-02-01

Carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) in submarine geological formations has been proposed as a mitigation measure for the prevention of global warming. However, leakage of CO2 to overlying sediments may occur over time, leading to various effects on ecosystems. Laboratory-scale experiments were performed, involving direct release of carbon dioxide into sediment, inside non-pressurized chambers, in order to provide data on the possible effects of CO2 leakage from geological storage sites on the fate of several metals. Marine sediments from three sites with different levels of contamination were sampled and submitted to acidification by means of CO2 injection. The experiment lasted 10 days and sediment samples were collected at the beginning and end of the experiment and pore water was extracted for metal analysis. The results revealed that mobility of metals from sediment to pore water depends on the site, metal and length of time exposed. Mobilization of the metals Al, Fe, Zn, Co, Pb and Cu increases with acidification, and this response generally increases with time of exposure to CO2 injection. The geochemical model applied suggests that acidification also influences the speciation of metals, transforming metals and metalloids, like As, into species much more toxic to biota. The data obtained from this study will be useful for calculating the potential risk of CCS activities to the marine environment. © 2013.

Dynamic characterization of fractured carbonates at the Hontomín CO2 storage site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Gallo, yann; de Dios, José Carlos; Salvador, Ignacio; Acosta Carballo, Taimara

2017-04-01

The geological storage of CO2 is investigated at the Technology Development Plant (TDP) at Hontomín (Burgos, Spain) into a deep saline aquifer, formed by fractured carbonates with poor matrix porosity. During the hydraulic characterization tests, 2,300 tons of liquid CO2 and 14,000 m3 synthetic brine were co-injected on site in various sequences to determine the pressure and temperature responses of the facture network. The results of the pressure tests were analyzed using an analytical approach to determine the overall petrophysical characteristics of the storage formation. Later on, these characteristics were implemented in a 3-D numerical model. The model is a compositional dual medium (fracture + matrix) which accounts for temperature effects, as CO2 is liquid at the well bottom-hole, and multiphase flow hysteresis as alternating water and CO2 injection tests were performed. The pressure and temperature responses of the storage formation were history-matched mainly through the petrophysical and geometrical characteristics of the facture network. This dynamic characterization of the fracture network controls the CO2 migration while the matrix does not appear to significantly contribute to the storage capacity. Consequently, the hydrodynamic behavior of the aquifer is one of the main challenge of the modeling workflow.

Geologic framework for the national assessment of carbon dioxide storage resources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Warwick, Peter D.; Corum, Margo D.

2012-01-01

The 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act (Public Law 110–140) directs the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a national assessment of potential geologic storage resources for carbon dioxide (CO2) and to consult with other Federal and State agencies to locate the pertinent geological data needed for the assessment. The geologic sequestration of CO2 is one possible way to mitigate its effects on climate change. The methodology used for the national CO2 assessment (Open-File Report 2010-1127; http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2010/1127/) is based on previous USGS probabilistic oil and gas assessment methodologies. The methodology is non-economic and intended to be used at regional to subbasinal scales. The operational unit of the assessment is a storage assessment unit (SAU), composed of a porous storage formation with fluid flow and an overlying sealing unit with low permeability. Assessments are conducted at the SAU level and are aggregated to basinal and regional results. This report identifies and contains geologic descriptions of SAUs in separate packages of sedimentary rocks within the assessed basin and focuses on the particular characteristics, specified in the methodology, that influence the potential CO2 storage resource in those SAUs. Specific descriptions of the SAU boundaries as well as their sealing and reservoir units are included. Properties for each SAU such as depth to top, gross thickness, net porous thickness, porosity, permeability, groundwater quality, and structural reservoir traps are provided to illustrate geologic factors critical to the assessment. Although assessment results are not contained in this report, the geologic information included here will be employed, as specified in the methodology, to calculate a statistical Monte Carlo-based distribution of potential storage space in the various SAUs. Figures in this report show SAU boundaries and cell maps of well penetrations through the sealing unit into the top of the storage formation. Wells sharing the same well borehole are treated as a single penetration. Cell maps show the number of penetrating wells within one square mile and are derived from interpretations of incompletely attributed well data, a digital compilation that is known not to include all drilling. The USGS does not expect to know the location of all wells and cannot guarantee the amount of drilling through specific formations in any given cell shown on cell maps.

Biosurfactant as an Enhancer of Geologic Carbon Storage: Microbial Modification of Interfacial Tension and Contact Angle in Carbon dioxide/Water/Quartz Systems.

PubMed

Park, Taehyung; Joo, Hyun-Woo; Kim, Gyeong-Yeong; Kim, Seunghee; Yoon, Sukhwan; Kwon, Tae-Hyuk

2017-01-01

Injecting and storing of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) in deep geologic formations is considered as one of the promising approaches for geologic carbon storage. Microbial wettability alteration of injected CO 2 is expected to occur naturally by microorganisms indigenous to the geologic formation or microorganisms intentionally introduced to increase CO 2 storage capacity in the target reservoirs. The question as to the extent of microbial CO 2 wettability alteration under reservoir conditions still warrants further investigation. This study investigated the effect of a lipopeptide biosurfactant-surfactin, on interfacial tension (IFT) reduction and contact angle alteration in CO 2 /water/quartz systems under a laboratory setup simulating in situ reservoir conditions. The temporal shifts in the IFT and the contact angle among CO 2 , brine, and quartz were monitored for different CO 2 phases (3 MPa, 30°C for gaseous CO 2 ; 10 MPa, 28°C for liquid CO 2 ; 10 MPa, 37°C for supercritical CO 2 ) upon cultivation of Bacillus subtilis strain ATCC6633 with induced surfactin secretion activity. Due to the secreted surfactin, the IFT between CO 2 and brine decreased: from 49.5 to 30 mN/m, by ∼39% for gaseous CO 2 ; from 28.5 to 13 mN/m, by 54% for liquid CO 2 ; and from 32.5 to 18.5 mN/m, by ∼43% for supercritical CO 2 , respectively. The contact angle of a CO 2 droplet on a quartz disk in brine increased: from 20.5° to 23.2°, by 1.16 times for gaseous CO 2 ; from 18.4° to 61.8°, by 3.36 times for liquid CO 2 ; and from 35.5° to 47.7°, by 1.34 times for supercritical CO 2 , respectively. With the microbially altered CO 2 wettability, improvement in sweep efficiency of injected and displaced CO 2 was evaluated using 2-D pore network model simulations; again the increment in sweep efficiency was the greatest in liquid CO 2 phase due to the largest reduction in capillary factor. This result provides novel insights as to the role of naturally occurring biosurfactants in CO 2 storage and suggests that biostimulation of biosurfactant production may be a feasible technique for enhancement of CO 2 storage capacity.

Biosurfactant as an Enhancer of Geologic Carbon Storage: Microbial Modification of Interfacial Tension and Contact Angle in Carbon dioxide/Water/Quartz Systems

PubMed Central

Park, Taehyung; Joo, Hyun-Woo; Kim, Gyeong-Yeong; Kim, Seunghee; Yoon, Sukhwan; Kwon, Tae-Hyuk

2017-01-01

Injecting and storing of carbon dioxide (CO2) in deep geologic formations is considered as one of the promising approaches for geologic carbon storage. Microbial wettability alteration of injected CO2 is expected to occur naturally by microorganisms indigenous to the geologic formation or microorganisms intentionally introduced to increase CO2 storage capacity in the target reservoirs. The question as to the extent of microbial CO2 wettability alteration under reservoir conditions still warrants further investigation. This study investigated the effect of a lipopeptide biosurfactant—surfactin, on interfacial tension (IFT) reduction and contact angle alteration in CO2/water/quartz systems under a laboratory setup simulating in situ reservoir conditions. The temporal shifts in the IFT and the contact angle among CO2, brine, and quartz were monitored for different CO2 phases (3 MPa, 30°C for gaseous CO2; 10 MPa, 28°C for liquid CO2; 10 MPa, 37°C for supercritical CO2) upon cultivation of Bacillus subtilis strain ATCC6633 with induced surfactin secretion activity. Due to the secreted surfactin, the IFT between CO2 and brine decreased: from 49.5 to 30 mN/m, by ∼39% for gaseous CO2; from 28.5 to 13 mN/m, by 54% for liquid CO2; and from 32.5 to 18.5 mN/m, by ∼43% for supercritical CO2, respectively. The contact angle of a CO2 droplet on a quartz disk in brine increased: from 20.5° to 23.2°, by 1.16 times for gaseous CO2; from 18.4° to 61.8°, by 3.36 times for liquid CO2; and from 35.5° to 47.7°, by 1.34 times for supercritical CO2, respectively. With the microbially altered CO2 wettability, improvement in sweep efficiency of injected and displaced CO2 was evaluated using 2-D pore network model simulations; again the increment in sweep efficiency was the greatest in liquid CO2 phase due to the largest reduction in capillary factor. This result provides novel insights as to the role of naturally occurring biosurfactants in CO2 storage and suggests that biostimulation of biosurfactant production may be a feasible technique for enhancement of CO2 storage capacity. PMID:28744272

Multi-Scale Transport Properties of Fine-Grained Rocks: A Case Study of the Kirtland Formation, San Juan Basin, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heath, J. E.; Dewers, T. A.; McPherson, B. J.; Wilson, T. H.; Flach, T.

2009-12-01

Understanding and characterizing transport properties of fine-grained rocks is critical in development of shale gas plays or assessing retention of CO2 at geologic storage sites. Difficulties arise in that both small scale (i.e., ~ nm) properties of the rock matrix and much larger scale fractures, faults, and sedimentological architecture govern migration of multiphase fluids. We present a multi-scale investigation of sealing and transport properties of the Kirtland Formation, which is a regional aquitard and reservoir seal in the San Juan Basin, USA. Sub-micron dual FIB/SEM imaging and reconstruction of 3D pore networks in core samples reveal a variety of pore types, including slit-shaped pores that are co-located with sedimentary structures and variations in mineralogy. Micron-scale chemical analysis and XRD reveal a mixture of mixed-layer smectite/illite, chlorite, quartz, and feldspar with little organic matter. Analysis of sub-micron digital reconstructions, mercury capillary injection pressure, and gas breakthrough measurements indicate a high quality sealing matrix. Natural full and partially mineralized fractures observed in core and in FMI logs include those formed from early soil-forming processes, differential compaction, and tectonic events. The potential impact of both fracture and matrix properties on large-scale transport is investigated through an analysis of natural helium from core samples, 3D seismic data and poro-elastic modeling. While seismic interpretations suggest considerable fracturing of the Kirtland, large continuous fracture zones and faults extending through the seal to the surface cannot be inferred from the data. Observed Kirtland Formation multi-scale transport properties are included as part of a risk assessment methodology for CO2 storage. Acknowledgements: The authors gratefully acknowledge the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory for sponsoring this project. The DOE’s Basic Energy Science Office funded the dual FIB/SEM analysis. The Kirtland Formation overlies the coal seams of the Fruitland into which CO2 has been injected as a Phase II demonstration of the Southwest Regional Partnership on Carbon Sequestration. Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the U.S. Department of Energy under contract DE-ACOC4-94AL85000.

Technical and economic analysis on grid-connected wind farm based on hybrid energy storage system and distributed generators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xinhua; Zhou, Zhongkang; Chen, Xiaochun; Song, Jishuang; Shi, Maolin

2017-05-01

system is proposed based on NaS battery and lithium ion battery, that the former is the main large scale energy storage technology world-widely used and developed and the latter is a flexible way to have both power and energy capacities. The hybrid energy storage system, which takes advantage of the two complementary technologies to provide large power and energy capacities, is chosen to do an evaluation of econom ical-environmental based on critical excess electricity production (CEEP), CO2 emission, annual total costs calculated on the specific given condition using Energy PLAN software. The result shows that hybrid storage system has strengths in environmental benefits and also can absorb more discarded wind power than single storage system and is a potential way to push forward the application of wind power and even other types of renewable energy resources.

Observational evidence confirms modelling of the long-term integrity of CO 2-reservoir caprocks

DOE PAGES

Kampman, N.; Busch, A.; Bertier, P.; ...

2016-07-28

Storage of anthropogenic CO 2 in geological formations relies on a caprock as the primary seal preventing buoyant super-critical CO 2 escaping. Although natural CO 2 reservoirs demonstrate that CO 2 may be stored safely for millions of years, uncertainty remains in predicting how caprocks will react with CO 2-bearing brines. The resulting uncertainty poses a significant challenge to the risk assessment of geological carbon storage. We describe mineral reaction fronts in a CO 2 reservoir-caprock system exposed to CO 2 over a timescale comparable with that needed for geological carbon storage. Moreover, the propagation of the reaction front ismore » retarded by redox-sensitive mineral dissolution reactions and carbonate precipitation, which reduces its penetration into the caprock to ~7 cm in ~10 5 years. This distance is an order-of-magnitude smaller than previous predictions. The results attest to the significance of transport-limited reactions to the long-term integrity of sealing behaviour in caprocks exposed to CO 2.« less

Observational evidence confirms modelling of the long-term integrity of CO2-reservoir caprocks

PubMed Central

Kampman, N.; Busch, A.; Bertier, P.; Snippe, J.; Hangx, S.; Pipich, V.; Di, Z.; Rother, G.; Harrington, J. F.; Evans, J. P.; Maskell, A.; Chapman, H. J.; Bickle, M. J.

2016-01-01

Storage of anthropogenic CO2 in geological formations relies on a caprock as the primary seal preventing buoyant super-critical CO2 escaping. Although natural CO2 reservoirs demonstrate that CO2 may be stored safely for millions of years, uncertainty remains in predicting how caprocks will react with CO2-bearing brines. This uncertainty poses a significant challenge to the risk assessment of geological carbon storage. Here we describe mineral reaction fronts in a CO2 reservoir-caprock system exposed to CO2 over a timescale comparable with that needed for geological carbon storage. The propagation of the reaction front is retarded by redox-sensitive mineral dissolution reactions and carbonate precipitation, which reduces its penetration into the caprock to ∼7 cm in ∼105 years. This distance is an order-of-magnitude smaller than previous predictions. The results attest to the significance of transport-limited reactions to the long-term integrity of sealing behaviour in caprocks exposed to CO2. PMID:27464840

CarbonSAFE Rocky Mountain Phase I : Seismic Characterization of the Navajo Reservoir, Buzzard Bench, Utah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haar, K. K.; Balch, R. S.; Lee, S. Y.

2017-12-01

The CarbonSAFE Rocky Mountain project team is in the initial phase of investigating the regulatory, financial and technical feasibility of commercial-scale CO2 capture and storage from two coal-fired power plants in the northwest region of the San Rafael Swell, Utah. The reservoir interval is the Jurassic Navajo Sandstone, an eolian dune deposit that at present serves as the salt water disposal reservoir for Ferron Sandstone coal-bed methane production in the Drunkards Wash field and Buzzard Bench area of central Utah. In the study area the Navajo sandstone is approximately 525 feet thick and is at an average depth of about 7000 feet below the surface. If sufficient porosity and permeability exist, reservoir depth and thickness would provide storage for up to 100,000 metric tonnes of CO2 per square mile, based on preliminary estimates. This reservoir has the potential to meet the DOE's requirement of having the ability to store at least 50 million metric tons of CO2 and fulfills the DOE's initiative to develop protocols for commercially sequestering carbon sourced from coal-fired power plants. A successful carbon storage project requires thorough structural and stratigraphic characterization of the reservoir, seal and faults, thereby allowing the creation of a comprehensive geologic model with subsequent simulations to evaluate CO2/brine migration and long-term effects. Target formation lithofacies and subfacies data gathered from outcrop mapping and laboratory analysis of core samples were developed into a geologic model. Synthetic seismic was modeled from this, allowing us to seismically characterize the lithofacies of the target formation. This seismic characterization data was then employed in the interpretation of 2D legacy lines which provided stratigraphic and structural control for more accurate model development of the northwest region of the San Rafael Swell. Developing baseline interpretations such as this are crucial toward long-term carbon storage monitoring.

CO2 storage capacity estimation: Issues and development of standards

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bradshaw, J.; Bachu, S.; Bonijoly, D.; Burruss, R.; Holloway, S.; Christensen, N.P.; Mathiassen, O.M.

2007-01-01

Associated with the endeavours of geoscientists to pursue the promise that geological storage of CO2 has of potentially making deep cuts into greenhouse gas emissions, Governments around the world are dependent on reliable estimates of CO2 storage capacity and insightful indications of the viability of geological storage in their respective jurisdictions. Similarly, industry needs reliable estimates for business decisions regarding site selection and development. If such estimates are unreliable, and decisions are made based on poor advice, then valuable resources and time could be wasted. Policies that have been put in place to address CO2 emissions could be jeopardised. Estimates need to clearly state the limitations that existed (data, time, knowledge) at the time of making the assessment and indicate the purpose and future use to which the estimates should be applied. A set of guidelines for estimation of storage capacity will greatly assist future deliberations by government and industry on the appropriateness of geological storage of CO2 in different geological settings and political jurisdictions. This work has been initiated under the auspices of the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (www.cslforum.org), and it is intended that it will be an ongoing taskforce to further examine issues associated with storage capacity estimation. Crown Copyright ?? 2007.

CO2-brine-mineral Reactions in Geological Carbon Storage: Results from an EOR Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapman, H.; Wigley, M.; Bickle, M.; Kampman, N.; Dubacq, B.; Galy, A.; Ballentine, C.; Zhou, Z.

2012-04-01

Dissolution of CO2 in brines and reactions of the acid brines ultimately dissolving silicate minerals and precipitating carbonate minerals are the prime long-term mechanisms for stabilising the light supercritical CO2 in geological carbon storage. However the rates of dissolution are very uncertain as they are likely to depend on the heterogeneity of the flow of CO2, the possibility of convective instability of the denser CO2-saturated brines and on fluid-mineral reactions which buffer brine acidity. We report the results of sampling brines and gases during a phase of CO2 injection for enhanced oil recovery in a small oil field. Brines and gases were sampled at production wells daily for 3 months after initiation of CO2 injection and again for two weeks after 5 months. Noble gas isotopic spikes were detected at producing wells within days of initial CO2 injection but signals continued for weeks, and at some producers for the duration of the sampling period, attesting to the complexity of gas-species pathways. Interpretations are complicated by the previous history of the oil field and re-injection of produced water prior to injection of CO2. However water sampled from some producing wells during the phase of CO2 injection showed monotonic increases in alkalinity and in concentrations of major cations to levels in excess of those in the injected water. The marked increase in Na, and smaller increases in Ca, Mg, Si, K and Sr are interpreted primarily to result from silicate dissolution as the lack of increase in S and Cl concentrations preclude additions of more saline waters. Early calcite dissolution was followed by re-precipitation. 87Sr/86Sr ratios in the waters apparently exceed the 87Sr/86Sr ratios of acetic and hydrochloric acid leaches of carbonate fractions of the reservoir rocks and the silicate residues from the leaching. This may indicate incongruent dissolution of Sr or larger scale isotopic heterogeneity of the reservoir. This is being investigated further by analyses of rock and mineral clasts from core. A surprising result of this study is the extent to which CO2 has dissolved in brines to drive fluid-rock reactions during the short duration of this experiment. However, simple one-dimensional flow modelling with lateral diffusion of CO2 into brines demonstrates that the natural heterogeneities in permeability in the reservoir on the scale of ~ 1 m are sufficient to cause extensive fingering of the CO2 along the highest permeability horizons. Because flow of brines is fastest in the relatively high permeability layers adjacent to the CO2-bearing layers, production of this more CO2-rich water dominates the output from production wells.

A detailed study of CO 2-brine capillary trapping mechanisms as applied to geologic carbon storage. Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wildenschild, Dorthe

2017-04-06

The proposed research focuses on improved fundamental understanding of the efficiency of physical trapping mechanisms, and as such will provide the basis for subsequent upscaling efforts. The overarching hypothesis of the proposed research is that capillary pressure plays a significant role in capillary trapping of CO 2, especially during the water imbibition stage of the sequestration process. We posit that the relevant physics of the sequestration process is more complex than is currently captured in relative permeability models, which are often based on so-called trapping models to represent relative permeability hysteresis. Our 4 main questions, guiding the 4 main tasksmore » of the proposed research, are as follows: (1) What is the morphology of capillary trapped CO 2 at the pore scale as a function of temperature, pressure, brine concentration, interfacial tension, and pore-space morphology under injection and subsequent imbibition? (2) Is it possible to describe the capillary trapping process using formation-dependent, but otherwise unique continuum-scale functions in permeability-capillary pressure, interfacial area and saturation space, rather than hysteretic functions in permeability-saturation or capillary pressure-saturation space? (3) How do continuum-scale relationships between kr-Pc-S-Anw developed based on pore-scale observations compare with traditional models incorporating relative permeability hysteresis (such as Land’s and other models,) and with observations at the core (5-10cm) scale? (4) How can trapped CO 2 volume be optimized via engineered injection and sweep strategies, and as a function of formation type (incl. heterogeneity)?« less

Downhole monitoring of biogenic gas production at the Maguelone shallow injection experimental site (Languedoc coastline, France).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdelghafour, H.; Brondolo, F.; Denchik, N.; Pezard, P. A.

2014-12-01

The controllability of CO2 geological storage can ensure the integrity of storage operations, requiring a precise monitoring of reservoir fluids and properties during injection and over time. In this context, deep saline aquifers offer a large capacity of storing CO2, but the accessibility to long term behavior studies remains limited until now. The Maguelone shallow experimental site located near Montpellier (Languedoc, France) provides such an opportunity for the understanding and accuracy of hydrogeophysical monitoring methods. The geology, petrophysic and hydrology of this site have been studied in details in previous studies, revealing the presence of a thin saline aquifer at 13-16 m depth surrounded by clay-rich materials. The site as a whole provides a natural laboratory to study CO2 injection at field scale, shallow depth, hence reasonable costs. The monitoring setup is composed of a series of hydrogeophysical and geochemical methods offering measurements of fluid pore pressure, electrical resistivity, acoustic velocities as well as pH and fluid properties and chemistry. To assess the response of the reservoir during CO2 injection, all measurements need to be compared to a representative baseline. Long after a series of gas injection experiments at Maguelone, fluctuations overtime of reservoir fluids and properties (such as pore fluid pH) were discovered at steady state, demonstrating the natural variability of the site in terms of biogenic gas (H2S, CH4, CO2) production and transfer. For this, a new resistivity baseline had to be constructed for all observatories. From this, the downhole gas saturation was determined versus depth and time from time-lapse resistivity logs analysed on the basis of other logs and laboratory measurements. The Waxman and Smits model (1968) for electrical properties of sand-clay formations was modified to estimate the gas saturation in 4D, to account for surface conductivity and pore connectivity. High frequency logging and monitoring of electrical properties both, with several measurements per hour and a dm-scale resolution, provide and insight into subsurface dynamics in terms of gas flow and storage, with biogenic gas saturations ranging from 0.1 to 5.0 %. This natural contribution has to be taken into account for upcoming experiments.

Enhancing the revision of the static geological model of the Stuttgart Formation at the Ketzin pilot site by integration of reservoir simulations and 3D seismics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kempka, Thomas; Norden, Ben; Ivanova, Alexandra; Lüth, Stefan

2017-04-01

Pilot-scale carbon dioxide storage has been performed at the Ketzin pilot site in Germany from June 2007 to August 2013 with about 67 kt of CO2 injected into the Upper Triassic Stuttgart Formation. In this context, the main aims focussed on verification of the technical feasibility of CO2 storage in saline aquifers and development of efficient strategies for CO2 behaviour monitoring and prediction. A static geological model has been already developed at an early stage of this undertaking, and continuously revised with the availability of additional geological and operational data as well as by means of reservoir simulations, allowing for revisions in line with the efforts to achieve a solid history match in view of well bottomhole pressures and CO2 arrival times at the observation wells. Three 3D seismic campaigns followed the 2005 3D seismic baseline in 2009, 2012 and 2015. Consequently, the interpreted seismic data on spatial CO2 thickness distributions in the storage reservoir as well as seismic CO2 detection limits from recent conformity studies enabled us to enhance the previous history-matching results by adding a spatial component to the previous observations, limited to points only. For that purpose, we employed the latest version of the history-matched static geological reservoir model and revised the gridding scheme of the reservoir simulation model by coarsening and introducing local grid refinements at the areas of interest. Further measures to ensure computational efficiency included the application of the MUFITS reservoir simulator (BLACKOIL module) with PVT data derived from the MUFITS GASSTORE module. Observations considered in the inverse model calibration for a simulation time of about 5 years included well bottomhole pressures, CO2 arrival times and seismically determined CO2 thickness maps for 2009 and 2012. Pilot points were employed by means of the PEST++ inverse simulation framework to apply permeability multipliers, interpolated by kriging to the reservoir simulation model grid. Our results exhibit an excellent well bottomhole pressure match, good agreement with the observed CO2 arrival times at the observation wells, a reasonable agreement of the spatial CO2 distribution with the CO2 thickness maps derived from the 2009, 2012 and 2015 3D seismic campaigns as well as a good agreement with hydraulic tests conducted before CO2 injection. Hence, the inversely determined permeability multipliers provide an excellent basis for further revision of the static geological model of the Stuttgart Formation.

Micro-CT in situ study of carbonate rock microstructural evolution for geologic CO2 storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Y.; Yang, Y.; Rogowska, M.; Gundlach, C.

2017-09-01

To achieve the 2°C target made in the 2016 Paris Agreement, it is essential to reduce the emission of CO2 into the atmosphere. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) has been given increasing importance over the last decade. One of the suggested methods for CCS is to inject CO2 into geologic settings such as the carbonate reservoirs in the North Sea. The final aim of our project is to find out how to control the evolution of petrophysical parameters during CO2 injection using an optimal combination of flow rate, injection pressure and chemical composition of the influent. The first step to achieve this is to find a suitable condition to create a stable 3D space in carbonate rock by injecting liquid to prepare space for the later CO2 injection. Micro-CT imaging is a non-destructive 3D method that can be used to study the property changes of carbonate rocks during and after CO2 injection. The advance in lab source based micro-CT has made it capable of in situ experiments. We used a commercial bench top micro-CT (Zeiss Versa XRM410) to study the microstructure changes of chalk during liquid injection. Flexible temporal CT resolution is essential in this study because that the time scales of coupled physical and chemical processes can be very different. The results validated the feasibility of using a bench top CT system with a pressure cell to monitor the mesoscale multiphase interactions in chalk.

Geologic framework for the national assessment of carbon dioxide storage resources: Columbia Basin of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, and the Western Oregon-Washington basins: Chapter D in Geologic framework for the national assessment of carbon dioxide storage resources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Covault, Jacob A.; Blondes, Madalyn S.; Cahan, Steven M.; DeVera, Christina A.; Freeman, P.A.; Lohr, Celeste D.; Warwick, Peter D.; Corum, Margo D.

2013-01-01

The 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act (Public Law 110–140) directs the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a national assessment of potential geologic storage resources for carbon dioxide (CO2). The methodology used by the USGS for the national CO2 assessment follows that of previous USGS work. The methodology is non-economic and intended to be used at regional to subbasinal scales. This report identifies and contains geologic descriptions of three storage assessment units (SAUs) in Eocene and Oligocene sedimentary rocks within the Columbia, Puget, Willapa, Astoria, Nehalem, and Willamette Basins of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, and focuses on the characteristics, specified in the methodology, that influence the potential CO2 storage resource in those SAUs. Specific descriptions of the SAU boundaries as well as their sealing and reservoir units are included. Properties for each SAU, such as depth to top, gross thickness, porosity, permeability, groundwater quality, and structural reservoir traps, are provided to illustrate geologic factors critical to the assessment. The designated sealing unit in the Columbia Basin is tentatively chosen to be the ubiquitous and thick Miocene Columbia River Basalt Group. As a result of uncertainties regarding the seal integrity of the Columbia River Basalt Group, the SAUs were not quantitatively assessed. Figures in this report show SAU boundaries and cell maps of well penetrations through sealing units into the top of the storage formations. The cell maps show the number of penetrating wells within one square mile and are derived from interpretations of incompletely attributed well data, a digital compilation that is known not to include all drilling. The USGS does not expect to know the location of all wells and cannot guarantee the amount of drilling through specific formations in any given cell shown on the cell maps.

Laboratory flow experiments for visualizing carbon dioxide-induced, density-driven brine convection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kneafsey, T.; Pruess, K.

2009-09-01

Injection of carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) into saline aquifers confined by low-permeability cap rock will result in a layer of CO{sub 2} overlying the brine. Dissolution of CO{sub 2} into the brine increases the brine density, resulting in an unstable situation in which more-dense brine overlies less-dense brine. This gravitational instability could give rise to density-driven convection of the fluid, which is a favorable process of practical interest for CO{sub 2} storage security because it accelerates the transfer of buoyant CO{sub 2} into the aqueous phase, where it is no longer subject to an upward buoyant drive. Laboratory flow visualizationmore » tests in transparent Hele-Shaw cells have been performed to elucidate the processes and rates of this CO{sub 2} solute-driven convection (CSC). Upon introduction of CO{sub 2} into the system, a layer of CO{sub 2}-laden brine forms at the CO{sub 2}-water interface. Subsequently, small convective fingers form, which coalesce, broaden, and penetrate into the test cell. Images and time-series data of finger lengths and wavelengths are presented. Observed CO{sub 2} uptake of the convection system indicates that the CO{sub 2} dissolution rate is approximately constant for each test and is far greater than expected for a diffusion-only scenario. Numerical simulations of our system show good agreement with the experiments for onset time of convection and advancement of convective fingers. There are differences as well, the most prominent being the absence of cell-scale convection in the numerical simulations. This cell-scale convection observed in the experiments is probably initiated by a small temperature gradient induced by the cell illumination.« less

Micromechanical Tests and Geochemical Modeling to Evaluate Evolution of Rock Alteration by CO2-Water Mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aman, M.; Sun, Y.; Ilgen, A.; Espinoza, N.

2015-12-01

Injection of large volumes of CO2 into geologic formations can help reduce the atmospheric CO2 concentration and lower the impact of burning fossil fuels. However, the injection of CO2 into the subsurface shifts the chemical equilibrium between the mineral assemblage and the pore fluid. This shift will situationally facilitate dissolution and reprecipitation of mineral phases, in particular intergranular cements, and can potentially affect the long term mechanical stability of the host formation. The study of these coupled chemical-mechanical reservoir rock responses can help identify and control unexpected emergent behavior associated with geological CO2 storage.Experiments show that micro-mechanical methods are useful in capturing a variety of mechanical parameters, including Young's modulus, hardness and fracture toughness. In particular, micro-mechanical measurements are well-suited for examining thin altered layers on the surfaces of rock specimens, as well as capturing variability on the scale of lithofacies. We performed indentation and scratching tests on sandstone and siltstone rocks altered in natural CO2-brine environments, as well as on analogous samples altered under high pressure, temperature, and dissolved CO2 conditions in a controlled laboratory experiment. We performed geochemical modeling to support the experimental observations, in particular to gain the insight into mineral dissolution/precipitation as a result of the rock-water-CO2reactions. The comparison of scratch measurements performed on specimens both unaltered and altered by CO2 over geologic time scales results in statistically different values for fracture toughness and scratch hardness, indicating that long term exposure to CO2 caused mechanical degradation of the reservoir rock. Geochemical modeling indicates that major geochemical change caused by CO2 invasion of Entrada sandstone is dissolution of hematite cement, and its replacement with siderite and dolomite during the alteration process.

Monitoring CO 2 sequestration into deep saline aquifer and associated salt intrusion using coupled multiphase flow modeling and time lapse electrical resistivity tomography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chuan Lu; CHI Zhang; Hai Hanag

2014-04-01

Successful geological storage and sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2) require efficient monitoring of the migration of CO2 plume during and after large-scale injection in order to verify the containment of the injected CO2 within the target formation and to evaluate potential leakage risk. Field studies have shown that surface and cross-borehole electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) can be a useful tool in imaging and characterizing solute transport in heterogeneous subsurface. In this synthetic study, we have coupled a 3-D multiphase flow model with a parallel 3-D time-lapse ERT inversion code to explore the feasibility of using time-lapse ERT for simultaneously monitoringmore » the migration of CO2 plume in deep saline formation and potential brine intrusion into shallow fresh water aquifer. Direct comparisons of the inverted CO2 plumes resulting from ERT with multiphase flow simulation results indicate the ERT could be used to delineate the migration of CO2 plume. Detailed comparisons on the locations, sizes and shapes of CO2 plume and intruded brine plumes suggest that ERT inversion tends to underestimate the area review of the CO2 plume, but overestimate the thickness and total volume of the CO2 plume. The total volume of intruded brine plumes is overestimated as well. However, all discrepancies remain within reasonable ranges. Our study suggests that time-lapse ERT is a useful monitoring tool in characterizing the movement of injected CO2 into deep saline aquifer and detecting potential brine intrusion under large-scale field injection conditions.« less

CO2 -dependent metabolic modulation in red blood cells stored under anaerobic conditions.

PubMed

Dumont, Larry J; D'Alessandro, Angelo; Szczepiorkowski, Zbigniew M; Yoshida, Tatsuro

2016-02-01

Anaerobic red blood cell (RBC) storage reduces oxidative damage, maintains adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) levels, and has superior 24-hour recovery at 6 weeks compared to standard storage. This study will determine if removal of CO2 during O2 depletion by gas exchange may affect RBCs during anaerobic storage. This is a matched three-arm study (n = 14): control, O2 and CO2 depleted with Ar (AN), and O2 depleted with 95%Ar/5%CO2 (AN[CO2 ]). RBCs in additives AS-3 or OFAS-3 were evenly divided into three bags, and anaerobic conditions were established by gas exchange. Bags were stored at 1 to 6°C in closed chambers under anaerobic conditions or ambient air, sampled weekly for up to 9 weeks for a panel of in vitro tests. A full metabolomics screening was conducted for the first 4 weeks of storage. Purging with Ar (AN) results in alkalization of the RBC and increased glucose consumption. The addition of 5% CO2 to the purging gas prevented CO2 loss with an equivalent starting and final pH and lactate to control bags (p > 0.5, Days 0-21). ATP levels are higher in AN[CO2 ] (p < 0.0001). DPG was maintained beyond 2 weeks in the AN arm (p < 0.0001). Surprisingly, DPG was lost at the same rate in both control and AN[CO2 ] arms (p = 0.6). Maintenance of ATP in the AN[CO2 ] arm demonstrates that ATP production is not solely a function of the pH effect on glycolysis. CO2 in anaerobic storage prevented the maintenance of DPG, and DPG production appears to be pH dependent. CO2 as well as O2 depletion provides metabolic advantage for stored RBCs. © 2015 AABB.

Radiocarbon as a Reactive Tracer for Tracking Permanent CO 2 Storage in Basaltic Rocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matter, Juerg; Stute, Martin; Schlosser, Peter

In view of concerns about the long-term integrity and containment of CO 2 storage in geologic reservoirs, many efforts have been made to improve the monitoring, verification and accounting methods for geologically stored CO 2. Our project aimed to demonstrate that carbon-14 ( 14C) could be used as a reactive tracer to monitor geochemical reactions and evaluate the extent of mineral trapping of CO 2 in basaltic rocks. The capacity of a storage reservoir for mineral trapping of CO 2 is largely a function of host rock composition. Mineral carbonation involves combining CO 2 with divalent cations including Ca 2+,more » Mg 2+ and Fe 2+. The most abundant geological sources for these cations are basaltic rocks. Based on initial storage capacity estimates, we know that basalts have the necessary capacity to store million to billion tons of CO 2 via in situ mineral carbonation. However, little is known about CO2-fluid-rock reactions occurring in a basaltic storage reservoir during and post-CO 2 injection. None of the common monitoring and verification techniques have been able to provide a surveying tool for mineral trapping. The most direct method for quantitative monitoring and accounting involves the tagging of the injected CO 2 with 14C because 14C is not present in deep geologic reservoirs prior to injection. Accordingly, we conducted two CO 2 injection tests at the CarbFix pilot injection site in Iceland to study the feasibility of 14C as a reactive tracer for monitoring CO 2-fluid-rock reactions and CO 2 mineralization. Our newly developed monitoring techniques, using 14C as a reactive tracer, have been successfully demonstrated. For the first time, permanent and safe disposal of CO 2 as environmentally benign carbonate minerals in basaltic rocks could be shown. Over 95% of the injected CO 2 at the CarbFix pilot injection site was mineralized to carbonate minerals in less than two years after injection. Our monitoring results confirm that CO 2 mineralization in basaltic rocks is far faster than previously postulated.« less

Constraints on the magnitude and rate of CO2 dissolution at Bravo Dome natural gas field

PubMed Central

Sathaye, Kiran J.; Hesse, Marc A.; Cassidy, Martin; Stockli, Daniel F.

2014-01-01

The injection of carbon dioxide (CO2) captured at large point sources into deep saline aquifers can significantly reduce anthropogenic CO2 emissions from fossil fuels. Dissolution of the injected CO2 into the formation brine is a trapping mechanism that helps to ensure the long-term security of geological CO2 storage. We use thermochronology to estimate the timing of CO2 emplacement at Bravo Dome, a large natural CO2 field at a depth of 700 m in New Mexico. Together with estimates of the total mass loss from the field we present, to our knowledge, the first constraints on the magnitude, mechanisms, and rates of CO2 dissolution on millennial timescales. Apatite (U-Th)/He thermochronology records heating of the Bravo Dome reservoir due to the emplacement of hot volcanic gases 1.2–1.5 Ma. The CO2 accumulation is therefore significantly older than previous estimates of 10 ka, which demonstrates that safe long-term geological CO2 storage is possible. Integrating geophysical and geochemical data, we estimate that 1.3 Gt CO2 are currently stored at Bravo Dome, but that only 22% of the emplaced CO2 has dissolved into the brine over 1.2 My. Roughly 40% of the dissolution occurred during the emplacement. The CO2 dissolved after emplacement exceeds the amount expected from diffusion and provides field evidence for convective dissolution with a rate of 0.1 g/(m2y). The similarity between Bravo Dome and major US saline aquifers suggests that significant amounts of CO2 are likely to dissolve during injection at US storage sites, but that convective dissolution is unlikely to trap all injected CO2 on the 10-ky timescale typically considered for storage projects. PMID:25313084

Vegetation/Ecosystem Modeling and Analysis Project:Comparing biogeography and biogeochemistry models in a continental-scale study of terrestrial ecosystem responses to climate change and CO2 doubling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1995-12-01

We compare the simulations of three biogeography models (BIOME2, Dynamic Global Phytogeography Model (DOLY), and Mapped Atmosphere-Plant Soil System (MAPSS)) and three biogeochemistry models (BIOME-BGC (BioGeochemistry Cycles), CENTURY, and Terrestrial Ecosystem Model (TEM)) for the conterminous United States under contemporary conditions of atmospheric CO2 and climate. We also compare the simulations of these models under doubled CO2 and a range of climate scenarios. For contemporary conditions, the biogeography models successfully simulate the geographic distribution of major vegetation types and have similar estimates of area for forests (42 to 46% of the conterminous United States), grasslands (17 to 27%), savannas (15 to 25%), and shrublands (14 to 18%). The biogeochemistry models estimate similar continental-scale net primary production (NPP; 3125 to 3772 × 1012 gC yr-1) and total carbon storage (108 to 118 × 1015 gC) for contemporary conditions. Among the scenarios of doubled CO2 and associated equilibrium climates produced by the three general circulation models (Oregon State University (OSU), Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL), and United Kingdom Meteorological Office (UKMO)), all three biogeography models show both gains and losses of total forest area depending on the scenario (between 38 and 53% of conterminous United States area). The only consistent gains in forest area with all three models (BIOME2, DOLY, and MAPSS) were under the GFDL scenario due to large increases in precipitation. MAPSS lost forest area under UKMO, DOLY under OSU, and BIOME2 under both UKMO and OSU. The variability in forest area estimates occurs because the hydrologic cycles of the biogeography models have different sensitivities to increases in temperature and CO2. However, in general, the biogeography models produced broadly similar results when incorporating both climate change and elevated CO2 concentrations. For these scenarios, the NPP estimated by the biogeochemistry models increases between 2% (BIOME-BGC with UKMO climate) and 35% (TEM with UKMO climate). Changes in total carbon storage range from losses of 33% (BIOME-BGC with UKMO climate) to gains of 16% (TEM with OSU climate). The CENTURY responses of NPP and carbon storage are positive and intermediate to the responses of BIOME-BGC and TEM. The variability in carbon cycle responses occurs because the hydrologic and nitrogen cycles of the biogeochemistry models have different sensitivities to increases in temperature and CO2. When the biogeochemistry models are run with the vegetation distributions of the biogeography models, NPP ranges from no response (BIOME-BGC with all three biogeography model vegetations for UKMO climate) to increases of 40% (TEM with MAPSS vegetation for OSU climate). The total carbon storage response ranges from a decrease of 39% (BIOME-BGC with MAPSS vegetation for UKMO climate) to an increase of 32% (TEM with MAPSS vegetation for OSU and GFDL climates). The UKMO responses of BIOME-BGC with MAPSS vegetation are primarily caused by decreases in forested area and temperature-induced water stress. The OSU and GFDL responses of TEM with MAPSS vegetations are primarily caused by forest expansion and temperature-enhanced nitrogen cycling.

Vegetation/ecosystem modeling and analysis project: Comparing biogeography and biogeochemistry models in a continental-scale study of terrestrial ecosystem responses to climate change and CO2 doubling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melillo, J. M.; Borchers, J.; Chaney, J.; Fisher, H.; Fox, S.; Haxeltine, A.; Janetos, A.; Kicklighter, D. W.; Kittel, T. G. F.; McGuire, A. D.; McKeown, R.; Neilson, R.; Nemani, R.; Ojima, D. S.; Painter, T.

1995-12-01

We compare the simulations of three biogeography models (BIOME2, Dynamic Global Phytogeography Model (DOLY), and Mapped Atmosphere-Plant Soil System (MAPSS)) and three biogeochemistry models (BIOME-BGC (BioGeochemistry Cycles), CENTURY, and Terrestrial Ecosystem Model (TEM)) for the conterminous United States under contemporary conditions of atmospheric CO2 and climate. We also compare the simulations of these models under doubled CO2 and a range of climate scenarios. For contemporary conditions, the biogeography models successfully simulate the geographic distribution of major vegetation types and have similar estimates of area for forests (42 to 46% of the conterminous United States), grasslands (17 to 27%), savannas (15 to 25%), and shrublands (14 to 18%). The biogeochemistry models estimate similar continental-scale net primary production (NPP; 3125 to 3772×1012 gCyr-1) and total carbon storage (108 to 118×1015 gC) for contemporary conditions. Among the scenarios of doubled CO2 and associated equilibrium climates produced by the three general circulation models (Oregon State University (OSU), Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL), and United Kingdom Meteorological Office (UKMO)), all three biogeography models show both gains and losses of total forest area depending on the scenario (between 38 and 53% of conterminous United States area). The only consistent gains in forest area with all three models (BIOME2, DOLY, and MAPSS) were under the GFDL scenario due to large increases in precipitation. MAPSS lost forest area under UKMO, DOLY under OSU, and BIOME2 under both UKMO and OSU. The variability in forest area estimates occurs because the hydrologic cycles of the biogeography models have different sensitivities to increases in temperature and CO2. However, in general, the biogeography models produced broadly similar results when incorporating both climate change and elevated CO2 concentrations. For these scenarios, the NPP estimated by the biogeochemistry models increases between 2% (BIOME-BGC with UKMO climate) and 35% (TEM with UKMO climate). Changes in total carbon storage range from losses of 33% (BIOME-BGC with UKMO climate) to gains of 16% (TEM with OSU climate). The CENTURY responses of NPP and carbon storage are positive and intermediate to the responses of BIOME-BGC and TEM. The variability in carbon cycle responses occurs because the hydrologic and nitrogen cycles of the biogeochemistry models have different sensitivities to increases in temperature and CO2. When the biogeochemistry models are run with the vegetation distributions of the biogeography models, NPP ranges from no response (BIOME-BGC with all three biogeography model vegetations for UKMO climate) to increases of 40% (TEM with MAPSS vegetation for OSU climate). The total carbon storage response ranges from a decrease of 39% (BIOME-BGC with MAPSS vegetation for UKMO climate) to an increase of 32% (TEM with MAPSS vegetation for OSU and GFDL climates). The UKMO responses of BIOME-BGC with MAPSS vegetation are primarily caused by decreases in forested area and temperature-induced water stress. The OSU and GFDL responses of TEM with MAPSS vegetations are primarily caused by forest expansion and temperature-enhanced nitrogen cycling.

Model quantification of the CO2 storage in the Los Páramos site (Duero basin, NE Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nardi, Albert; Grandia, Fidel; Abarca, Elena; Motis, Kilian; Molinero, Jorge

2013-04-01

The Duero basin in NW Spain is one the most promising basin for CO2 storage in the Iberian Peninsula due to the existence of favourable deep aquifers close to large CO2 emission point sources. A number of projects are presently active either for scientific research (e.g., the Hontomín site, OXI-CFB300 EPRR project) or commercial purposes (e.g., Sahagún and Los Páramos projects). The project called Los Páramos intends to assess the injection of CO2 in a group of dome-shaped structures with an estimated total capacity of 200 Mt (ranked 2nd in the Iberian Peninsula, IGME 2010). These domes were studied in the past for hydrocarbon exploration and a large body of information is available from seismic profiles (over 170 km) and 3 deep wells. The Los Páramos site is emplaced in the San Pedro Folded Band (SPFB) that consists mainly of thick-skinned thrusts of Mesozoic rocks (Triassic and Upper Cretaceous) sealed by a thick (1200-1500 m), undeformed cover of Tertiary claystones. Dome-like structures are related to thrusts leading to favourable reservoirs. The target horizon for CO2 storage is the Utrillas Fm sandstone with high porosity (13-20%) and thickness (225-250 m). In three of the domes, the Utrillas Fm is below -800m, allowing thus the storage of CO2(sc). This sandstone hosts an aquifer containing saline water, up to 50 g·L-1, according to the data from drill wells. The presence of saline groundwater is explained by water interaction with Triassic evaporite layers just underlying the Utrillas Fm sandstones. The CO2 storage at Los Paramos site is planned via injection of supercritical CO2 (CO2(sc)) in the Utrillas Fm. In general, the next four trapping mechanisms are expected, which are of increasing importance through time (1) structural, (2) residual saturation, (3) dissolution, and (4) mineral. The prediction of the mass of CO2 stored through time in any storage systems is an essential parameter in the pre-injection assessment of a geological storage. For safety reasons, it is relevant to know the mass of CO2 trapped under the different trapping mechanisms. In this work, storage quantification in the Dome B of Los Páramos site has been performed by using multiphase transport simulations with COMSOL Multiphysics. Model results predict well the amount of CO2 trapped as residual phase and the onset of the formation of CO2-rich brine fingers and their extent and evolution.

ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF CO2 STORAGE AND SINK ENHANCEMENT OPTIONS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bert Bock; Richard Rhudy; Howard Herzog

2003-02-01

This project developed life-cycle costs for the major technologies and practices under development for CO{sub 2} storage and sink enhancement. The technologies evaluated included options for storing captured CO{sub 2} in active oil reservoirs, depleted oil and gas reservoirs, deep aquifers, coal beds, and oceans, as well as the enhancement of carbon sequestration in forests and croplands. The capture costs for a nominal 500 MW{sub e} integrated gasification combined cycle plant from an earlier study were combined with the storage costs from this study to allow comparison among capture and storage approaches as well as sink enhancements.

Assessment of mechanical rock alteration caused by CO 2 -water mixtures using indentation and scratch experiments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sun, Yuhao; Aman, Michael; Espinoza, D. Nicolas

CO2 injection into geological formations disturbs the geochemical equilibrium between water and minerals. Thus, some mineral phases are prone to dissolution and precipitation with ensuing changes of petrophysical and geomechanical properties of the host formations. Chemically-assisted degradation of mechanical properties can endanger the structural integrity of the storage formation and must be carefully studied and considered to guarantee safe long-term trapping. Few experimental data sets involving CO2 alteration and mechanical testing of rock samples are available since these experiments are length, expensive, and require specialized equipment and personnel. Autoclave experiments are easier to perform and control but result in amore » limited 'skin depth' of chemically-altered zone near the surface of the sample. This article presents the validation of micro-indentation and micro-scratch tests as efficient tools to assess the alteration of mechanical properties of rocks geochemically altered by CO2-water mixtures. Results from tests on sandstone and siltstone from Crystal Geyser, Utah naturally altered by CO2-acidified water show that mechanical parameters measured with indentation (indentation hardness, Young's modulus and contact creep compliance rate) and scratching (scratch hardness and fracture toughness) consistently indicated weakening of the rock after CO2-induced alteration. Decreases of measured parameters vary from 14% to 87%. Experimental results and analyses show that micromechanical tests are potentially quick and reliable tools to determine the change of mechanical properties of rocks subject to exposure to CO2-acidified water, particularly in well-controlled autoclave experiments. Measured parameters are not intended to provide inputs for coupled reservoir simulation with geomechanics but rather to inform the execution of larger scale tests investigating the susceptibility of rock facies to chemical alteration by CO2-water mixtures. Recognizing this susceptibility of rock facies of CO2 geological storage target formations is critical to controlling undesired emergent behavior associated with CO2 sequestration.« less

CO2 Flux From Antarctic Dry Valley Soils: Determining the Source and Environmental Controls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Risk, D. A.; Macintyre, C. M.; Shanhun, F.; Almond, P. C.; Lee, C.; Cary, C.

2014-12-01

Soils within the McMurdo Dry Valleys are known to respire carbon dioxide (CO2), but considerable debate surrounds the contributing sources and mechanisms that drive temporal variability. While some of the CO2 is of biological origin, other known contributors to variability include geochemical sources within, or beneath, the soil column. The relative contribution from each of these sources will depend on seasonal and environmental drivers such as temperature and wind that exert influence on temporal dynamics. To supplement a long term CO2­ surface flux monitoring station that has now recorded fluxes over three full annual cycles, in January 2014 an automated flux and depth concentration monitoring system was installed in the Spaulding Pond area of Taylor Valley, along with standard meteorological sensors, to assist in defining source contributions through time. During two weeks of data we observed marked diel variability in CO2 concentrations within the profile (~100 ppm CO2 above or below atmospheric), and of CO2 moving across the soil surface. The pattern at many depths suggested an alternating diel-scale transition from source to sink that seemed clearly correlated with temperature-driven changes in the solubility of CO2 in water films. This CO2 solution storage flux was very highly coupled to soil temperature. A small depth source of unknown origin also appeared to be present. A controlled laboratory soil experiment was conducted to confirm the magnitude of fluxes into and out of soil water films, and confirmed the field results and temperature dependence. Ultimately, this solution storage flux needs to be well understood if the small biological fluxes from these soils are to be properly quantified and monitored for change. Here, we present results from the 2013/2014 field season and these supplementary experiments, placed in the context of 3 year long term continuous measurement of soil CO2 flux within the Dry Valleys.

Liquid Hydrocarbon Production from CO2 : Recent Development in Metal-Based Electrocatalysis.

PubMed

Daiyan, Rahman; Lu, Xunyu; Ng, Yun Hau; Amal, Rose

2017-11-23

Rising levels of CO 2 accumulation in the atmosphere have attracted considerable interest in technologies capable of CO 2 capture, storage and conversion. The electrochemical reduction of CO 2 into high-value liquid organic products could be of vital importance to mitigate this issue. The conversion of CO 2 into liquid fuels by using photovoltaic cells, which can readily be integrated in the current infrastructure, will help realize the creation of a sustainable cycle of carbon-based fuel that will promote zero net CO 2 emissions. Despite promising findings, significant challenges still persist that must be circumvented to make the technology profitable for large-scale utilization. With such possibilities, this Minireview presents the current high-performing catalysts for the electrochemical reduction of CO 2 to liquid hydrocarbons, address the limitations and unify the current understanding of the different reaction mechanisms. The Minireview also explores current research directions to improve process efficiencies and production rate and discusses the scope of using photo-assisted electrochemical reduction systems to find stable, highly efficient catalysts that can harvest solar energy directly to convert CO 2 into liquid hydrocarbons. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Correlation between CO2 storage at the last minute of gas insufflation and area of retroperitoneal lacuna during retroperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephrectomy.

PubMed

Hu, Jian-Jun; Liu, Ya-Hua; Yu, Chan-Juan; Jialielihan, Nuerbolati

2016-07-22

Adequate operation interspace is the premise of laparoscopy, and carbon dioxide (CO2) was an ideal gas for forming lacuna. A retroperitoneal space is used to form operation interspace in retroperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephrectomy by making ballooning, and the retroperitoneal space has no relative complete and airtight serous membrane, therefore CO2 absorption may be greater in retroperitoneal than transperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephrectomy. Excess CO2 absorption may induce hypercapnemia and further cause physiopathological change of respiratory and circulatory system. Therefore, exact evaluation of amount of CO2 which is eliminated from body via minute ventilation is important during retroperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephrectomy. The aim of the paper is to study the correlation between CO2 storage at the last minute of gas insufflation and area of retroperitoneal lacuna during retroperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephrectomy. Forty ASA I/II patients undergoing retroperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephrectomy were enrolled. CO2 storage at the last minute of gas insufflation and area of a retroperitoneal lacuna were observed. Linear correlation and regression were performed to determine the correlation between them. There was positive correlation between CO2 storage at the last minute of gas insufflation and area of retroperitoneal lacuna (r = 0.880, P = 0.000), and the equation of linear regression was y = -83.097 + 0.925x (R(2) = 0.780, t = 11.610, P = 0.000). Amount of CO2 which is eliminated from body via mechanical ventilation could be calculated by measuring the area of retroperitoneal lacuna during retroperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephrectomy, and an anesthetist should be aware of the size of lacuna to predict high CO2 storage at the last minute of gas insufflation.

CO 2 Mineral Sequestration in Naturally Porous Basalt

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xiong, Wei; Wells, Rachel K.; Horner, Jake A.

2018-02-27

Continental flood basalts are extensive geologic features currently being evaluated as reservoirs that are suitable for long-term storage of carbon emissions. Favorable attributes of these formations for containment of injected carbon dioxide (CO2) include high mineral trapping capacity, unique structural features, and enormous volumes. We experimentally investigated mineral carbonation in whole core samples retrieved from the Grand Ronde basalt, the same formation into which ~1000 t of CO2 was recently injected in an eastern Washington pilot-scale demonstration. The rate and extent of carbonate mineral formation at 100 °C and 100 bar were tracked via time-resolved sampling of bench-scale experiments. Basaltmore » cores were recovered from the reactor after 6, 20, and 40 weeks, and three-dimensional X-ray tomographic imaging of these cores detected carbonate mineral formation in the fracture network within 20 weeks. Under these conditions, a carbon mineral trapping rate of 1.24 ± 0.52 kg of CO2/m3 of basalt per year was estimated, which is orders of magnitude faster than rates for deep sandstone reservoirs. On the basis of these calculations and under certain assumptions, available pore space within the Grand Ronde basalt formation would completely carbonate in ~40 years, resulting in solid mineral trapping of ~47 kg of CO2/m3 of basalt.« less

Regional-scale brine migration along vertical pathways due to CO2 injection - Part 1: The participatory modeling approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scheer, Dirk; Konrad, Wilfried; Class, Holger; Kissinger, Alexander; Knopf, Stefan; Noack, Vera

2017-06-01

Saltwater intrusion into potential drinking water aquifers due to the injection of CO2 into deep saline aquifers is one of the potential hazards associated with the geological storage of CO2. Thus, in a site selection process, models for predicting the fate of the displaced brine are required, for example, for a risk assessment or the optimization of pressure management concepts. From the very beginning, this research on brine migration aimed at involving expert and stakeholder knowledge and assessment in simulating the impacts of injecting CO2 into deep saline aquifers by means of a participatory modeling process. The involvement exercise made use of two approaches. First, guideline-based interviews were carried out, aiming at eliciting expert and stakeholder knowledge and assessments of geological structures and mechanisms affecting CO2-induced brine migration. Second, a stakeholder workshop including the World Café format yielded evaluations and judgments of the numerical modeling approach, scenario selection, and preliminary simulation results. The participatory modeling approach gained several results covering brine migration in general, the geological model sketch, scenario development, and the review of the preliminary simulation results. These results were included in revised versions of both the geological model and the numerical model, helping to improve the analysis of regional-scale brine migration along vertical pathways due to CO2 injection.

Molecular Gibbs Surface Excess and CO2-Hydrate Density Determine the Strong Temperature- and Pressure-Dependent Supercritical CO2-Brine Interfacial Tension.

PubMed

Ji, Jiayuan; Zhao, Lingling; Tao, Lu; Lin, Shangchao

2017-06-29

In CO 2 geological storage, the interfacial tension (IFT) between supercritical CO 2 and brine is critical for the storage capacitance design to prevent CO 2 leakage. IFT relies not only on the interfacial molecule properties but also on the environmental conditions at different storage sites. In this paper, supercritical CO 2 -NaCl solution systems are modeled at 343-373 K and 6-35 MPa under the salinity of 1.89 mol/L using molecular dynamics simulations. After computing and comparing the molecular density profile across the interface, the atomic radial distribution function, the molecular orientation distribution, the molecular Gibbs surface excess (derived from the molecular density profile), and the CO 2 -hydrate number density under the above environmental conditions, we confirm that only the molecular Gibbs surface excess of CO 2 molecules and the CO 2 -hydrate number density correlate strongly with the temperature- and pressure-dependent IFTs. We also compute the populations of two distinct CO 2 -hydrate structures (T-type and H-type) and attribute the observed dependence of IFTs to the dominance of the more stable, surfactant-like T-type CO 2 -hydrates at the interface. On the basis of these new molecular mechanisms behind IFT variations, this study could guide the rational design of suitable injecting environmental pressure and temperature conditions. We believe that the above two molecular-level metrics (Gibbs surface excess and hydrate number density) are of great fundamental importance for understanding the supercritical CO 2 -water interface and engineering applications in geological CO 2 storage.

Quality of Golden papaya stored under controlled atmosphere conditions.

PubMed

Martins, Derliane Ribeiro; de Resende, Eder Dutra

2013-10-01

This work evaluated physicochemical parameters of Golden papaya stored under refrigeration in controlled atmospheres. The fruits were kept at 13  in chambers containing either 3 or 6% O2 combined with 6%, 10% or 15% CO2. Moreover, a normal atmosphere was produced with 20.8% O2 and 0.03% CO2 with ethylene scrubbing, and a control treatment was used with ambient conditions. Evaluations were performed at the following times: before storage, after 30 days of storage in controlled atmosphere, and after removal from controlled atmosphere and storage for 7 days in the cold room. At the lower O2 levels and higher CO2 levels, the ripening rate was decreased. The drop in pulp acidity was avoided after 30 days of storage at 3% O2, but the fruits reached normal acidity after removal from controlled atmosphere and storage for 7 days in the cold room. The reducing sugars remained at a higher concentration after 30 days under 3% O2 and 15% CO2 even 7 days after removal from controlled atmosphere and storage in the cold room. This atmosphere also preserved the content of ascorbic acid at a higher level.

Multi-scale X-ray Microtomography Imaging of Immiscible Fluids After Imbibition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garing, C.; de Chalendar, J.; Voltolini, M.; Ajo Franklin, J. B.; Benson, S. M.

2015-12-01

A major issue for CO2 storage security is the efficiency and long-term reliability of the trapping mechanisms occurring in the reservoir where CO2 is injected. Residual trapping is one of the key processes for storage security beyond the primary stratigraphic seal. Although classical conceptual models of residual fluid trapping assume that disconnected ganglia are permanently immobilized, multiple mechanisms exist which could allow the remobilization of residually trapped CO2. The aim of this study is to quantify fluid phases saturation, connectivity and morphology after imbibition using x-ray microtomography in order to evaluate potential changes in droplets organization due to differences in capillary pressure between disconnected ganglia. Particular emphasis is placed on the effect of image resolution. Synchrotron-based x-ray microtomographic datasets of air-water spontaneous imbibition were acquired in sintered glass beads and sandstone samples with voxel sizes varying from 0.64 to 4.44 μm. The results show that for both sandstones the residual air phase is homogeneously distributed within the entire pore space and consists of disconnected clusters of multiple sizes and morphologies. The multi-scale analysis of subsamples of few pores and throats imaged at the same location of the sample reveals significant variations in the estimation of connectivity, size and shape of the fluid phases. This is particularly noticeable when comparing the results from the images with voxel sizes above 1 μm with the results from the images acquired with voxel sizes below 1 μm.

Caprock Integrity during Hydrocarbon Production and CO2 Injection in the Goldeneye Reservoir

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salimzadeh, Saeed; Paluszny, Adriana; Zimmerman, Robert

2016-04-01

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a key technology for addressing climate change and maintaining security of energy supplies, while potentially offering important economic benefits. UK offshore, depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs have the potential capacity to store significant quantities of carbon dioxide, produced during power generation from fossil fuels. The Goldeneye depleted gas condensate field, located offshore in the UK North Sea at a depth of ~ 2600 m, is a candidate for the storage of at least 10 million tons of CO2. In this research, a fully coupled, full-scale model (50×20×8 km), based on the Goldeneye reservoir, is built and used for hydro-carbon production and CO2 injection simulations. The model accounts for fluid flow, heat transfer, and deformation of the fractured reservoir. Flow through fractures is defined as two-dimensional laminar flow within the three-dimensional poroelastic medium. The local thermal non-equilibrium between injected CO2 and host reservoir has been considered with convective (conduction and advection) heat transfer. The numerical model has been developed using standard finite element method with Galerkin spatial discretisation, and finite difference temporal discretisation. The geomechanical model has been implemented into the object-oriented Imperial College Geomechanics Toolkit, in close interaction with the Complex Systems Modelling Platform (CSMP), and validated with several benchmark examples. Fifteen major faults are mapped from the Goldeneye field into the model. Modal stress intensity factors, for the three modes of fracture opening during hydrocarbon production and CO2 injection phases, are computed at the tips of the faults by computing the I-Integral over a virtual disk. Contact stresses -normal and shear- on the fault surfaces are iteratively computed using a gap-based augmented Lagrangian-Uzawa method. Results show fault activation during the production phase that may affect the fault's hydraulic conductivity and its connection to the reservoir rocks. The direction of growth is downward during production and it is expected to be upward during injection. Elevated fluid pressures inside faults during CO2 injection may further facilitate fault activation by reducing normal effective stresses. Activated faults can act as permeable conduits and potentially jeopardise caprock integrity for CO2 storage purposes.

Systematic Risk Reduction: Chances and Risks of Geological Storage of CO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schilling, F. R.; Wuerdemann, H.

2010-12-01

A profound risk assessment should be the basis of any underground activity such as the geological storage of CO2. The risks and benefits should be weighted, whereas the risks need to be systematically reduced. Even after some decades of geological storage of CO2 (as part of a carbon capture and storage CCS), only a few projects are based on an independent risk assessment. In some cases, a risk assessment was performed after the start of storage operation. Chances: - Are there alternatives to CCS with lower risk? - Is a significant CO2 reduction possible without CCS? - If we accept that CO2 emissions are responsible for climate change having a severe economical impact, we need to substantially reduce CO2 emissions. As long as economic growth is directly related to CO2 emissions, we need to decouple the two. - CCS is one of the few options - may be a necessity, if the energy market is not only dependent on demand. Risks: Beside the risk not to develop and implement CCS, the following risks need to be addressed, ideally in a multi independent risk assessment. - Personal Interests - Acceptance - Political interests - Company interests - HSE (Health Safety Environment) - Risk for Climate and ETS - Operational Risks If a multi independent risk assessment is performed and the risks are addressed in a proper way, a significant and systematic risk reduction can be achieved. Some examples will be given, based on real case studies, such as CO2SINK at Ketzin.

Opportunities for increasing CO 2 storage in deep, saline formations by active reservoir management and treatment of extracted formation water: Case study at the GreenGen IGCC facility, Tianjin, PR China

DOE PAGES

Ziemkiewicz, Paul; Stauffer, Philip H.; Sullivan-Graham, Jeri; ...

2016-08-04

Carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) seeks beneficial applications for CO 2 recovered from fossil fuel combustion. This study evaluated the potential for removing formation water to create additional storage capacity for CO 2, while simultaneously treating the produced water for beneficial use. Furthermore, the process would control pressures within the target formation, lessen the risk of caprock failure, and better control the movement of CO 2 within that formation. The project plans to highlight the method of using individual wells to produce formation water prior to injecting CO 2 as an efficient means of managing reservoir pressure. Because themore » pressure drawdown resulting from pre-injection formation water production will inversely correlate with pressure buildup resulting from CO 2 injection, it can be proactively used to estimate CO 2 storage capacity and to plan well-field operations. The project studied the GreenGen site in Tianjin, China where Huaneng Corporation is capturing CO 2 at a coal fired IGCC power plant. Known as the Tianjin Enhanced Water Recovery (EWR) project, local rock units were evaluated for CO 2 storage potential and produced water treatment options were then developed. Average treatment cost for produced water with a cooling water treatment goal ranged from 2.27 to 2.96 US$/m 3 (recovery 95.25%), and for a boiler water treatment goal ranged from 2.37 to 3.18 US$/m 3 (recovery 92.78%). Importance analysis indicated that water quality parameters and transportation are significant cost factors as the injection-extraction system is managed over time. Our study found that in a broad sense, active reservoir management in the context of CCUS/EWR is technically feasible. In addition, criteria for evaluating suitable vs. unsuitable reservoir properties, reservoir storage (caprock) integrity, a recommended injection/withdrawal strategy and cost estimates for water treatment and reservoir management are proposed.« less

Opportunities for increasing CO 2 storage in deep, saline formations by active reservoir management and treatment of extracted formation water: Case study at the GreenGen IGCC facility, Tianjin, PR China

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ziemkiewicz, Paul; Stauffer, Philip H.; Sullivan-Graham, Jeri

Carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) seeks beneficial applications for CO 2 recovered from fossil fuel combustion. This study evaluated the potential for removing formation water to create additional storage capacity for CO 2, while simultaneously treating the produced water for beneficial use. Furthermore, the process would control pressures within the target formation, lessen the risk of caprock failure, and better control the movement of CO 2 within that formation. The project plans to highlight the method of using individual wells to produce formation water prior to injecting CO 2 as an efficient means of managing reservoir pressure. Because themore » pressure drawdown resulting from pre-injection formation water production will inversely correlate with pressure buildup resulting from CO 2 injection, it can be proactively used to estimate CO 2 storage capacity and to plan well-field operations. The project studied the GreenGen site in Tianjin, China where Huaneng Corporation is capturing CO 2 at a coal fired IGCC power plant. Known as the Tianjin Enhanced Water Recovery (EWR) project, local rock units were evaluated for CO 2 storage potential and produced water treatment options were then developed. Average treatment cost for produced water with a cooling water treatment goal ranged from 2.27 to 2.96 US$/m 3 (recovery 95.25%), and for a boiler water treatment goal ranged from 2.37 to 3.18 US$/m 3 (recovery 92.78%). Importance analysis indicated that water quality parameters and transportation are significant cost factors as the injection-extraction system is managed over time. Our study found that in a broad sense, active reservoir management in the context of CCUS/EWR is technically feasible. In addition, criteria for evaluating suitable vs. unsuitable reservoir properties, reservoir storage (caprock) integrity, a recommended injection/withdrawal strategy and cost estimates for water treatment and reservoir management are proposed.« less

A low cost, high energy density, and long cycle life potassium-sulfur battery for grid-scale energy storage.

PubMed

Lu, Xiaochuan; Bowden, Mark E; Sprenkle, Vincent L; Liu, Jun

2015-10-21

A potassium-sulfur battery using K(+) -conducting beta-alumina as the electrolyte to separate a molten potassium metal anode and a sulfur cathode is presented. The results indicate that the battery can operate at as low as 150 °C with excellent performance. This study demonstrates a new type of high-performance metal-sulfur battery that is ideal for grid-scale energy-storage applications. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ratcheting ambition to limit warming to 1.5 °C–trade-offs between emission reductions and carbon dioxide removal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holz, Christian; Siegel, Lori S.; Johnston, Eleanor; Jones, Andrew P.; Sterman, John

2018-06-01

Mitigation scenarios to limit global warming to 1.5 °C or less in 2100 often rely on large amounts of carbon dioxide removal (CDR), which carry significant potential social, environmental, political and economic risks. A precautionary approach to scenario creation is therefore indicated. This letter presents the results of such a precautionary modelling exercise in which the models C-ROADS and En-ROADS were used to generate a series of 1.5 °C mitigation scenarios that apply increasingly stringent constraints on the scale and type of CDR available. This allows us to explore the trade-offs between near-term stringency of emission reductions and assumptions about future availability of CDR. In particular, we find that regardless of CDR assumptions, near-term ambition increase (‘ratcheting’) is required for any 1.5 °C pathway, making this letter timely for the facilitative, or Talanoa, dialogue to be conducted by the UNFCCC in 2018. By highlighting the difference between net and gross reduction rates, often obscured in scenarios, we find that mid-term gross CO2 emission reduction rates in scenarios with CDR constraints increase to levels without historical precedence. This in turn highlights, in addition to the need to substantially increase CO2 reduction rates, the need to improve emission reductions for non-CO2 greenhouse gases. Further, scenarios in which all or part of the CDR is implemented as non-permanent storage exhibit storage loss emissions, which partly offset CDR, highlighting the importance of differentiating between net and gross CDR in scenarios. We find in some scenarios storage loss trending to similar values as gross CDR, indicating that gross CDR would have to be maintained simply to offset the storage losses of CO2 sequestered earlier, without any additional net climate benefit.

Bench Scale Process for Low Cost CO2 Capture Using a Phase-Changing Absorbent: Topical Report EH&S Risk Assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Westendorf, Tiffany; Farnum, Rachel; Perry, Robert

2016-05-11

GE Global Research was contracted by the Department of Energy to design and build a bench-scale process for a novel phase-changing aminosilicone-based CO2 capture solvent (award number DEFE0013687). As part of this program, a technology EH&S assessment (Subtask 5.1) has been completed for a CO2 capture system for a 550 MW coal-fired power plant. The assessment focuses on two chemicals used in the process, the aminosilicone solvent, GAP-0, and dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DDBSA), the GAP-0 carbamate formed upon reaction of the GAP-0 with CO2, and two potential byproducts formed in the process, GAP-0/SOx salts and amine-terminated, urea-containing silicone (also referred tomore » as “ureas” in this report). The EH&S assessment identifies and estimates the magnitude of the potential air and water emissions and solid waste generated by the process and reviews the toxicological profiles of the chemicals associated with the process. Details regarding regulatory requirements, engineering controls, and storage and handling procedures are also provided in the following sections.« less

Feasibility Study for The Setting Up of a Safety System for Monitoring CO2 Storage at Prinos Field, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koukouzas, Nikolaos; Lymperopoulos, Panagiotis; Tasianas, Alexandros; Shariatipour, Seyed

2016-10-01

Geological storage of CO2 in subsurface geological structures can mitigate global warming. A comprehensive safety and monitoring system for CO2 storage has been undertaken for the Prinos hydrocarbon field, offshore northern Greece; a system which can prevent any possible leakage of CO2. This paper presents various monitoring strategies of CO2 subsurface movement in the Prinos reservoir, the results of a simulation of a CO2 leak through a well, an environmental risk assessment study related to the potential leakage of CO2 from the seafloor and an overall economic insight of the system. The results of the simulation of the CO2 leak have shown that CO2 reaches the seabed in the form of gas approximately 13.7 years, from the beginning of injection. From that point onwards the amount of CO2 reaching the seabed increases until it reaches a peak at around 32.9 years. During the injection period, the CO2 plume develops only within the reservoir. During the post-injection period, the CO2 reaches the seabed and develops side branches. These correspond to preferential lateral flow pathways of the CO2 and are more extensive for the dissolved CO2 than for the saturated CO2 gas. For the environmental risk assessment, we set up a model, using ArcGIS software, based on the use of data regarding the speeds of the winds and currents encountered in the region. We also made assumptions related to the flow rate of CO2. Results show that after a period of 10 days from the start of CO2 leakage the CO2 has reached halfway to the continental shores where the “Natura” protected areas are located. CO2 leakage modelling results show CO2 to be initially flowing along a preferential flow direction, which is towards the NE. However, 5 days after the start of leakage of CO2, the CO2 is also flowing towards the ENE. The consequences of a potential CO2 leak are considered spatially limited and the ecosystem is itself capable of recovering. We have tried to determine the costs necessary for the creation of such an integrated CO2 monitoring program both during the CO2 injection phase as well as during permanent storage. The most prevalent solution consists of purchasing both seismic equipment and Echosounder systems as well as privileging a monitoring system, which uses selected boreholes. The necessary period required for monitoring the study area is at least 20 years after the end of the CO2 storage period at Prinos. To the overall monitoring time, we should also add a further 20 years that are required for the injection phase as well as 12 years for the storage phase. The operating costs for monitoring the CO2 amount to 0,38 /ton CO2 and the total cost for EOR at Prinos amounts to 0,45 /ton CO2.

Element mobilization and immobilization from carbonate rocks between CO 2 storage reservoirs and the overlying aquifers during a potential CO 2 leakage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lawter, Amanda R.; Qafoku, Nikolla P.; Asmussen, R. Matthew

Despite the numerous studies on changes within the reservoir following CO2 injection and the effects of CO2 release into overlying aquifers, little or no literature is available on the effect of CO2 release on rock between the storage reservoirs and subsurface. To address this knowledge gap, relevant rock materials, temperatures and pressures were used to study mineralogical and elemental changes in this intermediate zone. After rocks reacted with CO2, liquid analysis showed an increase of major elements (e.g., Ca, and Mg) and variable concentrations of potential contaminants (e.g., Sr and Ba); lower concentrations were observed in N2 controls. In experimentsmore » with As/Cd and/or organic spikes, representing potential contaminants in the CO2 plume originating in the storage reservoir, most or all of these contaminants were removed from the aqueous phase. SEM and Mössbauer spectroscopy results showed the formation of new minerals and Fe oxides in some CO2-reacted samples, indicating potential for contaminant removal through mineral incorporation or adsorption onto Fe oxides. These experiments show the interactions between the CO2-laden plume and the rock between storage reservoirs and overlying aquifers have the potential to affect the level of risk to overlying groundwater, and should be considered during site selection and risk evaluation.« less

Process configuration of Liquid-nitrogen Energy Storage System (LESS) for maximum turnaround efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Rohan; Ghosh, Parthasarathi; Chowdhury, Kanchan

2017-12-01

Diverse power generation sector requires energy storage due to penetration of variable renewable energy sources and use of CO2 capture plants with fossil fuel based power plants. Cryogenic energy storage being large-scale, decoupled system with capability of producing large power in the range of MWs is one of the options. The drawback of these systems is low turnaround efficiencies due to liquefaction processes being highly energy intensive. In this paper, the scopes of improving the turnaround efficiency of such a plant based on liquid Nitrogen were identified and some of them were addressed. A method using multiple stages of reheat and expansion was proposed for improved turnaround efficiency from 22% to 47% using four such stages in the cycle. The novelty here is the application of reheating in a cryogenic system and utilization of waste heat for that purpose. Based on the study, process conditions for a laboratory-scale setup were determined and presented here.

Intermediate-Scale Experimental Study to Improve Fundamental Understanding of Attenuation Capacity for Leaking CO2 in Heterogeneous Shallow Aquifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plampin, Michael R.; Porter, Mark L.; Pawar, Rajesh J.; Illangasekare, Tissa H.

2017-12-01

To assess the risks of Geologic Carbon Sequestration (GCS), it is crucial to understand the fundamental physicochemical processes that may occur if and when stored CO2 leaks upward from a deep storage reservoir into the shallow subsurface. Intermediate-scale experiments allow for improved understanding of the multiphase evolution processes that control CO2 migration behavior in the subsurface, because the boundary conditions, initial conditions, and porous media parameters can be better controlled and monitored in the laboratory than in field settings. For this study, a large experimental test bed was designed to mimic a cross section of a shallow aquifer with layered geologic heterogeneity. As water with aqueous CO2 was injected into the system to mimic a CO2-charged water leakage scenario, the spatiotemporal evolution of the multiphase CO2 plume was monitored. Similar experiments were performed with two different sand combinations to assess the relative effects of different types of geologic facies transitions on the CO2 evolution processes. Significant CO2 attenuation was observed in both scenarios, but by fundamentally different mechanisms. When the porous media layers had very different permeabilities, attenuation was caused by local accumulation (structural trapping) and slow redissolution of gas phase CO2. When the permeability difference between the layers was relatively small, on the other hand, gas phase continually evolved over widespread areas near the leading edge of the aqueous plume, which also attenuated CO2 migration. This improved process understanding will aid in the development of models that could be used for effective risk assessment and monitoring programs for GCS projects.

Intermediate-Scale Experimental Study to Improve Fundamental Understanding of Attenuation Capacity for Leaking CO 2 in Heterogeneous Shallow Aquifers

DOE PAGES

Plampin, Michael R.; Porter, Mark L.; Pawar, Rajesh J.; ...

2017-11-15

In order to assess the risks of Geologic Carbon Sequestration (GCS), it is crucial to understand the fundamental physicochemical processes that may occur if and when stored CO 2 leaks upward from a deep storage reservoir into the shallow subsurface. Intermediate-scale experiments allow for improved understanding of the multiphase evolution processes that control CO 2 migration behaviour in the subsurface, because the boundary conditions, initial conditions, and porous media parameters can be better controlled and monitored in the laboratory than in field settings. For this study, a large experimental test bed was designed to mimic a cross-section of a shallowmore » aquifer with layered geologic heterogeneity. As water with aqueous CO 2 was injected into the system to mimic a CO 2-charged water leakage scenario, the spatiotemporal evolution of the multiphase CO 2 plume was monitored. Similar experiments were performed with two different sand combinations to assess the relative effects of different types of geologic facies transitions on the CO 2 evolution processes. Significant CO 2 attenuation was observed in both scenarios, but by fundamentally different mechanisms. When the porous media layers had very different permeabilities, attenuation was caused by local accumulation (structural trapping) and slow re-dissolution of gas phase CO 2. When the permeability difference between the layers was relatively small, on the other hand, gas phase continually evolved over widespread areas near the leading edge of the aqueous plume, which also attenuated CO 2 migration. In conclusion, this improved process understanding will aid in the development of models that could be used for effective risk assessment and monitoring programs for GCS projects.« less

Intermediate-Scale Experimental Study to Improve Fundamental Understanding of Attenuation Capacity for Leaking CO 2 in Heterogeneous Shallow Aquifers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Plampin, Michael R.; Porter, Mark L.; Pawar, Rajesh J.

In order to assess the risks of Geologic Carbon Sequestration (GCS), it is crucial to understand the fundamental physicochemical processes that may occur if and when stored CO 2 leaks upward from a deep storage reservoir into the shallow subsurface. Intermediate-scale experiments allow for improved understanding of the multiphase evolution processes that control CO 2 migration behaviour in the subsurface, because the boundary conditions, initial conditions, and porous media parameters can be better controlled and monitored in the laboratory than in field settings. For this study, a large experimental test bed was designed to mimic a cross-section of a shallowmore » aquifer with layered geologic heterogeneity. As water with aqueous CO 2 was injected into the system to mimic a CO 2-charged water leakage scenario, the spatiotemporal evolution of the multiphase CO 2 plume was monitored. Similar experiments were performed with two different sand combinations to assess the relative effects of different types of geologic facies transitions on the CO 2 evolution processes. Significant CO 2 attenuation was observed in both scenarios, but by fundamentally different mechanisms. When the porous media layers had very different permeabilities, attenuation was caused by local accumulation (structural trapping) and slow re-dissolution of gas phase CO 2. When the permeability difference between the layers was relatively small, on the other hand, gas phase continually evolved over widespread areas near the leading edge of the aqueous plume, which also attenuated CO 2 migration. In conclusion, this improved process understanding will aid in the development of models that could be used for effective risk assessment and monitoring programs for GCS projects.« less

Geochemical monitoring for detection of CO_{2} leakage from subsea storage sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Ibáñez, Maribel I.; Omar, Abdirahman M.; Johannessen, Truls

2017-04-01

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) in subsea geological formations is a promising large-scale technology for mitigating the increases of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. However, detection and quantification of potential leakage of the stored CO2 remains as one of the main challenges of this technology. Geochemical monitoring of the water column is specially demanding because the leakage CO2 once in the seawater may be rapidly dispersed by dissolution, dilution and currents. In situ sensors capture CO2 leakage signal if they are deployed very close to the leakage point. For regions with vigorous mixing and/or deep water column, and for areas far away from the leakage point, a highly sensitive carbon tracer (Cseep tracer) was developed based on the back-calculation techniques used to estimate anthropogenic CO2 in the water column. Originally, the Cseep tracer was computed using accurate discrete measurements of total dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and total alkalinity (AT) in the Norwegian Sea to isolate the effect of natural submarine vents in the water column. In this work we assess the effect of measurement variables on the performance of the method by computing the Cseep tracer twice: first using DIC and AT, and second using partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) and pH. The assessment was performed through the calculation of the signal to noise ratios (STNR). We found that the use of the Cseep tracer increases the STNR ten times compared to the raw measurement data, regardless of the variables used. Thus, while traditionally the pH-pCO2 pair generates the greatest uncertainties in the oceanic CO2 system, it seems that the Cseep technique is insensitive to that issue. On the contrary, the use of the pCO2-pH pair has the highest CO2 leakage detection and localization potential due to the fact that both pCO2 and pH can currently be measured at high frequency and in an autonomous mode.

The Field-Laboratory for CO2 Storage 'CO2SINK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Würdemann, Hilke; Möller, Fabian; Kühn, Michael; Borm, Günter; Schilling, Frank R.

2010-05-01

The first European onshore geological CO2 storage project in a saline aquifer CO2SINK is designed as a field size experiment to better understand in situ storage processes and to test various monitoring techniques. This EU project is run by 18 partners from universities, research institutes and industry out of 9 European countries (www.co2sink.org). The CO2 is injected into Upper Triassic sandstones (Stuttgart Formation) of a double-anticline at a depth of 650 m. The Stuttgart Formation represents a flu vial environment comprised of sandstone channels and silty to muddy deposits. The anticline forms a classical multibarrier system: The first caprock is a playa type mudstone of the Weser and Arnstadt formations directly overlying the Stuttgart formation. Laboratory tests revealed permeabilities in a µDarcy-range. The second main caprock is a tertiary clay, the so-called Rupelton. To determine the maximum injection pressure modified leak-off tests (without fracturing the caprock) were performed resulting in values around 120 bar. Due to safety standards the pressure threshold is set to 82 bar until more experience on the reservoir behaviour is available. The sealing property of the secondary cap rock is well known from decades of natural gas storage operations at the testing site and was the basis for the permission to operate the CO2 storage by the mining authority. Undisturbed, initial reservoir conditions are 35 °C and 62 bar. The initial reservoir fluid is highly saline with about 235 g/l total dissolved solids primarily composed of sodium chloride with notable amounts of calcium chloride. The initial pH value is 6.6. Hydraulic tests as well as laboratory tests revealed a permeability between 50 and 100 mDarcy for the sand channels of the storage formation. Within twenty months of storage operation, about 30,000 t of CO2 have been injected. Spreading of the CO2 plume is monitored by a broad range of geophysical techniques. The injection well and the two observation wells are equipped with 'smart casing technology' containing a Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) and electrodes for Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) behind casing, facing the rocks. The geophysical monitoring includes crosshole seismic experiments, Vertical Seismic Profiling (VSP) and Moving Source Profiling (MSP), star seismic experiments and 4-D seismics. Gas membrane sensors (GMS) monitored the arrival of CO2 at the observation wells: CO2 arrived after injection of about 500 t of CO2.at the first well. Arrival in the second well was 9 months after start of injection, having injected an amount of about 11,000 t. Prior to CO2, the arrival of the gas tracers nitrogen and krypton was observed. Pressure and temperature logs showed a supercritical state of the CO2 in all three wells at depth of the storage formation after arrival of CO2. Downhole samples of the brine showed changes in the fluid composition and the activity of biocenosis due CO2 exposure (Morozova et al., EGU General Assembly 2010). Numerical models are benchmarked via the monitoring results indicating a sufficient match for the arrival at the first observation well. First results of ERT measurements indicate an anisotopic flow of CO2 coinciding with the 'on-time' arrival of CO2 at the first well and the late arrival at the second well. Time lapse crosshole seismics showed no considerable change in seismic velocity between the two observation wells within the first two repeats after injection of 660 t and 1,700 t of CO2, respectively. However, after injection of 18,000 t CO2 all time-lapse surveys showed a clearly observable signature of the CO2 propagating in the Stuttgart formation. In May 2010 results from twenty months of operation and monitoring the storage operation will be presented. Morozova, D., Zettlitzer, M.., Vieth A., Würdemann, H., (2010). Microbial community response to the CO2 injection and storage in the saline aquifer, Ketzin, Germany. European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly. Vienna.

Sociopolitical drivers in the development of deliberate carbon storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephens, Jennie C.

The idea of engineering the storage of carbon released from fossil fuel burning in reservoirs other than the atmosphere has developed in the past 20 years from an obscure idea to an increasingly recognized potential approach that could be an important contributor to stabilizing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations. Despite the intense application of scientific and technological expertise to the development of options for deliberate carbon storage, nontechnical factors play an important role. This chapter identifies sociopolitical, nontechnical factors that have contributed to the development of ideas and technologies associated with deliberate carbon storage. Broadly, interest in deliberate storage has expanded in response to increasing societal attention to reducing CO2 emissions for climate change mitigation. Specific societal groups, or stakeholders, which have contributed to the recent focus on carbon storage include the fossil fuel industry that has been shifting to a strategy of confronting rather than denying the CO2-climate change connection, a scientific community motivated by an increased sense of urgency of the need to reduce atmospheric CO2 concentrations, the general public with little knowledge about or awareness of carbon storage, and environmental advocacy groups that have demonstrated some divergence in levels of support for deliberate carbon storage. Among the policy mechanisms that have provided incentives for deliberate carbon storage are national accounting of carbon sources and sinks and carbon taxes. Another driver with particular importance in the United States is the political preference of some politicians to support development of advanced technologies for climate change mitigation rather than supporting mandatory CO2 regulations.

Modeling Effects of Bicarbonate Release on Carbonate Chemistry and pH of the North Sea: A Pilot Study for Atmospheric CO2 Reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lettmann, K.; Kirchner, J.; Schnetger, B.; Wolff, J. O.; Brumsack, H. J.

2016-12-01

Rising CO2-emissions accompanying the industrial revolution are the main drivers for climate change and ocean acidification. Several methods have been developed to capture CO2 from effluents and reduce emission. Here, we consider a promising approach that mimics natural limestone weathering: CO2 in effluent gas streams reacts with calcium carbonate in a limestone suspension. The resulting bicarbonate-rich solution can be released into natural systems. In comparison to classical carbon capture and storage (CCS) methods this artificial limestone weathering is cheaper and does not involve using toxic chemical compounds. Additionally there is no need for the controversially discussed storage of CO2 underground. The reduction of CO2-emissions becomes more important for European industries as the EU introduced a system that limits the amount of allowable CO2-emissions. Therefore, large CO2 emitters are forced to find cheap methods for emission reduction, as they often cannot circumvent CO2-production. The method mentioned above is especially of interest for power plants located close to the coast that are already using seawater for cooling purposes. Thus, it is important to estimate the environmental effects if several coastal power plants will release high amounts of bicarbonate-rich waters into coastal waters, e.g. the North Sea. In a first pilot study, the unstructured-grid finite-volume community ocean model (FVCOM) was combined with a chemical submodul (mocsy 2.0) to model the hydrodynamic circulation and mixing of bicarbonate-rich effluents from a gas power plant located at the German North Sea coast. Here, we present the first preliminary results of this project, which include modelled changes of the North Sea carbonate system and changes in pH value after the introduction of these bicarbonate-rich waters on short time scales up to one year.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brian McPherson

The Southwest Partnership on Carbon Sequestration completed its Phase I program in December 2005. The main objective of the Southwest Partnership Phase I project was to evaluate and demonstrate the means for achieving an 18% reduction in carbon intensity by 2012. Many other goals were accomplished on the way to this objective, including (1) analysis of CO{sub 2} storage options in the region, including characterization of storage capacities and transportation options, (2) analysis and summary of CO{sub 2} sources, (3) analysis and summary of CO{sub 2} separation and capture technologies employed in the region, (4) evaluation and ranking of themore » most appropriate sequestration technologies for capture and storage of CO{sub 2} in the Southwest Region, (5) dissemination of existing regulatory/permitting requirements, and (6) assessing and initiating public knowledge and acceptance of possible sequestration approaches. Results of the Southwest Partnership's Phase I evaluation suggested that the most convenient and practical ''first opportunities'' for sequestration would lie along existing CO{sub 2} pipelines in the region. Action plans for six Phase II validation tests in the region were developed, with a portfolio that includes four geologic pilot tests distributed among Utah, New Mexico, and Texas. The Partnership will also conduct a regional terrestrial sequestration pilot program focusing on improved terrestrial MMV methods and reporting approaches specific for the Southwest region. The sixth and final validation test consists of a local-scale terrestrial pilot involving restoration of riparian lands for sequestration purposes. The validation test will use desalinated waters produced from one of the geologic pilot tests. The Southwest Regional Partnership comprises a large, diverse group of expert organizations and individuals specializing in carbon sequestration science and engineering, as well as public policy and outreach. These partners include 21 state government agencies and universities, five major electric utility companies, seven oil, gas and coal companies, three federal agencies, the Navajo Nation, several NGOs, and the Western Governors Association. This group is continuing its work in the Phase II Validation Program, slated to conclude in 2009.« less

A national look at carbon capture and storage-National carbon sequestration database and geographical information system (NatCarb)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carr, T.R.; Iqbal, A.; Callaghan, N.; ,; Look, K.; Saving, S.; Nelson, K.

2009-01-01

The US Department of Energy's Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnerships (RCSPs) are responsible for generating geospatial data for the maps displayed in the Carbon Sequestration Atlas of the United States and Canada. Key geospatial data (carbon sources, potential storage sites, transportation, land use, etc.) are required for the Atlas, and for efficient implementation of carbon sequestration on a national and regional scale. The National Carbon Sequestration Database and Geographical Information System (NatCarb) is a relational database and geographic information system (GIS) that integrates carbon storage data generated and maintained by the RCSPs and various other sources. The purpose of NatCarb is to provide a national view of the carbon capture and storage potential in the U.S. and Canada. The digital spatial database allows users to estimate the amount of CO2 emitted by sources (such as power plants, refineries and other fossil-fuel-consuming industries) in relation to geologic formations that can provide safe, secure storage sites over long periods of time. The NatCarb project is working to provide all stakeholders with improved online tools for the display and analysis of CO2 carbon capture and storage data. NatCarb is organizing and enhancing the critical information about CO2 sources and developing the technology needed to access, query, model, analyze, display, and distribute natural resource data related to carbon management. Data are generated, maintained and enhanced locally at the RCSP level, or at specialized data warehouses, and assembled, accessed, and analyzed in real-time through a single geoportal. NatCarb is a functional demonstration of distributed data-management systems that cross the boundaries between institutions and geographic areas. It forms the first step toward a functioning National Carbon Cyberinfrastructure (NCCI). NatCarb provides access to first-order information to evaluate the costs, economic potential and societal issues of CO2 capture and storage, including public perception and regulatory aspects. NatCarb online access has been modified to address the broad needs of a spectrum of users. NatCarb includes not only GIS and database query tools for high-end user, but simplified display for the general public using readily available web tools such as Google Earth???and Google Maps???. Not only is NatCarb connected to all the RCSPs, but data are also pulled from public servers including the U.S. Geological Survey-EROS Data Center and from the Geography Network. Data for major CO2 sources have been obtained from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) databases, and data on major coal basins and coalbed methane wells were obtained from the Energy Information Administration (EIA). ?? 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The cost of meeting increased cooling-water demands for CO2 capture and storage utilizing non-traditional waters from geologic saline formations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klise, Geoffrey T.; Roach, Jesse D.; Kobos, Peter H.; Heath, Jason E.; Gutierrez, Karen A.

2013-05-01

Deep (> ˜800 m) saline water-bearing formations in the United States have substantial pore volume that is targeted for storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) and the associated saline water can be extracted to increase CO2 storage efficiency, manage pressure build up, and create a new water source that, once treated, can be used for power-plant cooling or other purposes. Extraction, treatment and disposal costs of saline formation water to meet added water demands from CO2 capture and storage (CCS) are discussed. This underutilized water source may be important in meeting new water demand associated with CCS. For a representative natural gas combined-cycle (NGCC) power plant, simultaneous extraction of brine from the storage formation could provide enough water to meet all CCS-related cooling demands for 177 out of the 185 (96 %) saline formations analyzed in this study. Calculated total cost of water extraction, treatment and disposal is less than 4.00 US Dollars (USD) m-3 for 93 % of the 185 formations considered. In 90 % of 185 formations, treated water costs are less than 10.00 USD tonne-1 of CO2 injected. On average, this represents approximately 6 % of the total CO2 capture and injection costs for the NGCC scenario.

Carbon balance of the terrestrial biosphere in the twentieth century: analyses of CO2, climate and land use effects with four process-based ecosystem models

USGS Publications Warehouse

McGuire, A.D.; Sitch, S.; Clein, Joy S.; Dargaville, R.; Esser, G.; Foley, J.; Heimann, Martin; Joos, F.; Kaplan, J.; Kicklighter, D.W.; Meier, R.A.; Melillo, J.M.; Moore, B.; Prentice, I.C.; Ramankutty, N.; Reichenau, T.; Schloss, A.; Tian, H.; Williams, L.J.; Wittenberg, U.

2001-01-01

The concurrent effects of increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration, climate variability, and cropland establishment and abandonment on terrestrial carbon storage between 1920 and 1992 were assessed using a standard simulation protocol with four process-based terrestrial biosphere models. Over the long-term(1920–1992), the simulations yielded a time history of terrestrial uptake that is consistent (within the uncertainty) with a long-term analysis based on ice core and atmospheric CO2 data. Up to 1958, three of four analyses indicated a net release of carbon from terrestrial ecosystems to the atmosphere caused by cropland establishment. After 1958, all analyses indicate a net uptake of carbon by terrestrial ecosystems, primarily because of the physiological effects of rapidly rising atmospheric CO2. During the 1980s the simulations indicate that terrestrial ecosystems stored between 0.3 and 1.5 Pg C yr−1, which is within the uncertainty of analysis based on CO2 and O2 budgets. Three of the four models indicated (in accordance with O2 evidence) that the tropics were approximately neutral while a net sink existed in ecosystems north of the tropics. Although all of the models agree that the long-term effect of climate on carbon storage has been small relative to the effects of increasing atmospheric CO2 and land use, the models disagree as to whether climate variability and change in the twentieth century has promoted carbon storage or release. Simulated interannual variability from 1958 generally reproduced the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-scale variability in the atmospheric CO2 increase, but there were substantial differences in the magnitude of interannual variability simulated by the models. The analysis of the ability of the models to simulate the changing amplitude of the seasonal cycle of atmospheric CO2 suggested that the observed trend may be a consequence of CO2 effects, climate variability, land use changes, or a combination of these effects. The next steps for improving the process-based simulation of historical terrestrial carbon include (1) the transfer of insight gained from stand-level process studies to improve the sensitivity of simulated carbon storage responses to changes in CO2 and climate, (2) improvements in the data sets used to drive the models so that they incorporate the timing, extent, and types of major disturbances, (3) the enhancement of the models so that they consider major crop types and management schemes, (4) development of data sets that identify the spatial extent of major crop types and management schemes through time, and (5) the consideration of the effects of anthropogenic nitrogen deposition. The evaluation of the performance of the models in the context of a more complete consideration of the factors influencing historical terrestrial carbon dynamics is important for reducing uncertainties in representing the role of terrestrial ecosystems in future projections of the Earth system.

The role of optimality in characterizing CO2 seepage from geological carbon sequestration sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cortis, Andrea; Oldenburg, Curtis M.; Benson, Sally M.

Storage of large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) in deep geological formations for greenhouse gas mitigation is gaining momentum and moving from its conceptual and testing stages towards widespread application. In this work we explore various optimization strategies for characterizing surface leakage (seepage) using near-surface measurement approaches such as accumulation chambers and eddy covariance towers. Seepage characterization objectives and limitations need to be defined carefully from the outset especially in light of large natural background variations that can mask seepage. The cost and sensitivity of seepage detection are related to four critical length scales pertaining to the size ofmore » the: (1) region that needs to be monitored; (2) footprint of the measurement approach, and (3) main seepage zone; and (4) region in which concentrations or fluxes are influenced by seepage. Seepage characterization objectives may include one or all of the tasks of detecting, locating, and quantifying seepage. Each of these tasks has its own optimal strategy. Detecting and locating seepage in a region in which there is no expected or preferred location for seepage nor existing evidence for seepage requires monitoring on a fixed grid, e.g., using eddy covariance towers. The fixed-grid approaches needed to detect seepage are expected to require large numbers of eddy covariance towers for large-scale geologic CO{sub 2} storage. Once seepage has been detected and roughly located, seepage zones and features can be optimally pinpointed through a dynamic search strategy, e.g., employing accumulation chambers and/or soil-gas sampling. Quantification of seepage rates can be done through measurements on a localized fixed grid once the seepage is pinpointed. Background measurements are essential for seepage detection in natural ecosystems. Artificial neural networks are considered as regression models useful for distinguishing natural system behavior from anomalous behavior suggestive of CO{sub 2} seepage without need for detailed understanding of natural system processes. Because of the local extrema in CO{sub 2} fluxes and concentrations in natural systems, simple steepest-descent algorithms are not effective and evolutionary computation algorithms are proposed as a paradigm for dynamic monitoring networks to pinpoint CO{sub 2} seepage areas.« less

Evaluating sensitivity of complex electrical methods for monitoring CO2 intrusion into a shallow groundwater system and associated geochemical transformations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dafflon, B.; Wu, Y.; Hubbard, S. S.; Birkholzer, J. T.; Daley, T. M.; Pugh, J. D.; Peterson, J.; Trautz, R. C.

2011-12-01

A risk factor of CO2 storage in deep geological formations includes its potential to leak into shallow formations and impact groundwater geochemistry and quality. In particular, CO2 decreases groundwater pH, which can potentially mobilize naturally occurring trace metals and ions commonly absorbed to or contained in sediments. Here, geophysical studies (primarily complex electrical method) are being carried out at both laboratory and field scales to evaluate the sensitivity of geophysical methods for monitoring dissolved CO2 distribution and geochemical transformations that may impact water quality. Our research is performed in association with a field test that is exploring the effects of dissolved CO2 intrusion on groundwater geochemistry. Laboratory experiments using site sediments (silica sand and some fraction of clay minerals) and groundwater were initially conducted under field relevant CO2 partial pressures (pCO2). A significant pH drop was observed with inline sensors with concurrent changes in fluid conductivity caused by CO2 dissolution. Electrical resistivity and electrical phase responses correlated well with the CO2 dissolution process at various pCO2. Specifically, resistivity decreased initially at low pCO2 condition resulting from CO2 dissolution followed by a slight rebound because of the transition of bicarbonate into non-dissociated carbonic acid at lower pH slightly reducing the total concentration of dissociated species. Continuous electrical phase decreases were also observed, which are interpreted to be driven by the decrease of surface charge density (due to the decrease of pH, which approaches the PZC of the sediments). In general, laboratory experiments revealed the sensitivity of electrical signals to CO2 intrusion into groundwater formations and can be used to guide field data interpretation. Cross well complex electrical data are currently being collected periodically throughout a field experiment involving the controlled release of dissolved CO2 into groundwater. The objective of the geophysical cross well monitoring effort is to evaluate the sensitivity of complex electrical methods to dissolved CO2 at the field scale. Here, we report on the ability to translate laboratory-based petrophysical information from lab to field scales, and on the potential of field complex electrical methods for remotely monitoring CO2-induced geochemical transformations.

Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Power Generation System Definition: Concept Definition and Capital Cost Estimate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stoddard, Larry; Galluzzo, Geoff; Andrew, Daniel

The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Renewable Power (ORP) has been tasked to provide effective program management and strategic direction for all of the DOE’s Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy’s (EERE’s) renewable power programs. The ORP’s efforts to accomplish this mission are aligned with national energy policies, DOE strategic planning, EERE’s strategic planning, Congressional appropriation, and stakeholder advice. ORP is supported by three renewable energy offices, of which one is the Solar Energy Technology Office (SETO) whose SunShot Initiative has a mission to accelerate research, development and large scale deployment of solar technologies in the United States. SETO hasmore » a goal of reducing the cost of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) by 75 percent of 2010 costs by 2020 to reach parity with base-load energy rates, and 30 percent further reductions by 2030. The SunShot Initiative is promoting the implementation of high temperature CSP with thermal energy storage allowing generation during high demand hours. The SunShot Initiative has funded significant research and development work on component testing, with attention to high temperature molten salts, heliostats, receiver designs, and high efficiency high temperature supercritical CO 2 (sCO2) cycles. DOE retained Black & Veatch to support SETO’s SunShot Initiative for CSP solar power tower technology in the following areas: 1. Concept definition, including costs and schedule, of a flexible test facility to be used to test and prove components in part to support financing. 2. Concept definition, including costs and schedule, of an integrated high temperature molten salt (MS) facility with thermal energy storage and with a supercritical CO 2 cycle generating approximately 10MWe. 3. Concept definition, including costs and schedule, of an integrated high temperature falling particle facility with thermal energy storage and with a supercritical CO 2 cycle generating approximately 10MWe. This report addresses the concept definition of the sCO2 power generation system, a sub-set of items 2 and 3 above. Other reports address the balance of items 1 to 3 above as well as the MS/sCO2 integrated 10MWe facility, Item 2.« less

Forest atmosphere carbon transfer and storage (FACTS-II) the aspen Free-air CO2 and O3 Enrichment (FACE) project: an overview.

Treesearch

R.E. Dickson; K.F. Lewin; J.G. Isebrands; M.D. Coleman; W.E. Heilman; D.E. Riemenschneider; J. Sober; G.E. Host; D.R. Zak; G.R. Hendrey; K.S. Pregitzer; D.F. Karnosky

2000-01-01

This publication briefly reviews the impact of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide and tropospheric ozone on global climate change, and the response of forest trees to these atmospheric pollutants and their interactions; points out the need for large-scale field experiments to evaluate the response of plants to these environmental stresses; and describes the...

Century-Scale Responses of Ecosystem Carbon Storage and Flux to Multiple Environmental Changes in the Southern United States

Treesearch

Hanqin Tian; Guangsheng Chen; Chi Zhang; Mingliang Liu; Ge Sun; Arthur Chappelka; Wei Ren; Xiaofeng Xu; Chaoqun Lu; Shufen Pan; Hua Chen; Dafeng Hui; Steven McNulty; Graeme Lockaby; Eric Vance

2012-01-01

Terrestrial ecosystems in the southern United States (SUS) have experienced a complex set of changes in climate, atmospheric CO2 concentration, tropospheric ozone (O3), nitrogen (N) deposition, and land-use and land-cover change (LULCC) during the past century. Although each of these factors has received attention for its alterations on ecosystem carbon (C) dynamics,...

Carbon Sequestration in Unconventional Reservoirs: Advantages and Limitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakharova, N. V.; Slagle, A. L.; Goldberg, D.

2014-12-01

To make a significant impact on anthropogenic CO2 emissions, geologic carbon sequestration would require thousands of CO2 repositories around the world. Unconventional reservoirs, such as igneous rocks and fractured formations, may add substantial storage capacity and diversify CO2 storage options. In particular, basaltic rocks represent a promising target due to their widespread occurrence, potentially suitable reservoir structure and high reactivity with CO2, but a comprehensive evaluation of worldwide CO2 sequestration capacity in unconventional reservoirs is lacking. In this presentation we summarize available data on storage potential of basaltic rocks and fractured formations illustrated by field examples from the Columbia River Basalt, the Newark Rift Basin and IODP Site 1256, and discuss potential limiting factors, such as effective porosity and the risk of inducing earthquakes by CO2 injections. Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs), low-volume flows and intrusions, and ocean floor basalt represent three general classes of basaltic reservoirs, each characterized by different structure and storage capacity. Oceanic plateaus and LIPs are projected to have the highest CO2 storage capacity, on the order of thousands gigatons (Gt) per site, followed by continental LIPs and ocean floor basalts (hundreds to thousands Gt per site). Isolated basalt flows and intrusions are likely to offer only low- to moderate-capacity options. An important limiting factor on CO2 injection volumes and rates is the risk of inducing earthquakes by increasing pore pressure in the subsurface. On continents, available in situ stress analysis suggests that local stress perturbations at depth may create relaxed stress conditions, allowing for pore pressure increase without reactivating fractures and faults. Remote storage sites on oceanic plateaus and below the seafloor are advantageous due to low impact of potential seismic and/or leakage events. Other effects, such as thermal stresses created by temperature difference between injected fluid and the host formation, may be particularly important for reservoir stability in high-temperature offshore locations. Overall, unconventional reservoirs in offshore locations offer the potential benefits of vast and safe storage for captured CO2 emissions.

Modeling CO2 distribution in a heterogeneous sandstone reservoir: the Johansen Formation, northern North Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sundal, Anja; Miri, Rohaldin; Petter Nystuen, Johan; Dypvik, Henning; Aagaard, Per

2013-04-01

The last few years there has been broad attention towards finding permanent storage options for CO2. The Norwegian continental margin holds great potential for storage in saline aquifers. Common for many of these reservoir candidates, however, is that geological data are sparse relative to thoroughly mapped hydrocarbon reservoirs in the region. Scenario modeling provides a method for estimating reservoir performances for potential CO2 storage sites and for testing injection strategies. This approach is particularly useful in the evaluation of uncertainties related to reservoir properties and geometry. In this study we have tested the effect of geological heterogeneities in the Johansen Formation, which is a laterally extensive sandstone and saline aquifer at burial depths of 2 - 4 km, proposed as a suitable candidate for CO2 storage by Norwegian authorities. The central parts of the Johansen Formation are underlying the operating hydrocarbon field Troll. In order not to interfere with ongoing gas production, a potential CO2 injection well should be located at a safe distance from the gas reservoir, which consequently implies areas presently without well control. From 3D seismic data, prediction of spatial extent of sandstone is possible to a certain degree, whereas intra-reservoir flow baffles such as draping mudstone beds and calcite cemented layers are below seismic resolution. The number and lateral extent of flow baffles, as well as porosity- and permeability distributions are dependent of sedimentary facies and diagenesis. The interpretation of depositional environment and burial history is thus of crucial importance. A suite of scenario models was established for a potential injection area south of the Troll field. The model grids where made in Petrel based on our interpretations of seismic data, wire line logs, core and cuttings samples. Using Eclipse 300 the distribution of CO2 is modeled for different geological settings; with and without the presence of pervasive low permeability draping mudstone layers, and with varying lateral extent of potential calcite cemented layers in 8 to 15 intra-reservoir depth levels. The modeled area covers 10 x 15.8 km, with a thickness of 110 m at the injection point. Simulations were run with an injection phase of 30 years plus 100 years of migration. The presence of meso-scale flow baffles causes a reduction in vertical permeability in addition to the facies related variation on the micro-scale. Scenarios including potential flow baffles as separate layers in the model grids were compared to scenarios in which the effect of flow baffles were included using harmonic mean average of vertical permeability. The subsequent differences in CO2 distribution are important in estimating the contact area between the plume front and reservoir brine. A heterogeneous reservoir with internal flow baffles is not necessarily a disadvantage as long as sufficient injectivity is maintained within individual sandstone bodies. In each scenario we aim to adapt a suitable injection strategy with respect to utilizing local effects such as the delimitation of gravitational flow, in order to increase reservoir sweep and maximize the effect of trapping mechanisms (i.e. residual, stratigraphic, mineral and dissolution).

Economic and energetic analysis of capturing CO2 from ambient air

PubMed Central

House, Kurt Zenz; Baclig, Antonio C.; Ranjan, Manya; van Nierop, Ernst A.; Wilcox, Jennifer; Herzog, Howard J.

2011-01-01

Capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (“air capture”) in an industrial process has been proposed as an option for stabilizing global CO2 concentrations. Published analyses suggest these air capture systems may cost a few hundred dollars per tonne of CO2, making it cost competitive with mainstream CO2 mitigation options like renewable energy, nuclear power, and carbon dioxide capture and storage from large CO2 emitting point sources. We investigate the thermodynamic efficiencies of commercial separation systems as well as trace gas removal systems to better understand and constrain the energy requirements and costs of these air capture systems. Our empirical analyses of operating commercial processes suggest that the energetic and financial costs of capturing CO2 from the air are likely to have been underestimated. Specifically, our analysis of existing gas separation systems suggests that, unless air capture significantly outperforms these systems, it is likely to require more than 400 kJ of work per mole of CO2, requiring it to be powered by CO2-neutral power sources in order to be CO2 negative. We estimate that total system costs of an air capture system will be on the order of $1,000 per tonne of CO2, based on experience with as-built large-scale trace gas removal systems. PMID:22143760

Model coupling methodology for thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical numerical simulations in integrated assessment of long-term site behaviour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kempka, Thomas; De Lucia, Marco; Kühn, Michael

2015-04-01

The integrated assessment of long-term site behaviour taking into account a high spatial resolution at reservoir scale requires a sophisticated methodology to represent coupled thermal, hydraulic, mechanical and chemical processes of relevance. Our coupling methodology considers the time-dependent occurrence and significance of multi-phase flow processes, mechanical effects and geochemical reactions (Kempka et al., 2014). Hereby, a simplified hydro-chemical coupling procedure was developed (Klein et al., 2013) and validated against fully coupled hydro-chemical simulations (De Lucia et al., 2015). The numerical simulation results elaborated for the pilot site Ketzin demonstrate that mechanical reservoir, caprock and fault integrity are maintained during the time of operation and that after 10,000 years CO2 dissolution is the dominating trapping mechanism and mineralization occurs on the order of 10 % to 25 % with negligible changes to porosity and permeability. De Lucia, M., Kempka, T., Kühn, M. A coupling alternative to reactive transport simulations for long-term prediction of chemical reactions in heterogeneous CO2 storage systems (2014) Geosci Model Dev Discuss 7:6217-6261. doi:10.5194/gmdd-7-6217-2014. Kempka, T., De Lucia, M., Kühn, M. Geomechanical integrity verification and mineral trapping quantification for the Ketzin CO2 storage pilot site by coupled numerical simulations (2014) Energy Procedia 63:3330-3338, doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2014.11.361. Klein E, De Lucia M, Kempka T, Kühn M. Evaluation of longterm mineral trapping at the Ketzin pilot site for CO2 storage: an integrative approach using geo-chemical modelling and reservoir simulation. Int J Greenh Gas Con 2013; 19:720-730. doi:10.1016/j.ijggc.2013.05.014.

Assessment of fluid distribution and flow properties in two phase fluid flow using X-ray CT technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Lanlan; Wu, Bohao; Li, Xingbo; Wang, Sijia; Wang, Dayong; Zhou, Xinhuan; Zhang, Yi

2018-04-01

To study on microscale distribution of CO2 and brine during two-phase flow is crucial for understanding the trapping mechanisms of CO2 storage. In this study, CO2-brine flow experiments in porous media were conducted using X-ray computed tomography. The porous media were packed with glass beads. The pore structure (porosity/tortuosity) and flow properties at different flow rates and flow fractions were investigated. The results showed that porosity of the packed beads differed at different position as a result of heterogeneity. The CO2 saturation is higher at low injection flow rates and high CO2 fractions. CO2 distribution at the pore scale was also visualized. ∅ Porosity of porous media CT brine_ sat grey value of sample saturated with brine CT dry grey value of sample saturated with air CT brine grey value of pure brine CT air grey value of pure air CT flow grey values of sample with two fluids occupying the pore space {CT}_{CO_2_ sat} grey value of sample saturated with CO2 {f}_{CO_2}({S}_{CO_2}) CO2 fraction {q}_{CO_2} the volume flow rate for CO2 q brine the volume flow rate for brine L Thickness of the porous media, mm L e a bundle of capillaries of equal length, mm τ Tortuosity, calculated from L e / L.

‘Fuji’ apple (Malus domestica Borkh) volatile production during high pCO2 controlled atmosphere storage

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

‘Fuji’apple [Malus sylvestris var. domestica (Borkh.) Mansf.] volatile compound dynamics were characterized during cold storage in air or at low pO2 controlled atmosphere (CA) with up to 5 kPa CO2. Volatile compounds in storage chambers were adsorbed onto solid sorbent traps and analyzed by GC-MS....

Retrieval of Paris CO2 and CO emissions using a boundary layer budget method in the framework of the CO2-MEGAPARIS project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dieudonné, E.; Gibert, F.; Xueref-remy, I. C.; Lopez, M.; Schmidt, M.; Ravetta, F.

2012-12-01

The development of anthropogenic activities since the pre-industrial era has greatly increased CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere, very likely causing the observed rise in global temperature. Therefore, accurate estimations of CO2 emission fluxes are very important for climate predictions. At the continental scale, CO2 fluxes can be estimated rather precisely using inverse modeling while tower turbulent flux measurements (eddy-covariance or EC) can provide an estimation of local-scale fluxes. However, this method cannot be applied to monitor urban CO2 emissions due to their large horizontal variability, so that a regional scale approach seems more suited. Unfortunately, at this scale, anthropogenic and biospheric fluxes are mixed, diluted and advected in the atmospheric boundary-layer (ABL) and the balance between these processes is not well known. Yet, independent estimations of CO2 fluxes would be needed to verify existing high resolution emission inventories and assess the efficiency of future mitigation policies. Several experiments dedicated to quantifying CO2 emissions from megacities are ongoing, like the CO2-MEGAPARIS research project [a,b]. In this framework, a network of lidars and in-situ sensors has been set up in Paris region. An original ABL mass budget method is used to infer the properties of advected anthropogenic CO2 and CO emissions from Paris urban area [c]. The method is applied in the center of Paris, at neighboring suburban sites located 20 km away, and at a rural station (100 km downwind). The budget uses ABL depths from elastic lidars, CO2 and CO concentrations from both the ICOS [d] and CO2-MEGAPARIS networks to quantify vertical advection and storage terms in the ABL mass budget. EC measurements are used to monitor biospheric surface fluxes. The budget in Paris provides a direct estimation of the average CO2 and CO fluxes from the city, while the budget at the suburban and rural stations provides an estimation of the advected fluxes. These anthropogenic fluxes are compared to the CITEPA and IER emission inventories using the air mass footprint from a Lagrangian Particle Dispersion Model in backward mode. Results from a case study in March 2012 are presented to assess the propagation of Paris CO2 and CO plume, the precision of the method and its ability to provide an independent verification of urban emission inventories. References: [a] Xueref-Remy et al., Abstract n°A13F-0277, AGU Fall Meeting 2010, San Francisco, USA [b] http://co2-megaparis.lsce.ipsl.fr/ [c] Gibert et al., J. Geophys. Research, 112, D10301 (2007) [d] http://www.icos-infrastructure.eu/

CO 2 Saline Storage Demonstration in Colorado Sedimentary Basins. Applied Studies in Reservoir Assessment and Dynamic Processes Affecting Industrial Operations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nummedal, Dag; Doran, Kevin; Sitchler, Alexis

2012-09-30

This multitask research project was conducted in anticipation of a possible future increase in industrial efforts at CO 2 storage in Colorado sedimentary basins. Colorado is already the home to the oldest Rocky Mountain CO 2 storage site, the Rangely Oil Field, where CO 2-EOR has been underway since the 1980s. The Colorado Geological Survey has evaluated storage options statewide, and as part of the SW Carbon Sequestration Partnership the Survey, is deeply engaged in and committed to suitable underground CO 2 storage. As a more sustainable energy industry is becoming a global priority, it is imperative to explore themore » range of technical options available to reduce emissions from fossil fuels. One such option is to store at least some emitted CO 2 underground. In this NETL-sponsored CO 2 sequestration project, the Colorado School of Mines and our partners at the University of Colorado have focused on a set of the major fundamental science and engineering issues surrounding geomechanics, mineralogy, geochemistry and reservoir architecture of possible CO 2 storage sites (not limited to Colorado). Those are the central themes of this final report and reported below in Tasks 2, 3, 4, and 6. Closely related to these reservoir geoscience issues are also legal, environmental and public acceptance concerns about pore space accessibility—as a precondition for CO 2 storage. These are addressed in Tasks 1, 5 and 7. Some debates about the future course of the energy industry can become acrimonius. It is true that the physics of combustion of hydrocarbons makes it impossible for fossil energy to attain a carbon footprint anywhere nearly as low as that of renewables. However, there are many offsetting benefits, not the least that fossil energy is still plentiful, it has a global and highly advanced distribution system in place, and the footprint that the fossil energy infrastructure occupies is orders of magnitude smaller than renewable energy facilities with equivalent energy capacity. Finally, inexpensive natural gas here in North America is pushing coal for electricity generation off the market, thus reducing US CO 2 emissions faster than any other large industrialized nation. These two big factors argue for renewed efforts to find technology solutions to reduce the carbon footprint (carbon dioxide as well as methane and trace gases) of conventional and unconventional oil and gas. One major such technology component is likely to be carbon capture, utilization and storage.« less

CO2 and nutrient-driven changes across multiple levels of organization in Zostera noltii ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez-Crego, B.; Olivé, I.; Santos, R.

2014-12-01

Increasing evidence emphasizes that the effects of human impacts on ecosystems must be investigated using designs that incorporate the responses across levels of biological organization as well as the effects of multiple stressors. Here we implemented a mesocosm experiment to investigate how the individual and interactive effects of CO2 enrichment and eutrophication scale-up from changes in primary producers at the individual (biochemistry) or population level (production, reproduction, and/or abundance) to higher levels of community (macroalgae abundance, herbivory, and global metabolism), and ecosystem organization (detritus release and carbon sink capacity). The responses of Zostera noltii seagrass meadows growing in low- and high-nutrient field conditions were compared. In both meadows, the expected CO2 benefits on Z. noltii leaf production were suppressed by epiphyte overgrowth, with no direct CO2 effect on plant biochemistry or population-level traits. Multi-level meadow response to nutrients was faster and stronger than to CO2. Nutrient enrichment promoted the nutritional quality of Z. noltii (high N, low C : N and phenolics), the growth of epiphytic pennate diatoms and purple bacteria, and shoot mortality. In the low-nutrient meadow, individual effects of CO2 and nutrients separately resulted in reduced carbon storage in the sediment, probably due to enhanced microbial degradation of more labile organic matter. These changes, however, had no effect on herbivory or on community metabolism. Interestingly, individual effects of CO2 or nutrient addition on epiphytes, shoot mortality, and carbon storage were attenuated when nutrients and CO2 acted simultaneously. This suggests CO2-induced benefits on eutrophic meadows. In the high-nutrient meadow, a striking shoot decline caused by amphipod overgrazing masked the response to CO2 and nutrient additions. Our results reveal that under future scenarios of CO2, the responses of seagrass ecosystems will be complex and context-dependent, being mediated by epiphyte overgrowth rather than by direct effects on plant biochemistry. Overall, we found that the responses of seagrass meadows to individual and interactive effects of CO2 and nutrient enrichment varied depending on interactions among species and connections between organization levels.

Influence of modified atmospheric storage, lactic acid, and NaCl on survival of sublethally heat-injured Listeria monocytogenes.

PubMed

Williams, R C; Golden, D A

2001-03-20

The effect of package atmosphere on survival of uninjured and sublethally heat-injured Listeria monocytogenes, inoculated onto tryptose phosphate agar containing 0.85% lactic acid and 2% NaCl (TPALAS) was investigated. Inoculated TPALAS plates were packaged in air, 100% N2 (N2), 30% CO2-70% N2 (CO2-N2), and vacuum and stored at 4 and 20 degrees C for up to 31 days. Recovery of L. monocytogenes from TPALAS was influenced by the injury status (i.e., injured and uninjured) of the inoculum, storage atmosphere (air, N2, CO2-N2, and vacuum), storage temperature (4 and 20 degrees C), and recovery media [tryptose phosphate agar (TPA) and modified Oxford agar (MOX)] (P <0.05). Overall, storage at 4 degrees C supported greater survival than storage at 20 degrees C (P< 0.05). Uninjured L. monocytogenes stored at 4 degrees C was recovered on TPA better than sublethally heat-injured L. monocytogenes stored at 40 degrees C (P < 0.05). Recovery of sublethally heat-injured L. monocytogenes stored at 4 degrees C followed the order N2 > CO2-N2 > air > vacuum (P < 0.05), whereas recovery of uninjured L. monocyrogenes stored at 4 degrees C followed the order N2 > CO2-N2 > vacuum > air (P < 0.05). Air and vacuum atmospheres supported greater survival of uninjured and heat-injured L. monocytogenes than N2 and CO2-N2 atmospheres at 20 degrees C (P < 0.05). Recovery of sublethally heat-injured L. monocytogenes stored at 20 degrees C followed the order vacuum > air> CO2-N2 = N2 (P <0.05), whereas recovery of uninjured L. monocytogenes stored at 20 degrees C followed the order vacuum > air> CO2-N2 > N2 (P<0.05). Uninjured L. monocytogenes stored under N2 at 4 degrees C was recovered best, whereas sublethally heat-injured L. monocytogenes stored under N2 at 20 degrees C was recovered poorest (P < 0.05). Factors such as package atmosphere and storage temperature, involved in the production, storage, and distribution of fermented foods must be thoroughly evaluated when determining strategies for control and detection of L. monocytogenes in such products.

Effect of combined treatment with supercritical CO2 and rosemary on microbiological and physicochemical properties of ground pork stored at 4°C.

PubMed

Huang, Shirong; Liu, Bin; Ge, Du; Dai, Jiehui

2017-03-01

The effect of combined treatment with supercritical CO 2 (2000psi, 35°C for 2h) and rosemary powder (2.5% and 5.0% (w/w)) on microbiological and physicochemical properties of ground pork stored at 4°C was investigated. The changes in total viable count, pH, total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N), lipid oxidation and instrumental color (CIE L ⁎ , a ⁎ , b ⁎ ) were analyzed during a week period of refrigerated storage. It was found that microbial populations were reduced by supercritical CO 2 treatment, with the more pronounced effect being achieved by combined treatment with supercritical CO 2 and 5.0g rosemary powder/100g meat. Supercritical CO 2 treatment for 2h could accelerate lipid oxidation of ground pork during refrigerated storage, whereas combination with rosemary can significantly slow down the increase of oxidation rate. Combined treatment of supercritical CO 2 and rosemary significantly increased L ⁎ and b ⁎ values of the ground pork, while the a ⁎ , pH and TVB-N value were not affected as compared to the treatment with supercritical CO 2 alone. The results of this study indicate that combined treatment of supercritical CO 2 and rosemary may be useful in the meat industry to enhance the storage stability of ground pork treated with long time exposure of supercritical CO 2 during refrigerated storage. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improved Li storage performance in SnO 2 nanocrystals by a synergetic doping

DOE PAGES

Wan, Ning; Lu, Xia; Wang, Yuesheng; ...

2016-01-06

Tin dioxide (SnO 2) is a widely investigated lithium (Li) storage material because of its easy preparation, two-step storage mechanism and high specific capacity for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In this contribution, a phase-pure cobalt-doped SnO 2 (Co/SnO 2) and a cobalt and nitrogen co-doped SnO 2 (Co-N/SnO 2) nanocrystals are prepared to explore their Li storage behaviors. It is found that the morphology, specific surface area, and electrochemical properties could be largely modulated in the doped and co-doped SnO 2 nanocrystals. Gavalnostatic cycling results indicate that the Co-N/SnO 2 electrode delivers a specific capacity as high as 716 mAh gmore » –1 after 50 cycles, and the same outstanding rate performance can be observed in subsequent cycles due to the ionic/electronic conductivity enhancement by co-doping effect. Further, microstructure observation indicates the existence of intermediate phase of Li 3N with high ionic conductivity upon cycling, which probably accounts for the improvements of Co-N/SnO 2 electrodes. Furthermore, we find that the method of synergetic doping into SnO 2 with Co and N, with which the electrochemical performances is enhanced remarkably, undoubtedly, will have an important influence on the material itself and community of LIBs as well.« less

Model-Based Assessment of the CO2 Sequestration Potential of Coastal Ocean Alkalinization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, E. Y.; Koeve, W.; Keller, D. P.; Oschlies, A.

2017-12-01

The potential of coastal ocean alkalinization (COA), a carbon dioxide removal (CDR) climate engineering strategy that chemically increases ocean carbon uptake and storage, is investigated with an Earth system model of intermediate complexity. The CDR potential and possible environmental side effects are estimated for various COA deployment scenarios, assuming olivine as the alkalinity source in ice-free coastal waters (about 8.6% of the global ocean's surface area), with dissolution rates being a function of grain size, ambient seawater temperature, and pH. Our results indicate that for a large-enough olivine deployment of small-enough grain sizes (10 µm), atmospheric CO2 could be reduced by more than 800 GtC by the year 2100. However, COA with coarse olivine grains (1000 µm) has little CO2 sequestration potential on this time scale. Ambitious CDR with fine olivine grains would increase coastal aragonite saturation Ω to levels well beyond those that are currently observed. When imposing upper limits for aragonite saturation levels (Ωlim) in the grid boxes subject to COA (Ωlim = 3.4 and 9 chosen as examples), COA still has the potential to reduce atmospheric CO2 by 265 GtC (Ωlim = 3.4) to 790 GtC (Ωlim = 9) and increase ocean carbon storage by 290 Gt (Ωlim = 3.4) to 913 Gt (Ωlim = 9) by year 2100.

Post-injection feasibility study with the reflectivity method for the Ketzin pilot site, Germany (CO2 storage in a saline aquifer)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanova, Alexandra; Kempka, Thomas; Huang, Fei; Diersch [Gil], Magdalena; Lüth, Stefan

2016-04-01

3D time-lapse seismic surveys (4D seismic) have proven to be a suitable technique for monitoring of injected CO2, because when CO2 replaces brine as a free gas it considerably affects elastic properties of porous media. Forward modeling of a 4D seismic response to the CO2-fluid substitution in a storage reservoir is an inevitable step in such studies. At the Ketzin pilot site (CO2 storage) 67 kilotons of CO2 were injected into a saline aquifer between 2008 and 2013. In order to track migration of CO2 at Ketzin, 3D time-lapse seismic data were acquired by means of a baseline pre-injection survey in 2005 and 3 monitor surveys: in 2009, 2012 and in 2015 (the 1st post-injection survey). Results of the 4D seismic forward modeling with the reflectivity method suggest that effects of the injected CO2 on the 4D seismic data at Ketzin are significant regarding both seismic amplitudes and time delays. These results prove the corresponding observations in the real 4D seismic data at the Ketzin pilot site. But reservoir heterogeneity and seismic resolution, as well as random and coherent seismic noise are negative factors to be considered in this interpretation. Results of the 4D seismic forward modeling with the reflectivity method support the conclusion that even small amounts of injected CO2 can be monitored in such post-injected saline aquifer as the CO2 storage reservoir at the Ketzin pilot site both qualitatively and quantitatively with considerable uncertainties (Lüth et al., 2015). Reference: Lueth, S., Ivanova, A., Kempka, T. (2015): Conformity assessment of monitoring and simulation of CO2 storage: A case study from the Ketzin pilot site. - International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 42, p. 329-339.

Analysis of an integrated carbon cylce for storage of renewables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Streibel, Martin; Nakaten, Natalie; Kempka, Thomas; Kühn, Michael

2013-04-01

In order to mitigate the consequences of climate change the energy concept of the Government of Germany foresees the reduction of CO2 emissions by 80 % in 2050 compared to the status in 1990. Different routes are followed to achieve this goal. Most advanced is the construction of renewable energy sources in order to replace fossil fuel driven parts of the electricity generation. The increasing share of renewable energy sources in power production introduces the problem of high fluctuation of energy generated by windmills and photovoltaic. On top the production is not driven by demand but by availability of wind and sun. In this context, the "Power to Gas" concept has been developed. Main idea is the storage of excess renewable energy in form of hydrogen produced by electrolysis. If in a second step H2 reacts with CO2 to form CH4 the current natural gas infrastructure can be used. In times of energy production by renewables below the actual electricity demand CH4 is combusted to produce electricity. The emissions can be further reduced if CO2 is captured in the power plant and buffered in a dynamic geological storage (CCS). Subsequently the CO2 is back produced when excess energy is available to synthesise CH4. Storing CH4 locally also reduces energy for transport. Hence an integrated almost closed carbon cycle is implemented. In the present study this extended "Power to Gas" concept is elaborated on a regional-scale for the State of Brandenburg and the control area of 50 hertz. Focus of the analysis is the energetic balance of the concept for the integration of a geological CH4 and CO2 storage. Therefore, the energy conversion efficiency for the "Power to Gas" concept has been calculated using available data from literature. According to our calculations approximately 33 % of the wind energy used can be regained by combusting the synthesised CH4 in a combined cycle plant. In order to fuel a peaking power plant with a power of 120 MW for 2,500 hours a year approximately 450 onshore wind turbines in full load or 16 % of the produced electricity of solar and wind assets in the State of Brandenburg in 2010 are needed. In order to quantify the energy demand of the extended "Power to Gas" concept the following was done: The demand of electricity and the production of electricity by solar and wind assets have been analysed for the year 2010 in order to determine when and how much CH4 or CO2 need to be stored or produced from the storage. Reservoir simulations were applied to determine the pressure elevation during cushion gas injection as well as the dynamic pressure behaviour in the reservoir during cyclic storage of CO2 and CH4. Based on that data the well head pressures and the needed compression and injection power to store the gases were calculated. According to these simplified calculations the overall efficiency of a combined "Power to Gas" - CCS concept is about 27%.

Classification of CO2 Geologic Storage: Resource and Capacity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frailey, S.M.; Finley, R.J.

2009-01-01

The use of the term capacity to describe possible geologic storage implies a realistic or likely volume of CO2 to be sequestered. Poor data quantity and quality may lead to very high uncertainty in the storage estimate. Use of the term "storage resource" alleviates the implied certainty of the term "storage capacity". This is especially important to non- scientists (e.g. policy makers) because "capacity" is commonly used to describe the very specific and more certain quantities such as volume of a gas tank or a hotel's overnight guest limit. Resource is a term used in the classification of oil and gas accumulations to infer lesser certainty in the commercial production of oil and gas. Likewise for CO2 sequestration, a suspected porous and permeable zone can be classified as a resource, but capacity can only be estimated after a well is drilled into the formation and a relatively higher degree of economic and regulatory certainty is established. Storage capacity estimates are lower risk or higher certainty compared to storage resource estimates. In the oil and gas industry, prospective resource and contingent resource are used for estimates with less data and certainty. Oil and gas reserves are classified as Proved and Unproved, and by analogy, capacity can be classified similarly. The highest degree of certainty for an oil or gas accumulation is Proved, Developed Producing (PDP) Reserves. For CO2 sequestration this could be Proved Developed Injecting (PDI) Capacity. A geologic sequestration storage classification system is developed by analogy to that used by the oil and gas industry. When a CO2 sequestration industry emerges, storage resource and capacity estimates will be considered a company asset and consequently regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Additionally, storage accounting and auditing protocols will be required to confirm projected storage estimates and assignment of credits from actual injection. An example illustrates the use of these terms and how storage classification changes as new data become available. ?? 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fat and Sugar Metabolism During Exercise in Patients With Metabolic Myopathy

ClinicalTrials.gov

2017-08-31

Metabolism, Inborn Errors; Lipid Metabolism, Inborn Errors; Carbohydrate Metabolism, Inborn Errors; Long-Chain 3-Hydroxyacyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency; Glycogenin-1 Deficiency (Glycogen Storage Disease Type XV); Carnitine Palmitoyl Transferase 2 Deficiency; VLCAD Deficiency; Medium-chain Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency; Multiple Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency; Carnitine Transporter Deficiency; Neutral Lipid Storage Disease; Glycogen Storage Disease Type II; Glycogen Storage Disease Type III; Glycogen Storage Disease Type IV; Glycogen Storage Disease Type V; Muscle Phosphofructokinase Deficiency; Phosphoglucomutase 1 Deficiency; Phosphoglycerate Mutase Deficiency; Phosphoglycerate Kinase Deficiency; Phosphorylase Kinase Deficiency; Beta Enolase Deficiency; Lactate Dehydrogenase Deficiency; Glycogen Synthase Deficiency

Reactivity of rock and well in a geological storage of CO2 : role of co-injected gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renard, S.; Sterpenich, J.; Pironon, J.

2009-04-01

The CO2 capture and geological storage from high emitting sources (coal and gas power plants) is one of a panel of solutions proposed to reduce the global greenhouse gas emissions. Different pre- , post- or oxy-combustion capture processes are now available to separate associated gases (SOx, NOx, etc…) and the CO2. However, complete purification of CO2 is unachievable for cost reasons as well as for CO2 surplus of emissions due to the separation processes. By consequence, a non-negligible part (more or less 5%) of these gases, called "annex gases", could be co-injected with the CO2. Their impact on the chemical stability of reservoir rocks, caprocks and wells has to be evaluated before any large scale injection procedure. Physico-chemical transformations could modify mechanical and injectivity properties of the site and possibly alter storage safety. One of the aims of the CCS pilot project leaded by TOTAL at Lacq (France) is to develop, through a real case study, a methodology for a long-term safe storage qualification. Greenhouse gases are captured from an oxy-combustion power plant, transported along 30 km to the carbonate reservoir of Rousse at around 4500 m in depth. The study presented here is focused on laboratory simulations of geochemical interactions between the reservoir rock (fractured dolomite), the caprock (marl) and the injected CO2 with some potential annex gases. In the same time, experiments are performed on the reactivity of reference minerals such as calcite, dolomite, muscovite, quartz and pyrite to better understand the implication of each phase on bulk rock reactivity. Moreover, well reactivity is observed through specific steel and cement used by petroleum industry. Two annex gases (SO2 and NO) have been selected.. Their reactivity is compared to that of N2 considered as an inert annex gas from a chemical point of view. Solid samples are placed in 1cm3 gold capsules in presence or not of water with a salinity of 25 NaCl g/l. Gases are hermetically transferred by cold trap into the gold reactors that are sealed by electrical welding and placed in an autoclave during one month at 150˚ C and 100 bar, which represent the geological conditions in the Rousse reservoir after two years of injection. After experiments, solid samples (rock, cement, steel) are observed and analysed with different techniques (SEM, TEM, Raman and XRD). Gases are also collected and analysed by Raman spectrometry whereas the aqueous solution is analysed with ICP-MS, ICP-AES and ionic chromatography. As sampling methods cannot be used during experiment the synthetic fluid inclusions technique has been developed to trap and analyse the fluids in experimental conditions. It allows to characterise the number of phase and the nature of dissolved species. Mass balances are established in order to quantify the reaction rates. This study shows the first results concerning the mineralogical transformation of rocks and well materials that have undergone CO2and co-injected annex gases. The results are used to better constrain thermodynamical approaches leading to a predictive geochemical modelling. The results are interpreted in terms of petrophysical and chemical impacts of the injected gases on the mineral assemblages of a storage site. This work is supported by TOTAL and ADEME (national agency for energy control and development, France).

Carbon dioxide capture, storage and production of biofuel and biomaterials by bacteria: A review.

PubMed

Kumar, Manish; Sundaram, Smita; Gnansounou, Edgard; Larroche, Christian; Thakur, Indu Shekhar

2018-01-01

Due to industrialization and urbanization, as humans continue to rely on fossil fuels, carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) will inevitably be generated and result in an increase of Global Warming Gases (GWGs). However, their prospect is misted up because of the environmental and economic intimidation posed by probable climate shift, generally called it as the "green house effect". Among all GWGs, the major contributor in greenhouse effect is CO 2 . Mitigation strategies that include capture and storage of CO 2 by biological means may reduce the impact of CO 2 emissions on environment. The biological CO 2 sequestration has significant advantage, since increasing atmospheric CO 2 level supports productivity and overall storage capacity of the natural system. This paper reviews CO 2 sequestration mechanism in bacteria and their pathways for production of value added products such as, biodiesel, bioplastics, extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), biosurfactants and other related biomaterials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Laboratory simulation system, using Carcinus maenas as the model organism, for assessing the impact of CO2 leakage from sub-seabed injection and storage.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Romero, Araceli; Jiménez-Tenorio, Natalia; Riba, Inmaculada; Blasco, Julián

2016-01-01

The capture and storage of CO2 in sub-seabed geological formations has been proposed as one of the potential options to decrease atmospheric CO2 concentrations in order to mitigate the abrupt and irreversible consequences of climate change. However, it is possible that CO2 leakages could occur during the injection and sequestration procedure, with significant repercussions for the marine environment. We investigate the effects of acidification derived from possible CO2 leakage events on the European green crab, Carcinus maenas. To this end, a lab-scale experiment involving direct release of CO2 was conducted at pH values between 7.7 and 6.15. Female crabs were exposed for 10 days to sediment collected from two different coastal areas, one with relatively uncontaminated sediment (RSP) and the other with known contaminated sediment (MZ and ML), under the pre-established seawater pH conditions. Survival rate, histopathological damage and metal (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cr, Cd and Pb) and As accumulation in gills and hepatopancreas tissue were employed as endpoints. In addition, the obtained results were compared with the results of the physico-chemical characterization of the sediments, which included the determination of the metals Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cr, Pb and Cd, the metalloid As, certain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), as well as nonchemical sediment properties (grain size, organic carbon and total organic matter). Significant associations were observed between pH and the histological damage. Concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cr, Pb, Cd and PAHs in sediment, presented significant negative correlations with the damage to gills and hepatopancreas, and positive correlations with metal accumulation in both tissues. The results obtained in this study reveal the importance of sediment properties in the biological effects caused by possible CO2 leakage. However, a clear pattern was not observed between metal accumulation in tissues and pH reduction. Animals' avoidance behavior and degree of tolerance to acidification are confounding factors for assessing metal bioaccumulation. Further research is required to find a suitable assay that would allow us to predict the risk to environmental health of possible negative side effects of metal mobility derived from CO2 leakage during its injection and storage in sub-seabed formations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Growth and yield responses of field-grown sweetpotato to elevated carbon dioxide

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Biswas, P.K.; Hileman, D.R.; Ghosh, P.P.

1996-09-01

Root crops are important in developing countries, where food supplies are frequently marginal. Increases in atmospheric CO{sub 2} usually lead to increases in plant growth and yield, but little is known about the response of root crops to CO{sub 2} enrichment under field conditions. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of CO{sub 2} enrichment on growth and yield of field-grown sweetpotato. Plants were grown in open-top chambers in the field at four CO{sub 2} levels ranging from 354 (ambient) to 665 {mu}mol mol{sup {minus}1} in two growing seasons. Shoot growth was not affected significantly by elevated CO{sub 2}.more » Yield of storage roots increased 46 and 75% at the highest CO{sub 2} level in the 2 yr. The yield enhancement occurred through increases in the number of storage roots in the second year. Storage-root/shoot ratios increased 44% and leaf nitrogen concentrations decreased by 24% at the highest CO{sub 2} level. A comparison of plants grown in the open field to plants grown in open-top chambers at ambient CO{sub 2} concentrations indicated that open-top chambers reduced shoot growth in the first year and storage-root yield in both years. These results are consistent with the majority of CO{sub 2}-enrichment studies done on pot-grown sweetpotato. 37 refs., 2 figs., 5 tabs.« less

Participatory modeling - engineering and social sciences in tandem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Class, Holger; Kissinger, Alexander; Knopf, Stefan; Konrad, Wilfried; Noack, Vera; Scheer, Dirk

2017-04-01

The modeling of flow and transport processes in the context of engineering in the subsurface often takes place within a field of conflict from different interests, where societal issues are touched or involved. Carbon Capture and Storage, Fracking, or nuclear waste disposal are just a few prominent examples, where engineering (or: natural sciences) and social sciences have a common field of research. It is only consequent for both disciplines to explore methods and tools to achieve best possible mutual benefits. Participatory modeling (PM) is such an idea, where so-called stakeholders can be involved during different phases of the modeling process. This can be accomplished by very different methods of participation and for different reasons (public acceptance, public awareness, transparency, improved understanding through collective learning, etc). Therefore, PM is a generic approach, open for different methods to be used in order to facilitate early expert and stakeholder integration in science development. We have used PM recently in two examples, both in the context of Carbon Capture and Storage. The first one addressed the development and evaluation (by stakeholders) of a screening criterion for site selection. The second one deals with a regional-scale brine migration scenario where stakeholders have been involved in evaluating the general importance of brine migration, the design of a representative geological model for a case study and in the definition of scenarios to be simulated. This contribution aims at summarizing our experiences and share it with the modeling community. References: A Kissinger, V Noack, S Knopf, D Scheer, W Konrad, H Class Characterization of reservoir conditions for CO2 storage using a dimensionless gravitational number applied to the North German Basin, Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments 7, 209-220, 2014 D Scheer, W Konrad, H Class, A Kissinger, S Knopf, V Noack Expert involvement in science development: (re-) evaluation of an early screening tool for carbon storage site characterization, International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 37, 228-236, 2015 D Scheer, W Konrad, H Class, A Kissinger, S Knopf, V Noack Regional-scale brine migration along vertical pathways due to CO2 injection - Part 1: the participatory modeling approach, currently under review in Hydrology and Earth System Sciences A Kissinger, V Noack, S Knopf, W Konrad, D Scheer, H Class Regional-scale brine migration along vertical pathways due to CO2 injection - Part 2: a simulated case study in the North German Basin, currently under review in Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Schrader, C.: 13. October 2014. Expressfahrstuhl für Salzwasser, Süddeutsche Zeitung, p. 16

Proteomic analysis to investigate color changes of chilled beef longissimus steaks held under carbon monoxide and high oxygen packaging.

PubMed

Yang, Xiaoyin; Wu, Shuang; Hopkins, David L; Liang, Rongrong; Zhu, Lixian; Zhang, Yimin; Luo, Xin

2018-08-01

This study investigated the proteome basis for color stability variations in beef steaks packaged under two modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) methods: HiOx-MAP (80% O 2 /20% CO 2 ) and CO-MAP (0.4% CO/30% CO 2 /69.6% N 2 ) during 15 days of storage. The color stability, pH, and sarcoplasmic proteome analysis of steaks were evaluated on days 0, 5, 10 and 15 of storage. Proteomic results revealed that the differential expression of the sarcoplasmic proteome during storage contributed to the variations in meat color stability between the two MAP methods. Compared with HiOx-MAP steaks, some glycolytic and energy metabolic enzymes important in NADH regeneration and antioxidant processes, antioxidant peroxiredoxins (thioredoxin-dependent peroxide reductase, peroxiredoxin-2, peroxiredoxin-6) and protein DJ-1 were more abundant in CO-MAP steaks. The over-expression of these proteins could induce CO-MAP steaks to maintain high levels of metmyoglobin reducing activity and oxygen consumption rate, resulting in CO-MAP steaks exhibiting better color stability than HiOx-MAP steaks during storage. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrated, Geothermal-CO2 Storage: An Adaptable, Hybrid, Multi-Stage, Energy-Recovery Approach to Reduce Carbon Intensity and Environmental Risk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buscheck, T. A.; Chen, M.; Lu, C.; Sun, Y.; Hao, Y.; Elliot, T. R.; Celia, M. A.; Bielicki, J. M.

2012-12-01

The challenges of mitigating climate change and generating sustainable renewable energy are inseparable and can be addressed by synergistic integration of geothermal energy production with secure geologic CO2 storage (GCS). Pressure buildup can be a limiting factor for GCS and geothermal reservoir operations, due to a number of concerns, including the potential for CO2 leakage and induced seismicity, while pressure depletion can limit geothermal energy recovery. Water-use demands can also be a limiting factor for GCS and geothermal operations, particularly where water resources are already scarce. Economic optimization of geothermal-GCS involves trade-offs of various benefits and risks, along with their associated costs: (1) heat extraction per ton of delivered CO2, (2) permanent CO2 storage, (3) energy recovery per unit well (and working-fluid recirculation) costs, and (4) economic lifetime of a project. We analyze a hybrid, multi-stage approach using both formation brine and injected CO2 as working fluids to attempt to optimize the benefits of sustainable energy production and permanent CO2 storage, while conserving water resources and minimizing environmental risks. We consider a range of well-field patterns and operational schemes. Initially, the fluid production is entirely brine. After CO2 breakthrough, the fraction of CO2 in production, which is called the CO2 "cut", increases with time. Thus, brine is the predominant working fluid for early time, with the contribution of CO2 to heat extraction increasing with CO2 cut (and time). We find that smaller well spacing between CO2 injectors and producers favors earlier CO2 breakthrough and a more rapid rise in CO2 cut, which increases the contribution of recirculated CO2, thereby improving the heat extraction per ton of delivered CO2. On the other hand, larger well spacing increases permanent CO2 storage, energy production per unit well cost, while reducing the thermal drawdown rate, which extends the economic lifetime of a project. For the range of cases considered, we were never able to eliminate the co-production of brine; thus, brine management is likely to be important for reservoir operations, whether or not brine is considered as a candidate working fluid. Future work will address site-specific reservoir conditions and infrastructure factors, such as proximity to potential CO2 sources. This work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Constraints on the magnitude and rate of CO 2 dissolution at Bravo Dome natural gas field

DOE PAGES

Sathaye, Kiran J.; Hesse, Marc A.; Cassidy, M.; ...

2014-10-13

The injection of carbon dioxide (CO 2) captured at large point sources into deep saline aquifers can significantly reduce anthropogenic CO 2 emissions from fossil fuels. Dissolution of the injected CO 2 into the formation brine is a trapping mechanism that helps to ensure the long-term security of geological CO 2 storage. We use thermochronology to estimate the timing of CO 2 emplacement at Bravo Dome, a large natural CO 2 field at a depth of 700 m in New Mexico. Together with estimates of the total mass loss from the field we present, to our knowledge, the first constraintsmore » on the magnitude, mechanisms, and rates of CO 2 dissolution on millennial timescales. Apatite (U-Th)/He thermochronology records heating of the Bravo Dome reservoir due to the emplacement of hot volcanic gases 1.2–1.5 Ma. The CO 2 accumulation is therefore significantly older than previous estimates of 10 ka, which demonstrates that safe long-term geological CO 2 storage is possible. Here, integrating geophysical and geochemical data, we estimate that 1.3 Gt CO 2 are currently stored at Bravo Dome, but that only 22% of the emplaced CO 2 has dissolved into the brine over 1.2 My. Roughly 40% of the dissolution occurred during the emplacement. The CO 2 dissolved after emplacement exceeds the amount expected from diffusion and provides field evidence for convective dissolution with a rate of 0.1 g/(m 2y). Finally, the similarity between Bravo Dome and major US saline aquifers suggests that significant amounts of CO 2 are likely to dissolve during injection at US storage sites, but that convective dissolution is unlikely to trap all injected CO 2 on the 10-ky timescale typically considered for storage projects.« less

Alternative pathways to the 1.5 °C target reduce the need for negative emission technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Vuuren, Detlef P.; Stehfest, Elke; Gernaat, David E. H. J.; van den Berg, Maarten; Bijl, David L.; de Boer, Harmen Sytze; Daioglou, Vassilis; Doelman, Jonathan C.; Edelenbosch, Oreane Y.; Harmsen, Mathijs; Hof, Andries F.; van Sluisveld, Mariësse A. E.

2018-05-01

Mitigation scenarios that achieve the ambitious targets included in the Paris Agreement typically rely on greenhouse gas emission reductions combined with net carbon dioxide removal (CDR) from the atmosphere, mostly accomplished through large-scale application of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, and afforestation. However, CDR strategies face several difficulties such as reliance on underground CO2 storage and competition for land with food production and biodiversity protection. The question arises whether alternative deep mitigation pathways exist. Here, using an integrated assessment model, we explore the impact of alternative pathways that include lifestyle change, additional reduction of non-CO2 greenhouse gases and more rapid electrification of energy demand based on renewable energy. Although these alternatives also face specific difficulties, they are found to significantly reduce the need for CDR, but not fully eliminate it. The alternatives offer a means to diversify transition pathways to meet the Paris Agreement targets, while simultaneously benefiting other sustainability goals.

Moss and soil contributions to the annual net carbon flux of a maturing boreal forest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harden, J.W.; O'Neill, K. P.; Trumbore, S.E.; Veldhuis, H.; Stocks, B.J.

1997-01-01

We used input and decomposition data from 14C studies of soils to determine rates of vertical accumulation of moss combined with carbon storage inventories on a sequence of burns to model how carbon accumulates in soils and moss after a stand-killing fire. We used soil drainage - moss associations and soil drainage maps of the old black spruce (OBS) site at the BOREAS northern study area (NSA) to areally weight the contributions of each moderately well drained, feathermoss areas; poorly drained sphagnum - feathermoss areas; and very poorly drained brown moss areas to the carbon storage and flux at the OBS NSA site. On this very old (117 years) complex of black spruce, sphagnum bog veneer, and fen systems we conclude that these systems are likely sequestering 0.01-0.03 kg C m-2 yr-' at OBS-NSA today. Soil drainage in boreal forests near Thompson, Manitoba, controls carbon storage and flux by controlling moss input and decomposition rates and by controlling through fire the amount and quality of carbon left after burning. On poorly drained soils rich in sphagnum moss, net accumulation and long-term storage of carbon is higher than on better drained soils colonized by feathermosses. The carbon flux of these contrasting ecosystems is best characterized by soil drainage class and stand age, where stands recently burned are net sources of CO2, and maturing stands become increasingly stronger sinks of atmospheric CO2. This approach to measuring carbon storage and flux presents a method of scaling to larger areas using soil drainage, moss cover, and stand age information.

National assessment of geologic carbon dioxide storage resources: summary

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently completed an evaluation of the technically accessible storage resource (TASR) for carbon dioxide (CO2) for 36 sedimentary basins in the onshore areas and State waters of the United States. The TASR is an estimate of the geologic storage resource that may be available for CO2 injection and storage and is based on current geologic and hydrologic knowledge of the subsurface and current engineering practices. By using a geology-based probabilistic assessment methodology, the USGS assessment team members obtained a mean estimate of approximately 3,000 metric gigatons (Gt) of subsurface CO2 storage capacity that is technically accessible below onshore areas and State waters; this amount is more than 500 times the 2011 annual U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions of 5.5 Gt (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2012, http://www.eia.gov/environment/emissions/carbon/). In 2007, the Energy Independence and Security Act (Public Law 110–140) directed the U.S. Geological Survey to conduct a national assessment of geologic storage resources for CO2 in consultation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy, and State geological surveys. The USGS developed a methodology to estimate storage resource potential in geologic formations in the United States (Burruss and others, 2009, USGS Open-File Report (OFR) 2009–1035; Brennan and others, 2010, USGS OFR 2010–1127; Blondes, Brennan, and others, 2013, USGS OFR 2013–1055). In 2012, the USGS completed the assessment, and the results are summarized in this Fact Sheet and are provided in more detail in companion reports (U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Resources Assessment Team, 2013a,b; see related reports at right). The goal of this project was to conduct an initial assessment of storage capacity on a regional basis, and results are not intended for use in the evaluation of specific sites for potential CO2 storage. The national assessment was a geology-based examination of all sedimentary basins in the onshore and State waters area of the United States that contain storage assessment units (SAUs) that could be defined according to geologic and hydrologic characteristics. Although geologic storage of CO2 may be possible in some areas not assessed by the USGS, the SAUs identified in this assessment represent those areas within sedimentary basins that met the assessment criteria. A geologic description of each SAU was prepared; descriptions for SAUs in several basins are in Warwick and Corum (2012, USGS OFR 2012–1024).

FutureGen 2.0 Oxy-combustion Large Scale Test – Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kenison, LaVesta; Flanigan, Thomas; Hagerty, Gregg

The primary objectives of the FutureGen 2.0 CO 2 Oxy-Combustion Large Scale Test Project were to site, permit, design, construct, and commission, an oxy-combustion boiler, gas quality control system, air separation unit, and CO 2 compression and purification unit, together with the necessary supporting and interconnection utilities. The project was to demonstrate at commercial scale (168MWe gross) the capability to cleanly produce electricity through coal combustion at a retrofitted, existing coal-fired power plant; thereby, resulting in near-zeroemissions of all commonly regulated air emissions, as well as 90% CO 2 capture in steady-state operations. The project was to be fully integratedmore » in terms of project management, capacity, capabilities, technical scope, cost, and schedule with the companion FutureGen 2.0 CO 2 Pipeline and Storage Project, a separate but complementary project whose objective was to safely transport, permanently store and monitor the CO 2 captured by the Oxy-combustion Power Plant Project. The FutureGen 2.0 Oxy-Combustion Large Scale Test Project successfully achieved all technical objectives inclusive of front-end-engineering and design, and advanced design required to accurately estimate and contract for the construction, commissioning, and start-up of a commercial-scale "ready to build" power plant using oxy-combustion technology, including full integration with the companion CO 2 Pipeline and Storage project. Ultimately the project did not proceed to construction due to insufficient time to complete necessary EPC contract negotiations and commercial financing prior to expiration of federal co-funding, which triggered a DOE decision to closeout its participation in the project. Through the work that was completed, valuable technical, commercial, and programmatic lessons were learned. This project has significantly advanced the development of near-zero emission technology and will be helpful to plotting the course of, and successfully executing future large demonstration projects. This Final Scientific and Technical Report describes the technology and engineering basis of the project, inclusive of process systems, performance, effluents and emissions, and controls. Further, the project cost estimate, schedule, and permitting requirements are presented, along with a project risk and opportunity assessment. Lessons-learned related to these elements are summarized in this report. Companion reports Oxy-combustion further document the accomplishments and learnings of the project, including: A.01 Project Management Report which describes what was done to coordinate the various participants, and to track their performance with regard to schedule and budget B.02 Lessons Learned - Technology Integration, Value Improvements, and Program Management, which describes the innovations and conclusions that we arrived upon during the development of the project, and makes recommendations for improvement of future projects of a similar nature . B.03 Project Economics, which details the capital and operation costs and their basis, and also illustrates the cost of power produced by the plant with certain sensitivities. B.04 Power Plant, Pipeline, and Injection Site Interfaces, which details the interfaces between the two FutureGen projects B.05 Contractual Mechanisms for Design, Construction, and Operation, which describes the major EPC, and Operations Contracts required to execute the project.« less

Effects of freezer storage time on levels of complement biomarkers.

PubMed

Morgan, Angharad R; O'Hagan, Caroline; Touchard, Samuel; Lovestone, Simon; Morgan, B Paul

2017-11-06

There is uncertainty regarding how stable complement analytes are during long-term storage at - 80 °C. As part of our work program we have measured 17 complement biomarkers (C1q, C1 inhibitor, C3, C3a, iC3b, C4, C5, C9, FB, FD, FH, FI, TCC, Bb, sCR1, sCR2, Clusterin) and the benchmark inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) in a large set of plasma samples (n = 720) that had been collected, processed and subsequently stored at - 80 °C over a period of 6.6-10.6 years, prior to laboratory analysis. The biomarkers were measured using solid-phase enzyme immunoassays with a combination of multiplex assays using the MesoScale Discovery Platform and single-plex enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). As part of a post hoc analysis of extrinsic factors (co-variables) affecting the analyses we investigated the impact of freezer storage time on the values obtained for each complement analyte. With the exception of five analytes (C4, C9, sCR2, clusterin and CRP), storage time was significantly correlated with measured plasma concentrations. For ten analytes: C3, FI, FB, FD, C5, sCR1, C3a, iC3b, Bb and TCC, storage time was positively correlated with concentration and for three analytes: FH, C1q, and C1 inhibitor, storage time was negatively correlated with concentration. The results suggest that information on storage time should be regarded as an important co-variable and taken into consideration when analysing data to look for associations of complement biomarker levels and disease or other outcomes.

Review of Quantitative Monitoring Methodologies for Emissions Verification and Accounting for Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage for California’s Greenhouse Gas Cap-and-Trade and Low-Carbon Fuel Standard Programs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oldenburg, Curtis M.; Birkholzer, Jens T.

The Cap-and-Trade and Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) programs being administered by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) include Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS) as a potential means to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, there is currently no universal standard approach that quantifies GHG emissions reductions for CCS and that is suitable for the quantitative needs of the Cap-and-Trade and LCFS programs. CCS involves emissions related to the capture (e.g., arising from increased energy needed to separate carbon dioxide (CO 2) from a flue gas and compress it for transport), transport (e.g., by pipeline), and storage of COmore » 2 (e.g., due to leakage to the atmosphere from geologic CO 2 storage sites). In this project, we reviewed and compared monitoring, verification, and accounting (MVA) protocols for CCS from around the world by focusing on protocols specific to the geologic storage part of CCS. In addition to presenting the review of these protocols, we highlight in this report those storage-related MVA protocols that we believe are particularly appropriate for CCS in California. We find that none of the existing protocols is completely appropriate for California, but various elements of all of them could be adopted and/or augmented to develop a rigorous, defensible, and practical surface leakage MVA protocol for California. The key features of a suitable surface leakage MVA plan for California are that it: (1) informs and validates the leakage risk assessment, (2) specifies use of the most effective monitoring strategies while still being flexible enough to accommodate special or site-specific conditions, (3) quantifies stored CO 2, and (4) offers defensible estimates of uncertainty in monitored properties. California’s surface leakage MVA protocol needs to be applicable to the main CO 2 storage opportunities (in California and in other states with entities participating in California’s Cap-and-Trade or LCFS programs), specifically CO 2-enhanced oil recovery (CO 2-EOR), CO 2 injection into depleted gas reservoirs (with or without CO 2-enhanced gas recovery (CO 2-EGR)), as well as deep saline storage. Regarding the elements of an effective surface leakage MVA protocol, our recommendations for California are that: (1) both CO 2 and methane (CH 4) surface leakage should be monitored, especially for enhanced recovery scenarios, (2) emissions from all sources not directly related to injection and geologic storage (e.g., from capture, or pipeline transport) should be monitored and reported under a plan separate from the surface leakage MVA plan that is included as another component of the quantification methodology (QM), (3) the primary objective of the surface leakage MVA plan should be to quantify surface leakage of CO 2 and CH 4 and its uncertainty, with consideration of best-practices and state-of-the-art approaches to monitoring including attribution assessment, (4) effort should be made to monitor CO 2 storage and migration in the subsurface to anticipate future surface leakage monitoring needs, (5) detailed descriptions of specific monitoring technologies and approaches should be provided in the MVA plan, (6) the main purpose of the CO 2 injection project (CO 2-EOR, CO 2-EGR, or pure geologic carbon sequestration (GCS)) needs to be stated up front, (7) approaches to dealing with missing data and quantifying uncertainty need to be described, and (8) post-injection monitoring should go on for a period consistent with or longer than that prescribed by the U.S. EPA.« less

A Critical Review of the Impacts of Leaking CO 2 Gas and Brine on Groundwater Quality

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qafoku, Nikolla; Zheng, Liange; Bacon, Diana H.

2015-09-30

Geological carbon sequestration (GCS) is a global carbon emission reduction strategy involving the capture of CO 2 emitted from fossil fuel burning power plants, as well as the subsequent injection of the captured CO 2 gas into deep saline aquifers or depleted oil and gas reservoirs. A critical question that arises from the proposed GCS is the potential impacts of CO 2 injection on the quality of drinking-water systems overlying CO 2 sequestration storage sites. Although storage reservoirs are evaluated and selected based on their ability to safely and securely store emplaced fluids, leakage of CO 2 from storage reservoirsmore » is a primary risk factor and potential barrier to the widespread acceptance of geologic CO 2 sequestration (OR Harvey et al. 2013; Y-S Jun et al. 2013; DOE 2007). Therefore, a systematic understanding of how CO 2 leakage would affect the geochemistry of potable aquifers, and subsequently control or affect elemental and contaminant release via sequential and/or simultaneous abiotic and biotic processes and reactions is vital.« less

CO2 storage resources, reserves, and reserve growth: Toward a methodology for integrated assessment of the storage capacity of oil and gas reservoirs and saline formations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burruss, Robert

2009-01-01

Geologically based methodologies to assess the possible volumes of subsurface CO2 storage must apply clear and uniform definitions of resource and reserve concepts to each assessment unit (AU). Application of the current state of knowledge of geologic, hydrologic, geochemical, and geophysical parameters (contingencies) that control storage volume and injectivity allows definition of the contingent resource (CR) of storage. The parameters known with the greatest certainty are based on observations on known traps (KTs) within the AU that produced oil, gas, and water. The aggregate volume of KTs within an AU defines the most conservation volume of contingent resource. Application of the concept of reserve growth to CR volume provides a logical path for subsequent reevaluation of the total resource as knowledge of CO2 storage processes increases during implementation of storage projects. Increased knowledge of storage performance over time will probably allow the volume of the contingent resource of storage to grow over time, although negative growth is possible.

CO2 storage resources, reserves, and reserve growth: Toward a methodology for integrated assessment of the storage capacity of oil and gas reservoirs and saline formations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burruss, R.C.

2009-01-01

Geologically based methodologies to assess the possible volumes of subsurface CO2 storage must apply clear and uniform definitions of resource and reserve concepts to each assessment unit (AU). Application of the current state of knowledge of geologic, hydrologic, geochemical, and geophysical parameters (contingencies) that control storage volume and injectivity allows definition of the contingent resource (CR) of storage. The parameters known with the greatest certainty are based on observations on known traps (KTs) within the AU that produced oil, gas, and water. The aggregate volume of KTs within an AU defines the most conservation volume of contingent resource. Application of the concept of reserve growth to CR volume provides a logical path for subsequent reevaluation of the total resource as knowledge of CO2 storage processes increases during implementation of storage projects. Increased knowledge of storage performance over time will probably allow the volume of the contingent resource of storage to grow over time, although negative growth is possible. ?? 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CO2 Adsorption in Low-Rank Coals: Progress Toward Assessing the National Capacity to Store CO2 in the Subsurface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanton, R. W.; Burruss, R. C.; Flores, R. M.; Warwick, P. D.

2001-05-01

Subsurface environments for geologic storage of CO2 from combustion of fossil fuel include saline formations, depleted oil and gas reservoirs, and unmineable coalbeds. Of these environments, storage in petroleum reservoirs and coal beds offers a potential economic benefit of enhanced recovery of energy resources. Meaningful assessment of the volume and geographic distribution of storage sites requires quantitative estimates of geologic factors that control storage capacity. The factors that control the storage capacity of unmineable coalbeds are poorly understood. In preparation for a USGS assessment of CO2 storage capacity we have begun new measurements of CO2 and CH4 adsorption isotherms of low-rank coal samples from 4 basins. Initial results for 13 samples of low-rank coal beds from the Powder River Basin (9 subbituminous coals), Greater Green River Basin (1 subbituminous coal), Williston Basin (2 lignites) and the Gulf Coast (1 lignite) indicate that their adsorption capacity is up to 10 times higher than it is for CH4. These values contrast with published measurements of the CO2 adsorption capacity of bituminous coals from the Fruitland Formation, San Juan basin, and Gates Formation, British Columbia, that indicate about twice as much carbon dioxide as methane can be adsorbed on coals. Because CH4 adsorption isotherms are commonly measured on coals, CO2 adsorption capacity can be estimated if thecorrect relationship between the gases is known. However, use a factor to predict CO2 adsorption that is twice that of CH4 adsorption, which is common in the published literature, grossly underestimates the storage capacity of widely distributed, thick low-rank coal beds. Complete petrographic and chemical characterization of these low-rank coal samples is in progress. Significant variations in adsorption measurements among samples are depicted depending on the reporting basis used. Properties were measured on an "as received" (moist) basis but can be converted to a dry basis, ash-free basis (moist), or dry ash-free basis to emphasize the property having the greatest effect on the adsorption isotherm. Initial results show that moisture content has a strong effect on CO2 adsorption. Our current sample base covers a limited range of coal rank and composition. Full characterization of the storage capacity of coalbeds in the US will require additional samples that cover a broader range of coal compositions, ranks, and depositional environments. Even at this preliminary stage, we can use results from the recent USGS assessment of the Powder River Basin (Wyoming and Montana) to examine the impact of these new measurements on estimates of storage capacity. At depths greater than 500 feet, the Wyodak-Anderson coal zone contains 360 billion metric tons of coal. Using the new measurements of CO2 storage capacity, this coal zone could, theoretically, sequester about 290 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of CO2. This estimate contrasts sharply with an estimated capacity of 70 TCF based on the published values for bituminous coals.

CO2 sequestration: Storage capacity guideline needed

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frailey, S.M.; Finley, R.J.; Hickman, T.S.

2006-01-01

Petroleum reserves are classified for the assessment of available supplies by governmental agencies, management of business processes for achieving exploration and production efficiency, and documentation of the value of reserves and resources in financial statements. Up to the present however, the storage capacity determinations made by some organizations in the initial CO2 resource assessment are incorrect technically. New publications should thus cover differences in mineral adsorption of CO2 and dissolution of CO2 in various brine waters.

Laboratory Seismic Monitoring and X-ray CT imaging of Supercritical CO2 Injection in Reservoir Sand: WESTCAB King Island Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakashima, S.; Kneafsey, T. J.; Nakagawa, S.; Harper, E. J.

2013-12-01

The Central Valley of California contains promising locations for on-shore geologic CO2 storage. DOE's WESTCARB (West Coast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership) project drilled and cored a borehole (Citizen Green Well) at King Island (near Stockton, CA) to study the CO2 storage capability of saline and gas-bearing formations in the southwestern Sacramento Basin. Potential reservoirs encountered in the borehole include Domengine, Mokelumne River (primary target), and Top Starkey formations. In anticipation of geophysical monitoring of possible CO2 injection into this particular borehole and of the long-term migration of the CO2, we conducted small-scale CO2 injection experiments on three core samples retrieved from the well (Mokelumne River sand A and B) and from a mine outcrop (Domengine sandstone). During the experiment, a jacketed core sample (diameter 1.5 inches, length 4.0-6.0 inches) saturated with brine- (1% NaCl aq.) was confined within a pressure vessel via compressed nitrogen to 3,500-4,000psi, and supercritical CO2 was injected into the core at 2,000-2,500psi and 45-60 degrees C. The CO2 pressure and temperature were adjusted so that the bulk elastic modulus of the CO2 was close to the expected in-situ modulus--which affects the seismic properties most--while keeping the confining stress within our experimental capabilities. After the CO2 broke through the core, fresh brine was re-injected to remove the CO2 by both displacement and dissolution. Throughout the experiment, seismic velocity and attenuation of the core sample were measured using the Split Hopkinson Resonant Bar method (Nakagawa, 2012, Rev. Sci. Instr.) at near 1 kHz (500Hz--1.5 kHz), and the CO2 distribution determined via x-ray CT imaging. In contrast to relatively isotropic Mokelumne sand A, Domengine sandstone and Mokelumne sand B cores exhibited CO2 distributions strongly controlled by the bedding planes. During the CO2 injection, P-wave velocity and attenuation of the layered samples changed irregularly, roughly corresponding to the sequential invasion of the compliant fluid in the sedimentary layers revealed by the CT images. The overall behavior the seismic waves and the final CO2 saturation of the cores, however, were similar for all three cores used in this experiment.

Geologic CO2 Sequestration: Predicting and Confirming Performance in Oil Reservoirs and Saline Aquifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, J. W.; Nitao, J. J.; Newmark, R. L.; Kirkendall, B. A.; Nimz, G. J.; Knauss, K. G.; Ziagos, J. P.

2002-05-01

Reducing anthropogenic CO2 emissions ranks high among the grand scientific challenges of this century. In the near-term, significant reductions can only be achieved through innovative sequestration strategies that prevent atmospheric release of large-scale CO2 waste streams. Among such strategies, injection into confined geologic formations represents arguably the most promising alternative; and among potential geologic storage sites, oil reservoirs and saline aquifers represent the most attractive targets. Oil reservoirs offer a unique "win-win" approach because CO2 flooding is an effective technique of enhanced oil recovery (EOR), while saline aquifers offer immense storage capacity and widespread distribution. Although CO2-flood EOR has been widely used in the Permian Basin and elsewhere since the 1980s, the oil industry has just recently become concerned with the significant fraction of injected CO2 that eludes recycling and is therefore sequestered. This "lost" CO2 now has potential economic value in the growing emissions credit market; hence, the industry's emerging interest in recasting CO2 floods as co-optimized EOR/sequestration projects. The world's first saline aquifer storage project was also catalyzed in part by economics: Norway's newly imposed atmospheric emissions tax, which spurred development of Statoil's unique North Sea Sleipner facility in 1996. Successful implementation of geologic sequestration projects hinges on development of advanced predictive models and a diverse set of remote sensing, in situ sampling, and experimental techniques. The models are needed to design and forecast long-term sequestration performance; the monitoring techniques are required to confirm and refine model predictions and to ensure compliance with environmental regulations. We have developed a unique reactive transport modeling capability for predicting sequestration performance in saline aquifers, and used it to simulate CO2 injection at Sleipner; we are now extending this capability to address CO2-flood EOR/sequestration in oil reservoirs. We have also developed a suite of innovative geophysical and geochemical techniques for monitoring sequestration performance in both settings. These include electromagnetic induction imaging and electrical resistance tomography for tracking migration of immiscible CO2, noble gas isotopes for assessing trace CO2 leakage through the cap rock, and integrated geochemical sampling, analytical, and experimental methods for determining sequestration partitioning among solubility and mineral trapping mechanisms. We have proposed to demonstrate feasibility of the co-optimized EOR/sequestration concept and utility of our modeling and monitoring technologies to design and evaluate its implementation by conducting a demonstration project in the Livermore Oil Field. This small, mature, shallow field, located less than a mile east of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, is representative of many potential EOR/sequestration sites in California. In approach, this proposed demonstration is analogous to the Weyburn EOR/CO2 monitoring project, to which it will provide an important complement by virtue of its contrasting depth (immiscible versus Weyburn's miscible CO2 flood) and geologic setting (clay-capped sand versus Weyburn's anhydrite-capped carbonate reservoir).

Improved Characterization and Modeling of Tight Oil Formations for CO 2 Enhanced Oil Recovery Potential and Storage Capacity Estimation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sorensen, James; Smith, Steven; Kurz, Bethany

Tight oil formations such as those in the Bakken petroleum system are known to hold hundreds of billions of barrels of oil in place; however, the primary recovery factor for these plays is typically less than 10%. Tight oil formations, including the Bakken Formation, therefore, may be attractive candidates for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) using CO 2. Multiphase fluid behavior and flow in fluid-rich shales can vary substantially depending on the size of pore throats, and properties such as fluid viscosity and density are much different in nanoscale pores than in macroscale pores. Thus it is critical to understand themore » nature and distribution of nano-, micro-, and macroscale pores and fracture networks. To address these issues, the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) has been conducting a research program entitled “Improved Characterization and Modeling of Tight Oil Formations for CO 2 Enhanced Oil Recovery Potential and Storage Capacity Estimation.” The objectives of the project are 1) the use of advanced characterization methods to better understand and quantify the petrophysical and geomechanical factors that control CO 2 and oil mobility within tight oil formation samples, 2) the determination of CO 2 permeation and oil extraction rates in tight reservoir rocks and organic-rich shales of the Bakken, and 3) the integration of the laboratory-based CO 2 permeation and oil extraction data and the characterization data into geologic models and dynamic simulations to develop predictions of CO 2 storage resource and EOR in the Bakken tight oil formation. A combination of standard and advanced petrophysical characterization techniques were applied to characterize samples of Bakken Formation tight reservoir rock and shales from multiple wells. Techniques included advanced computer tomography (CT) imaging, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques, whole-core and micro x-ray CT imaging, field emission (FE) SEM, and focused ion beam (FIB) SEM. Selected samples were also analyzed for geomechanical properties. X-ray CT imaging yielded information on the occurrence of fractures, bedding planes, fossils, and bioturbation in core, as well as data on bulk density and photoelectric factor logs, which were used to interpret porosity, organic content, and mineralogy. FESEM was used for characterization of nano- and microscale features, including nanoscale pore visualization and micropore and pore throat mineralogy. FIBSEM yielded micro- to nanoscale visualization of fracture networks, porosity and pore-size distribution, connected versus isolated porosity, and distribution of organics. Results from the characterization activities provide insight on nanoscale fracture properties, pore throat mineralogy and connectivity, rock matrix characteristics, mineralogy, and organic content. Laboratory experiments demonstrated that CO 2 can permeate the tight matrix of Bakken shale and nonshale reservoir samples and mobilize oil from those samples. Geologic models were created at scales ranging from the core plug to the reservoir, and dynamic simulations were conducted. The data from the characterization and laboratory-based activities were integrated into modeling research activities to determine the fundamental mechanisms controlling fluid transport in the Bakken, which support EOR scheme design and estimation of CO 2 storage potential in tight oil formations. Simulation results suggest a CO 2 storage resource estimate range of 169 million to 1.5 billion tonnes for the Bakken in North Dakota, possibly resulting in 1.8 billion to 16 billion barrels of incremental oil.« less

Fluxes of carbon dioxide and methane from diverse aquatic environments in an agricultural landscape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanley, E. H.; Crawford, J. T.; Loken, L. C.; Casson, N. J.; Gubbins, N. J.; Oliver, S. K.

2014-12-01

The contribution of aquatic environments to landscape carbon cycling is particularly apparent in carbon- and water-rich regions. Such areas arguably represent an end member in terms of the relative significance of aquatic carbon cycling, while dry, carbon-poor zones are the likely opposing end member. Not surprisingly, most limnological attention has focused on these former regions, leaving open questions as to how aquatic systems in other locales influence larger-scale carbon dynamics. This includes human-dominated landscapes where agricultural and urban land uses can fundamentally alter carbon dynamics. Surveys of streams, ponds, and lakes in a southern Wisconsin landscape highlight three findings relevant to understanding the role of these aquatic systems in larger-scale carbon dynamics. First, streams and ponds had unexpectedly high summertime concentrations in and fluxes of CO2 and CH4. These values were approximately an order of magnitude greater than for less disturbed, forest and wetland-dominated landscapes in northern Wisconsin. Second, while mean C gas concentrations in lakes were lower than in streams and ponds, detailed spatial measurements demonstrate variability in surface water CO2 (43-1090 ppm pCO2) and CH4 (6-839 ppm pCH4) within a lake on a single day is similar to that observed among 25 streams included in our survey (260-6000 ppm pCO2; 50-600 ppm pCH4). This small-scale heterogeneity highlights a basic challenge for upscaling site-specific data collected at one or a few points to the whole lake and across lakes. Third, while agricultural and urban ecosystems are not necessarily carbon-rich environments, area-specific carbon storage in streams and ponds is substantial (up to 3000-5000 g C per m2). Further, carbon storage was strongly related to CH4 concentrations in streams, as C-rich sediments provided both an environment and substrate to fuel methanogenesis. The picture that emerges of C processing in aquatic environments throughout this human-dominated landscape is one of large C pools and fluxes and high spatial variability, suggesting that these land uses may be accelerating rates of aquatic C cycling and amplifying the role of these ecosystems in anthropogenic landscapes.

The abiotically driven biological pump in the ocean and short-term fluctuations in atmospheric CO 2 contents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ittekkot, Venugopalan

1993-07-01

Current debates on the significance of the oceanic "biological pump" in the removal of atmospheric CO 2 pay more attention to the act of biological carbon-dioxide fixation (primary productivity) in the sea, but pay less or no attention to the equally relevant aspect of the transfer of the fixed carbon to a sink before its oxidation back to CO 2. The upper ocean obviously disqualifies as a sink for biologically fixed CO 2 because of gas-exchange with the atmosphere. The deep ocean, on the other hand, can be a sink at least at time scales of the ocean turnover. Transfer of newly-fixed CO 2 to the deep sea can be accelerated by abiogenic matter introduced to the sea surface from terrestrial sources. This matter acts as ballast and increases the density and settling rates of aggregates of freshly synthesized organic matter thereby facilitating their rapid removal from the upper ocean. Higher supply of abiogenic matter enhances the sequestering of fresh organic matter and in effect shifts the zone of organic matter remineralization from the upper ocean to the deep sea. Consistent with this abiogenic forcing, the rate of organic matter remineralization and the subsequent storage of the remineralized carbon in the deep sea are linked to bulk fluxes (mass accumulation rates) in the deep sea. This mechanism acts as an "abiotic boost" in the workings of the oceanic "biological pump" and results in an increase in deep sea carbon storage; the magnitude of carbon thus stored could have caused the observed short term fluctuations in atmospheric CO 2-contents during the glacial-interglacial cycles.

Ship-in-a-bottle synthesis of amine-functionalized ionic liquids in NaY zeolite for CO2 capture

PubMed Central

Yu, Yinghao; Mai, Jingzhang; Wang, Lefu; Li, Xuehui; Jiang, Zheng; Wang, Furong

2014-01-01

CO2 capture on solid materials possesses significant advantages on the operation cost, process for large-scale CO2 capture and storage (CCS) that stimulates great interest in exploring high-performance solid CO2 adsorbents. A ship-in-a-bottle strategy was successfully developed to prepare the [APMIM]Br@NaY host–guest system in which an amine-functionalized ionic liquid (IL), 1-aminopropyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([APMIM]Br), was in-situ encapsulated in the NaY supercages. The genuine host-guest systems were thoroughly characterized and tested in CO2 capture from simulated flue gas. It was evidenced the encapsulated ILs are more stable than the bulk ILs. These host–guest systems exhibited superb overall CO2 capture capacity up to 4.94 mmol g−1 and the chemically adsorbed CO2 achieved 1.85 mmol g−1 depending on the [APMIM]Br loading amount. The chemisorbed CO2 can be desorbed rapidly by flushing with N2 gas at 50°C. The optimized [APMIM]Br@NaY system remains its original CO2 capture capacity in multiple cycling tests under prolonged harsh adsorption-desorption conditions. The excellent physicochemical properties and the CO2 capture performance of the host-guest systems offer them great promise for the future practice in the industrial CO2 capture. PMID:25104324

Effect of modeling factors on the dissolution-diffusion-convection process during CO2 geological storage in deep saline formations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wei

2013-06-01

It is well known that during CO2 geological storage, density-driven convective activity can significantly accelerate the dissolution of injected CO2 into water. This action could limit the escape of supercritical CO2 from the storage formation through vertical pathways such as fractures, faults and abandoned wells, consequently increasing permanence and security of storage. First, we investigated the effect of numerical perturbation caused by time and grid resolution and the convergence criteria on the dissolution-diffusion-convection (DDC) process. Then, using the model with appropriate spatial and temporal resolution, some uncertainty parameters investigated in our previous paper such as initial gas saturation and model boundaries, and other factors such as relative liquid permeability and porosity modification were used to examine their effects on the DDC process. Finally, we compared the effect of 2D and 3D models on the simulation of the DDC process. The above modeling results should contribute to clear understanding and accurate simulation of the DDC process, especially the onset of convective activity, and the CO2 dissolution rate during the convection-dominated stage.

CO2 exsolution - challenges and opportunities in subsurface flow management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuo, Lin; Benson, Sally

2014-05-01

In geological carbon sequestration, a large amount of injected CO2 will dissolve in brine over time. Exsolution occurs when pore pressures decline and CO2 solubility in brine decreases, resulting in the formation of a separate CO2 phase. This scenario occurs in storage reservoirs by upward migration of carbonated brine, through faults, leaking boreholes or even seals, driven by a reverse pressure gradient from CO2 injection or ground water extraction. In this way, dissolved CO2 could migrate out of storage reservoirs and form a gas phase at shallower depths. This paper summarizes the results of a 4-year study regarding the implications of exsolution on storage security, including core-flood experiments, micromodel studies, and numerical simulation. Micromodel studies have shown that, different from an injected CO2 phase, where the gas remains interconnected, exsolved CO2 nucleates in various locations of a porous medium, forms disconnected bubbles and propagates by a repeated process of bubble expansion and snap-off [Zuo et al., 2013]. A good correlation between bubble size distribution and pore size distribution is observed, indicating that geometry of the pore space plays an important role in controlling the mobility of brine and exsolved CO2. Core-scale experiments demonstrate that as the exsolved gas saturation increases, the water relative permeability drops significantly and is disproportionately reduced compared to drainage relative permeability [Zuo et al., 2012]. The CO2 relative permeability remains very low, 10-5~10-3, even when the exsolved CO2 saturation increases to over 40%. Furthermore, during imbibition with CO2 saturated brines, CO2 remains trapped even under relatively high capillary numbers (uv/σ~10-6) [Zuo et al., submitted]. The water relative permeability at the imbibition endpoint is 1/3~1/2 of that with carbonated water displacing injected CO2. Based on the experimental evidence, CO2 exsolution does not appear to create significant risks for storage security. Falta et al. [2013] show that if carbonated brine migrates upwards and exsolution occurs, brine migration would be greatly reduced and limited by the presence of exsolved CO2 and the consequent low relatively permeability to brine. Similarly, if an exsolved CO2 phase were to evolve in seals, for example, after CO2 injection stops, the effect would be to reduce the permeability to brine and the CO2 would have very low mobility. This flow blocking effect is also studied with water/oil/CO2 [Zuo et al., 2013]. Experiments show that exsolved CO2 performs as a secondary residual phase in porous media that effectively blocks established water flow paths and deviates water to residual oil zones, thereby increasing recovery. Overall, our studies suggest that CO2 exsolution provides an opportunity for mobility control in subsurface processes. However, the lack of simulation capability that accounts for differences between gas injection and gas exsolution creates challenges for modeling and hence, designing studies to exploit the mobility reduction capabilities of CO2 exsolution. Using traditional drainage multiphase flow parameterization in simulations involving exsolution will lead to large errors in transport rates. Development of process dependent parameterizations of multiphase flow properties will be a key next step and will help to unlock the benefits from gas exsolution. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This work is funded by the Global Climate and Energy Project (GCEP) at Stanford University. This work was also supported by U.S. EPA, Science To Achieve Results (STAR) Program, Grant #: 834383, 2010-2012. REFERENCES Falta, R., L. Zuo and S.M. Benson (2013). Migration of exsolved CO2 following depressurization of saturated brines. Journal of Greenhouse Gas Science and Technology, 3(6), 503-515. Zuo, L., S.C.M. Krevor, R.W. Falta, and S.M. Benson (2012). An experimental study of CO2 exsolution and relative permeability measurements during CO2 saturated water depressurization. Transp. Porous Media, 91(2), 459-478. Zuo, L., C. Zhang, R.W. Falta, and S.M. Benson (2013). Micromodel investigations of CO2 exsolution from carbonated water in sedimentary rocks. Adv. Water Res., 53, 188-197. Zuo, L., and S.M. Benson (2013). Exsolution enhanced oil recovery with concurrent CO2 sequestration. Energy Procedia, 37, 6957-6963. Zuo, L., and S.M. Benson. Different Effects of Imbibed and Exsolved Residually Trapped CO2 in Sandstone. Submitted to Geophysical Research Letters.

Dehydrating and Sterilizing Wastes Using Supercritical CO2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Ian J.

2006-01-01

A relatively low-temperature process for dehydrating and sterilizing biohazardous wastes in an enclosed life-support system exploits (1) the superior mass-transport properties of supercritical fluids in general and (2) the demonstrated sterilizing property of supercritical CO2 in particular. The wastes to be treated are placed in a chamber. Liquid CO2, drawn from storage at a pressure of 850 psi (approx.=5.9 MPa) and temperature of 0 C, is compressed to pressure of 2 kpsi (approx.=14 MPa) and made to flow into the chamber. The compression raises the temperature to 10 C. The chamber and its contents are then further heated to 40 C, putting the CO2 into a supercritical state, in which it kills microorganisms in the chamber. Carrying dissolved water, the CO2 leaves the chamber through a back-pressure regulator, through which it is expanded back to the storage pressure. The expanded CO2 is refrigerated to extract the dissolved water as ice, and is then returned to the storage tank at 0 C

The Quest for Carbon Sequestration in the Southeastern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knapp, C. C.; Akintunde, O. M.; Knapp, J. H.; Brantley, D.; Lakshmi, V.

2016-12-01

Eighty percent of the world's energy relies on fossil fuel and under increasingly stricter national and international regulations on greenhouse gas emissions, storage of CO2 in geologic repositories is a feasible and vital solution for near- and mid-term reduction of carbon emissions in any climate change mitigation strategy. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that about 40% of anthropogenic CO2 emissions in the U.S. are generated in the southeastern United States, mostly from point sources. The Earth Sciences and Resources Institute and the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences at the University of South Carolina have received $11M in Department of Energy funding to evaluate the feasibility of CO2 storage in saline formations of the Eastern North American Margin (ENAM) including (1) the Jurassic/Triassic (J/TR) sandstones of the buried South Georgia Rift basin (SGR; 2009-2014), and (2) Cretaceous and Cenozoic formations along the Mid- and South Atlantic seaboard (2015-2018). ENAM is a complex and regionally extensive mature Mesozoic passive margin rift system encompassing: (1) a large volume and regional extent of related magmatism known as the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP), (2) a complete stratigraphic column that records the post-rift evolution in several basins, (3) preserved lithospheric-scale pre-rift structures including Paleozoic sutures, and (4) a wide range of geological, geochemical, and geophysical studies both onshore and offshore. Our analyses have included integration of 2- and 3-D seismic surveys with core samples and geophysical well logs leading to a detailed stratigraphic, structural, petrophysical, and injection simulation model showing the heterogeneity and highly complex tectonic evolution of the target reservoirs. Our study shows that (1) the SGR basin manifests distinct porosity-permeability regimes; (2) CAMP is much more limited spatially than previously thought; (3) fractured igneous rocks hold promise for CO2 storage in the SGR basin; (4) the Tr section was buried 2.8 km deeper than present depth, (5) transfer fault zones represent major conduit for leakage; (6) the South Atlantic seaboard is a major frontier area for CO2 sequestration based on extensive 2-D seismic data with limited well control.

Direct view at colossal permittivity in donor-acceptor (Nb, In) co-doped rutile TiO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandal, Suman; Pal, Somnath; Kundu, Asish K.; Menon, Krishnakumar S. R.; Hazarika, Abhijit; Rioult, Maxime; Belkhou, Rachid

2016-08-01

Topical observations of colossal permittivity (CP) with low dielectric loss in donor-acceptor cations co-doped rutile TiO2 have opened up several possibilities in microelectronics and energy-storage devices. Yet, the precise origin of the CP behavior, knowledge of which is essential to empower the device integration suitably, is highly disputed in the literature. From spectromicroscopic approach besides dielectric measurements, we explore that microscopic electronic inhomogeneities along with the nano-scale phase boundaries and the low temperature polaronic relaxation are mostly responsible for such a dielectric behavior, rather than electron-pinned defect-dipoles/grain-boundary effects as usually proposed. Donor-acceptor co-doping results in a controlled carrier-hopping inevitably influencing the dielectric loss while invariably upholding the CP value.

Quantification of a maximum injection volume of CO2 to avert geomechanical perturbations using a compositional fluid flow reservoir simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Hojung; Singh, Gurpreet; Espinoza, D. Nicolas; Wheeler, Mary F.

2018-02-01

Subsurface CO2 injection and storage alters formation pressure. Changes of pore pressure may result in fault reactivation and hydraulic fracturing if the pressure exceeds the corresponding thresholds. Most simulation models predict such thresholds utilizing relatively homogeneous reservoir rock models and do not account for CO2 dissolution in the brine phase to calculate pore pressure evolution. This study presents an estimation of reservoir capacity in terms of allowable injection volume and rate utilizing the Frio CO2 injection site in the coast of the Gulf of Mexico as a case study. The work includes laboratory core testing, well-logging data analyses, and reservoir numerical simulation. We built a fine-scale reservoir model of the Frio pilot test in our in-house reservoir simulator IPARS (Integrated Parallel Accurate Reservoir Simulator). We first performed history matching of the pressure transient data of the Frio pilot test, and then used this history-matched reservoir model to investigate the effect of the CO2 dissolution into brine and predict the implications of larger CO2 injection volumes. Our simulation results -including CO2 dissolution- exhibited 33% lower pressure build-up relative to the simulation excluding dissolution. Capillary heterogeneity helps spread the CO2 plume and facilitate early breakthrough. Formation expansivity helps alleviate pore pressure build-up. Simulation results suggest that the injection schedule adopted during the actual pilot test very likely did not affect the mechanical integrity of the storage complex. Fault reactivation requires injection volumes of at least about sixty times larger than the actual injected volume at the same injection rate. Hydraulic fracturing necessitates much larger injection rates than the ones used in the Frio pilot test. Tested rock samples exhibit ductile deformation at in-situ effective stresses. Hence, we do not expect an increase of fault permeability in the Frio sand even in the presence of fault reactivation.

Greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions from production of compost bedding on a dairy farm.

PubMed

Fillingham, M A; VanderZaag, A C; Burtt, S; Baldé, H; Ngwabie, N M; Smith, W; Hakami, A; Wagner-Riddle, C; Bittman, S; MacDonald, D

2017-12-01

Recent developments in composting technology enable dairy farms to produce their own bedding from composted manure. This management practice alters the fate of carbon and nitrogen; however, there is little data available documenting how gaseous emissions are impacted. This study measured in-situ emissions of methane (CH 4 ), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), nitrous oxide (N 2 O), and ammonia (NH 3 ) from an on-farm solid-liquid separation system followed by continuously-turned plug-flow composting over three seasons. Emissions were measured separately from the continuously-turned compost phase, and the compost-storage phase prior to the compost being used for cattle bedding. Active composting had low emissions of N 2 O and CH 4 with most carbon being emitted as CO 2 -C and most N emitted as NH 3 -N. Compost storage had higher CH 4 and N 2 O emissions than the active phase, while NH 3 was emitted at a lower rate, and CO 2 was similar. Overall, combining both the active composting and storage phases, the mean total emissions were 3.9×10 -2 gCH 4 kg -1 raw manure (RM), 11.3gCO 2 kg -1 RM, 2.5×10 -4 g N 2 O kg -1 RM, and 0.13g NH 3 kg -1 RM. Emissions with solid-separation and composting were compared to calculated emissions for a traditional (unseparated) liquid manure storage tank. The total greenhouse gas emissions (CH 4 +N 2 O) from solid separation, composting, compost storage, and separated liquid storage were reduced substantially on a CO 2 -equivalent basis compared to traditional liquid storage. Solid-liquid separation and well-managed composting could mitigate overall greenhouse gas emissions; however, an environmental trade off was that NH 3 was emitted at higher rates from the continuously turned composter than reported values for traditional storage. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Carbon sequestration and its role in the global carbon cycle

USGS Publications Warehouse

McPherson, Brian J.; Sundquist, Eric T.

2009-01-01

For carbon sequestration the issues of monitoring, risk assessment, and verification of carbon content and storage efficacy are perhaps the most uncertain. Yet these issues are also the most critical challenges facing the broader context of carbon sequestration as a means for addressing climate change. In response to these challenges, Carbon Sequestration and Its Role in the Global Carbon Cycle presents current perspectives and research that combine five major areas: • The global carbon cycle and verification and assessment of global carbon sources and sinks • Potential capacity and temporal/spatial scales of terrestrial, oceanic, and geologic carbon storage • Assessing risks and benefits associated with terrestrial, oceanic, and geologic carbon storage • Predicting, monitoring, and verifying effectiveness of different forms of carbon storage • Suggested new CO2 sequestration research and management paradigms for the future. The volume is based on a Chapman Conference and will appeal to the rapidly growing group of scientists and engineers examining methods for deliberate carbon sequestration through storage in plants, soils, the oceans, and geological repositories.

Spatially Variable CO2 Degassing in the Main Ethiopian Rift: Implications for Magma Storage, Volatile Transport, and Rift-Related Emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunt, Jonathan A.; Zafu, Amdemichael; Mather, Tamsin A.; Pyle, David M.; Barry, Peter H.

2017-10-01

Deep carbon emissions from historically inactive volcanoes, hydrothermal, and tectonic structures are among the greatest unknowns in the long-term (˜Myr) carbon cycle. Recent estimates of diffuse CO2 flux from the Eastern Rift of the East African Rift System (EARS) suggest this could equal emissions from the entire mid-ocean ridge system. We report new CO2 surveys from the Main Ethiopian Rift (MER, northernmost EARS), and reassess the rift-related CO2 flux. Since degassing in the MER is concentrated in discrete areas of volcanic and off-edifice activity, characterization of such areas is important for extrapolation to a rift-scale budget. Locations of hot springs and fumaroles along the rift show numerous geothermal areas away from volcanic edifices. With these new data, we estimate total CO2 emissions from the central and northern MER as 0.52-4.36 Mt yr-1. Our extrapolated flux from the Eastern Rift is 3.9-32.7 Mt yr-1 CO2, overlapping with lower end of the range presented in recent estimates. By scaling, we suggest that 6-18 Mt yr-1 CO2 flux can be accounted for by magmatic extension, which implies an important role for volatile-enriched lithosphere, crustal assimilation, and/or additional magmatic intrusion to account for the upper range of flux estimates. Our results also have implications for the nature of volcanism in the MER. Many geothermal areas are found >10 km from the nearest volcanic center, suggesting ongoing hazards associated with regional volcanism.

Quality changes of highbush blueberries fruit stored in CA with different CO levels.

PubMed

Duarte, Carolina; Guerra, María; Daniel, Peter; Camelo, Andrés López; Yommi, Alejandra

2009-01-01

Quality changes of blueberries (Vacccinium corymbosum L. cv Brigitta) were evaluated during CA storage (0 degrees C) with different concentrations of CO(2) (5%, 10%, and 15%) combined with 5% O(2), respectively. Atmospheric air (20.9% O(2)+ 0.03% CO(2)) was used as control. From samples taken at 0, 24, and 48 d of storage, unmarketable fruits and weight loss were recorded as well as color (h), firmness (g), soluble solid content (%), titratable acidity (% citric acid), ratio, and the monomeric anthocyanin content (ppm). At each sampling time, additional units were kept for 3 d at 10 degrees C to simulate retail holding conditions. Irrespective of gas concentration, 0.9% of the initial fresh weight was lost after 48 d at 0 degrees C. CA fruit had better quality than control at the 24 d sampling but due to the high number of unmarketable fruits, this advantage was not observed at 48 d at 0 degrees C. After 24 d of storage, fruits for CA treatments were more firm and had better color, with higher anthocyanin and acidity levels. Soluble solid content showed no significant differences throughout the cold storage period. Residual effect of CA storage was observed at the retail holding condition yielding better firmness, acidity, and ratio. However, the CO(2) level tested increased the number of unmarketable fruit in long-term storage (48 d). Response of "Brigitta" blueberries to the different CO(2) levels studied was moderate and could be related to the high storage potential of this cultivar.

Next generation of CO2 enhanced water recovery with subsurface energy storage in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qi; Kühn, Michael; Ma, Jianli; Niu, Zhiyong

2017-04-01

Carbon dioxide (CO2) utilization and storage (CCUS) is very popular in comparison with traditional CO2 capture and storage (CCS) in China. In particular, CO2 storage in deep saline aquifers with enhanced water recovery (CO2-EWR) [1] is gaining more and more attention as a cleaner production technology. The CO2-EWR was written into the "U.S.-China Joint Announcement on Climate Change" released November 11, 2014. "Both sides will work to manage climate change by demonstrating a new frontier for CO2 use through a carbon capture, use, and sequestration (CCUS) project that will capture and store CO2 while producing fresh water, thus demonstrating power generation as a net producer of water instead of a water consumer. This CCUS project with enhanced water recovery will eventually inject about 1.0 million tonnes of CO2 and create approximately 1.4 million cubic meters of freshwater per year." In this article, at first we reviewed the history of the CO2-EWR and addressed its current status in China. Then, we put forth a new generation of the CO2-EWR with emphasizing the collaborative solutions between carbon emission reductions and subsurface energy storage or renewable energy cycle [2]. Furthermore, we figured out the key challenging problems such as water-CCUS nexus when integrating the CO2-EWR with the coal chemical industry in the Junggar Basin, Xinjiang, China [3-5]. Finally, we addressed some crucial problems and strategic consideration of the CO2-EWR in China with focuses on its technical bottleneck, relative advantage, early opportunities, environmental synergies and other related issues. This research is not only very useful for the current development of CCUS in the relative "cold season" but also beneficial for the energy security and clean production in China. [1] Li Q, Wei Y-N, Liu G, Shi H (2015) CO2-EWR: a cleaner solution for coal chemical industry in China. Journal of Cleaner Production 103:330-337. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.09.073 [2] Streibel M., Nakaten N., Kempka T., Kühn M. (2013) Analysis of an integrated carbon cycle for storage of renewables. Energy Procedia 40, 202-211. doi: 10.1016/j.egypro.2013.08.024. [3] Li Q, Wei Y-N, Liu G, Lin Q (2014) Combination of CO2 Geological Storage with Deep Saline Water Recovery in Western China: Insights from Numerical Analyses. Applied Energy 116:101-110. doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2013.11.050 [4] Wei N, Li X, Fang Z, Bai B, Li Q, Liu S, Jia Y (2015) Regional Resource Distribution of Onshore Carbon Geological Utilization in China. Journal of CO2 Utilization 11:20-30. doi:10.1016/j.jcou.2014.12.005 [5] Li Q, Wei Y-N, Chen Z-A (2016) Water-CCUS Nexus: Challenges and Opportunities of China's Coal Chemical Industry. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 18 (3):775-786. doi:10.1007/s10098-015-1049-z

New insights into the nation's carbon storage potential

USGS Publications Warehouse

Warwick, Peter D.; Zhu, Zhi-Liang

2012-01-01

Carbon sequestration is a method of securing carbon dioxide (CO2) to prevent its release into the atmosphere, where it contributes to global warming as a greenhouse gas. Geologic storage of CO2 in porous and permeable rocks involves injecting high-pressure CO2 into a subsurface rock unit that has available pore space. Biologic carbon sequestration refers to both natural and anthropogenic processes by which CO2 is removed from the atmosphere and stored as carbon in vegetation, soils, and sediments.

Atmosphere-biosphere exchange of CO2 and O3 in the Central Amazon Forest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fan, Song-Miao; Wofsy, Steven C.; Bakwin, Peter S.; Jacob, Daniel J.; Fitzjarrald, David R.

1990-01-01

An eddy correlation measurement of O3 deposition and CO2 exchange at a level 10 m above the canopy of the Amazon forest, conducted as part of the NASA/INPE ABLE2b mission during the wet season of 1987, is presented. It was found that the ecosystem exchange of CO2 undergoes a well-defined diurnal variation driven by the input of solar radiation. A curvilinear relationship was found between solar irradiance and uptake of CO2, with net CO2 uptake at a given solar irradiance equal to rates observed over forests in other climate zones. The carbon balance of the system appeared sensitive to cloud cover on the time scale of the experiment, suggesting that global carbon storage might be affected by changes in insolation associated with tropical climate fluctuations. The forest was found to be an efficient sink for O3 during the day, and evidence indicates that the Amazon forests could be a significant sink for global ozone during the nine-month wet period and that deforestation could dramatically alter O3 budgets.

Mechanical Stability of Fractured Rift Basin Mudstones: from lab to basin scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakharova, N. V.; Goldberg, D.; Collins, D.; Swager, L.; Payne, W. G.

2016-12-01

Understanding petrophysical and mechanical properties of caprock mudstones is essential for ensuring good containment and mechanical formation stability at potential CO2 storage sites. Natural heterogeneity and presence of fractures, however, create challenges for accurate prediction of mudstone behavior under injection conditions and at reservoir scale. In this study, we present a multi-scale geomechanical analysis for Mesozoic mudstones from the Newark Rift basin, integrating petropyshical core and borehole data, in situ stress measurements, and caprock stability modeling. The project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) focuses on the Newark basin as a representative locality for a series of the Mesozoic rift basins in eastern North America considered as potential CO2 storage sites. An extensive core characterization program, which included laboratory CT scans, XRD, SEM, MICP, porosity, permeability, acoustic velocity measurements, and geomechanical testing under a range of confining pressures, revealed large variability and heterogeneity in both petrophysical and mechanical properties. Estimates of unconfined compressive strength for these predominantly lacustrine mudstones range from 5,000 to 50,000 psi, with only a weak correlation to clay content. Thinly bedded intervals exhibit up to 30% strength anisotropy. Mineralized fractures, abundant in most formations, are characterized by compressive strength as low as 10% of matrix strength. Upscaling these observations from core to reservoir scale is challenging. No simple one-to-one correlation between mechanical and petrophyscial properties exists, and therefore, we develop multivariate empirical relationships among these properties. A large suite of geophysical logs, including new measurements of the in situ stress field, is used to extrapolate these relationships to a basin-scale geomechanical model and predict mudstone behavior under injection conditions.

Validating predictions of evolving porosity and permeability in carbonate reservoir rocks exposed to CO2-brine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, M. M.; Hao, Y.; Carroll, S.

2017-12-01

Improving our ability to better forecast the extent and impact of changes in porosity and permeability due to CO2-brine-carbonate reservoir interactions should lower uncertainty in long-term geologic CO2 storage capacity estimates. We have developed a continuum-scale reactive transport model that simulates spatial and temporal changes to porosity, permeability, mineralogy, and fluid composition within carbonate rocks exposed to CO2 and brine at storage reservoir conditions. The model relies on two primary parameters to simulate brine-CO2-carbonate mineral reaction: kinetic rate constant(s), kmineral, for carbonate dissolution; and an exponential parameter, n, relating porosity change to resulting permeability. Experimental data collected from fifteen core-flooding experiments conducted on samples from the Weyburn (Saskatchewan, Canada) and Arbuckle (Kansas, USA) carbonate reservoirs were used to calibrate the reactive-transport model and constrain the useful range of k and n values. Here we present the results of our current efforts to validate this model and the use of these parameter values, by comparing predictions of extent and location of dissolution and the evolution of fluid permeability against our results from new core-flood experiments conducted on samples from the Duperow Formation (Montana, USA). Agreement between model predictions and experimental data increase our confidence that these parameter ranges need not be considered site-specific but may be applied (within reason) at various locations and reservoirs. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Reactive Tracer Techniques to Quantitatively Monitor Carbon Dioxide Storage in Geologic Formations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matter, J. M.; Carson, C.; Stute, M.; Broecker, W. S.

2012-12-01

Injection of CO2 into geologic storage reservoirs induces fluid-rock reactions that may lead to the mineralization of the injected CO2. The long-term safety of geologic CO2 storage is, therefore, determined by in situ CO2-fluid-rock reactions. Currently existing monitoring and verification techniques for CO2 storage are insufficient to characterize the solubility and reactivity of the injected CO2, and to establish a mass balance of the stored CO2. Dissolved and chemically transformed CO2 thus avoid detection. We developed and are testing a new reactive tracer technique for quantitative monitoring and detection of dissolved and chemically transformed CO2 in geologic storage reservoirs. The technique involves tagging the injected carbon with radiocarbon (14C). Carbon-14 is a naturally occurring radioisotope produced by cosmic radiation and made artificially by 14N neutron capture. The ambient concentration is very low with a 14C/12C ratio of 10-12. The concentration of 14C in deep geologic formations and fossil fuels is at least two orders of magnitude lower. This makes 14C an ideal quantitative tracer for tagging underground injections of anthropogenic CO2. We are testing the feasibility of this tracer technique at the CarbFix pilot injection site in Iceland, where approximately 2,000 tons of CO2 dissolved in water are currently injected into a deep basalt aquifer. The injected CO2 is tagged with 14C by dynamically adding calibrated amounts of H14CO3 solution to the injection stream. The target concentration is 12 Bq/kg of injected water, which results in a 14C activity that is 5 times enriched compared to the 1850 background. In addition to 14C as a reactive tracer, trifluormethylsulphur pentafluoride (SF5CF3) and sulfurhexafluoride (SF6) are used as conservative tracers to monitor the transport of the injected CO2 in the subsurface. Fluid samples are collected for tracer analysis from the injection and monitoring wells on a regular basis. Results show a fast reaction of the injected CO2 with the ambient reservoir fluid and rocks. Mixing and in situ CO2-water-rock reactions are detected by changes in the different tracer ratios. The feasibility of 14C as a reactive tracer for geologic CO2 storage also depends on the analytical technique used to measure 14C activities. Currently, 14C is analyzed using Accelerator Mass Spectrometery (AMS), which is expensive and requires centralized facilities. To enable real time online monitoring and verification, we are developing an alternative detection method for radiocarbon. The IntraCavity OptoGalvanic Spectroscopy (ICOGS) system is using a CO2 laser to detect carbon isotope ratios at environmental levels. Results from our prototype of this bench-top technology demonstrate that an ICOGS system can be used in a continuous mode with analysis times of the order of minutes, and can deliver data of similar quality as AMS.

Effect of cold storage on total phenolics content, antioxidant activity and vitamin C level of selected potato clones.

PubMed

Külen, Oktay; Stushnoff, Cecil; Holm, David G

2013-08-15

Twelve Colorado-grown specialty potato clones were evaluated for total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and ascorbic acid content at harvest and after 2, 4, 6 and 7 months cold storage at 4 °C. Potato clones were categorized as pigmented ('CO97226-2R/R', 'CO99364-3R/R', 'CO97215-2P/P', 'CO97216-3P/P', 'CO97227-2P/P', 'CO97222-1R/R', 'Purple Majesty', 'Mountain Rose' and 'All Blue'), yellow ('Yukon Gold') and white fleshed ('Russet Nugget', 'Russet Burbank'). Folin-Ciocalteu reagent was used to estimate total phenolic content, and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS(•+) ) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH(•) ) radical scavenging assays were used to estimate antioxidant capacity. Pigmented potato genotypes had significantly higher total phenolic content and antioxidant activity at all data points than yellow- and white-fleshed cultivars. Vitamin C content was higher in 'Yukon Gold' than in the other clones. The highest level of vitamin C in all clones was at harvest and after 2 months in cold storage. Vitamin C content in all potato clones dropped rapidly with longer intervals of cold storage. Although total phenolic content and antioxidant activity fluctuated during cold storage, after 7 months of cold storage their levels were slightly higher than at harvest. Total phenolic content was better correlated with Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC)/ABTS(•+) than the TEAC/DPPH(•) radical scavenging assay. Pigmented potato clones had significantly higher total phenolic content and antioxidant activity, while the yellow-fleshed potato cultivar 'Yukon Gold' had significantly higher vitamin C content. Vitamin C content decreased in all potato clones during cold storage, while total phenolics increased in pigmented clones. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Carbon dioxide emitted from live stems of tropical trees is several years old.

PubMed

Muhr, Jan; Angert, Alon; Negrón-Juárez, Robinson I; Muñoz, Waldemar Alegria; Kraemer, Guido; Chambers, Jeffrey Q; Trumbore, Susan E

2013-07-01

Storage carbon (C) pools are often assumed to contribute to respiration and growth when assimilation is insufficient to meet the current C demand. However, little is known of the age of stored C and the degree to which it supports respiration in general. We used bomb radiocarbon ((14)C) measurements to determine the mean age of carbon in CO2 emitted from and within stems of three tropical tree species in Peru. Carbon pools fixed >1 year previously contributed to stem CO2 efflux in all trees investigated, in both dry and wet seasons. The average age, i.e., the time elapsed since original fixation of CO2 from the atmosphere by the plant to its loss from the stem, ranged from 0 to 6 years. The average age of CO2 sampled 5-cm deep within the stems ranged from 2 to 6 years for two of the three species, while CO2 in the stem of the third tree species was fixed from 14 to >20 years previously. Given the consistency of (14)C values observed for individuals within each species, it is unlikely that decomposition is the source of the older CO2. Our results are in accordance with other studies that have demonstrated the contribution of storage reserves to the construction of stem wood and root respiration in temperate and boreal forests. We postulate the high (14)C values observed in stem CO2 efflux and stem-internal CO2 result from respiration of storage C pools within the tree. The observed age differences between emitted and stem-internal CO2 indicate an age gradient for sources of CO2 within the tree: CO2 produced in the outer region of the stem is younger, originating from more recent assimilates, whereas the CO2 found deeper within the stem is older, fueled by several-year-old C pools. The CO2 emitted at the stem-atmosphere interface represents a mixture of young and old CO2. These observations were independent of season, even during a time of severe regional drought. Therefore, we postulate that the use of storage C for respiration occurs on a regular basis challenging the assumption that storage pools serve as substrates for respiration only during times of limited assimilation.

Geologic framework for the national assessment of carbon dioxide storage resources: Arkoma Basin, Kansas Basins, and Midcontinent Rift Basin study areas: Chapter F in Geologic framework for the national assessment of carbon dioxide storage resources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buursink, Marc L.; Craddock, William H.; Blondes, Madalyn S.; Freeman, Phillip A.; Cahan, Steven M.; DeVera, Christina A.; Lohr, Celeste D.

2013-01-01

2007 Energy Independence and Security Act (Public Law 110–140) directs the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a national assessment of potential geologic storage resources for carbon dioxide (CO2). The methodology used by the USGS for the national CO2 assessment follows that of previous USGS work. This methodology is non-economic and intended to be used at regional to subbasinal scales. This report identifies and contains geologic descriptions of three storage assessment units (SAUs) in Upper Cambrian to Mississippian sedimentary rocks within the Arkoma Basin study area, and two SAUs in Upper Cambrian to Mississippian sedimentary rocks within the Kansas Basins study area. The Arkoma Basin and Kansas Basins are adjacent with very similar geologic units; although the Kansas Basins area is larger, the Arkoma Basin is more structurally complex. The report focuses on the characteristics, specified in the methodology, that influence the potential CO2 storage resource in the SAUs. Specific descriptions of the SAU boundaries as well as their sealing and reservoir units are included. Properties for each SAU, such as depth to top, gross thickness, porosity, permeability, groundwater quality, and structural reservoir traps, are usually provided to illustrate geologic factors critical to the assessment. Although assessment results are not contained in this report, the geologic information herein was employed, as specified in the USGS methodology, to calculate a probabilistic distribution of potential storage resources in each SAU. The Midcontinent Rift Basin study area was not assessed, because no suitable storage formations meeting our size, depth, reservoir quality, and regional seal guidelines were found. Figures in this report show study area boundaries along with the SAU boundaries and cell maps of well penetrations through sealing units into the top of the storage formations. The cell maps show the number of penetrating wells within one-square mile and are derived from interpretations of incompletely attributed well data and from a digital compilation that is known not to include all drilling. The USGS does not expect to know the location of all wells and cannot guarantee the amount of drilling through specific formations in any given cell shown on the cell maps.

Performance Analysis of a CO2 Heat Pump Water Heating System Under a Daily Change in a Simulated Demand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yokoyama, Ryohei; Kohno, Yasuhiro; Wakui, Tetsuya; Takemura, Kazuhisa

Air-to-water heat pumps using CO2 as a refrigerant have been developed. In addition, water heating systems each of which combines a CO2 heat pump with a hot water storage tank have been commercialized and widespread. They are expected to contribute to energy saving in residential hot water supply. It has become more and more important to enhance the system performance. In this paper, the performance of a CO2 heat pump water heating system is analyzed under a daily change in a simulated hot water demand by numerical simulation. A static model of a CO2 heat pump and a dynamic model of a storage tank result in a set of differential algebraic equations, and it is solved numerically by a hierarchical combination of Runge-Kutta and Newton-Raphson methods. Daily changes in the temperature distributions in the storage tank and the system performance criteria such as volumes of stored and unused hot water, coefficient of performance, and storage and system efficiencies are clarified under a series of daily hot water demands during a month.

Uniaxial Compression Analysis and Microdeformation Characterization of Kevin Dome Anhydrite Caprock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malenda, M. G.; Frash, L.; Carey, J. W.

2015-12-01

The Department of Energy currently manages the Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (RCSP) in efforts to develop techniques to characterize promising CO2 storage sites, efficient and durable technology for injection, and suitable regulations for future CO2 storage. Within the RCSP, the Montana State University-Bozeman led Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Project has focused on potential CO2 storage sites, including the Kevin Dome in northern Montana. The 750mi2 large dome lies along the north-southwest trending Sweetgrass Arch and is a natural CO2 reservoir with the potential to produce one million tonnes of CO2. The Project intends to extract and reinject this one million tonnes of CO2back into the water-leg of the Dome within the dolomitic, middle Duperow Formation to monitor impacts on the surrounding environment and communities. The caprock system includes extremely low porosity dolomite in the upper Duperow that is overlain by the anhydrite-dominated Potlatch caprock. Core was extracted by the Project from the Wallawein 22-1 well. Six 1"-diameter sub-samples were taken at depths of 3687 and 3689' of the 4"-diameter core in both vertical and horizontal directions. Unconfined uniaxial compression tests were conducted at room temperature using an Instron 4483 load frame with a 150kN load cell operated at a strain rate of 6.835-5mm per second. Samples were instrumented with four strain gages to record elastic moduli and characterize fracture behavior. The Potlatch anhydrite has demonstrated to be both strong and stiff with an average uniaxial compressive strength of 150.62±23.95MPa, a Young's modulus of 89.96±10.22GPa, and a Poisson's ratio of 0.32±0.05. These three variables are essential to developing geomechanical models that assess caprock responses to injection during CO2 sequestration. Petrographic characterizations of the fractured samples reveal an 80% groundmass of subeuhedral anhydrite crystals measuring 97-625μm and 20% 0.12-1mm wide veins comprised of 9-35μm wide dolomite grains that become increasingly anhedral toward vein centers. Petrographic observations of tightly aligned anhydrite grains support the porosity of 7.5% calculated from sample densities. Such microscopic observations are key to understanding fracture propogation and permeability responses on a reservoir scale.

Magma storage and evolution of the most recent effusive and explosive eruptions from Yellowstone Caldera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Befus, Kenneth S.; Gardner, James E.

2016-04-01

Between 70 and 175 ka, over 350 km3 of high-silica rhyolite magma erupted both effusively and explosively from within the Yellowstone Caldera. Phenocrysts in all studied lavas and tuffs are remarkably homogenous at the crystal, eruption, and caldera-scale, and yield QUILF temperatures of 750 ± 25 °C. Phase equilibrium experiments replicate the observed phenocryst assemblage at those temperatures and suggest that the magmas were all stored in the upper crust. Quartz-hosted glass inclusions contain 1.0-2.5 % H2O and 50-600 ppm CO2, but some units are relatively rich in CO2 (300-600 ppm) and some are CO2-poor (50-200 ppm). The CO2-rich magmas were stored at 90-150 MPa and contained a fluid that was 60-75 mol% CO2. CO2-poor magmas were stored at 50-70 MPa, with a more H2O-rich fluid (X_{{{text{CO}}2 }} = 40-60 %). Storage pressures and volatiles do not correlate with eruption age, volume, or style. Trace-element contents in glass inclusions and host matrix glass preserve a systematic evolution produced by crystal fractionation, estimated to range from 36 ± 12 to 52 ± 12 wt%. Because the erupted products contain <10 wt% crystals, crystal-poor melts likely separated from evolving crystal-rich mushes prior to eruption. In the Tuffs of Bluff Point and Cold Mountain Creek, matrix glass is less evolved than most inclusions, which may indicate that more primitive rhyolite was injected into the reservoir just before those eruptions. The presence and dissolution of granophyre in one flow may record evidence for heating prior to eruption and also demonstrate that the Yellowstone magmatic system may undergo rapid changes. The variations in depth suggest the magmas were sourced from multiple chambers that follow similar evolutionary paths in the upper crust.

Impacts of relative permeability on CO2 phase behavior, phase distribution, and trapping mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moodie, N.; McPherson, B. J. O. L.; Pan, F.

2015-12-01

A critical aspect of geologic carbon storage, a carbon-emissions reduction method under extensive review and testing, is effective multiphase CO2 flow and transport simulation. Relative permeability is a flow parameter particularly critical for accurate forecasting of multiphase behavior of CO2 in the subsurface. The relative per­meability relationship assumed and especially the irreducible saturation of the gas phase greatly impacts predicted CO2 trapping mechanisms and long-term plume migration behavior. A primary goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of relative permeability on efficacy of regional-scale CO2 sequestration models. To accomplish this we built a 2-D vertical cross-section of the San Rafael Swell area of East-central Utah. This model simulated injection of CO2 into a brine aquifer for 30 years. The well was then shut-in and the CO2 plume behavior monitored for another 970 years. We evaluated five different relative permeability relationships to quantify their relative impacts on forecasted flow results of the model, with all other parameters maintained uniform and constant. Results of this analysis suggest that CO2 plume movement and behavior are significantly dependent on the specific relative permeability formulation assigned, including the assumed irreducible saturation values of CO2 and brine. More specifically, different relative permea­bility relationships translate to significant differences in CO2 plume behavior and corresponding trapping mechanisms.

Geomechanical Analysis of Underground Coal Gasification Reactor Cool Down for Subsequent CO2 Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarhosis, Vasilis; Yang, Dongmin; Kempka, Thomas; Sheng, Yong

2013-04-01

Underground coal gasification (UCG) is an efficient method for the conversion of conventionally unmineable coal resources into energy and feedstock. If the UCG process is combined with the subsequent storage of process CO2 in the former UCG reactors, a near-zero carbon emission energy source can be realised. This study aims to present the development of a computational model to simulate the cooling process of UCG reactors in abandonment to decrease the initial high temperature of more than 400 °C to a level where extensive CO2 volume expansion due to temperature changes can be significantly reduced during the time of CO2 injection. Furthermore, we predict the cool down temperature conditions with and without water flushing. A state of the art coupled thermal-mechanical model was developed using the finite element software ABAQUS to predict the cavity growth and the resulting surface subsidence. In addition, the multi-physics computational software COMSOL was employed to simulate the cavity cool down process which is of uttermost relevance for CO2 storage in the former UCG reactors. For that purpose, we simulated fluid flow, thermal conduction as well as thermal convection processes between fluid (water and CO2) and solid represented by coal and surrounding rocks. Material properties for rocks and coal were obtained from extant literature sources and geomechanical testings which were carried out on samples derived from a prospective demonstration site in Bulgaria. The analysis of results showed that the numerical models developed allowed for the determination of the UCG reactor growth, roof spalling, surface subsidence and heat propagation during the UCG process and the subsequent CO2 storage. It is anticipated that the results of this study can support optimisation of the preparation procedure for CO2 storage in former UCG reactors. The proposed scheme was discussed so far, but not validated by a coupled numerical analysis and if proved to be applicable it could provide a significant optimisation of the UCG process by means of CO2 storage efficiency. The proposed coupled UCG-CCS scheme allows for meeting EU targets for greenhouse gas emissions and increases the coal yield otherwise impossible to exploit.

Reversible hydrogen storage using CO2 and a proton-switchable iridium catalyst in aqueous media under mild temperatures and pressures.

PubMed

Hull, Jonathan F; Himeda, Yuichiro; Wang, Wan-Hui; Hashiguchi, Brian; Periana, Roy; Szalda, David J; Muckerman, James T; Fujita, Etsuko

2012-03-18

Green plants convert CO(2) to sugar for energy storage via photosynthesis. We report a novel catalyst that uses CO(2) and hydrogen to store energy in formic acid. Using a homogeneous iridium catalyst with a proton-responsive ligand, we show the first reversible and recyclable hydrogen storage system that operates under mild conditions using CO(2), formate and formic acid. This system is energy-efficient and green because it operates near ambient conditions, uses water as a solvent, produces high-pressure CO-free hydrogen, and uses pH to control hydrogen production or consumption. The extraordinary and switchable catalytic activity is attributed to the multifunctional ligand, which acts as a proton-relay and strong π-donor, and is rationalized by theoretical and experimental studies.

A guide to potential soil carbon sequestration; land-use management for mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Markewich, H.W.; Buell, G.R.

2001-01-01

Terrestrial carbon sequestration has a potential role in reducing the recent increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) that is, in part, contributing to global warming. Because the most stable long-term surface reservoir for carbon is the soil, changes in agriculture and forestry can potentially reduce atmospheric CO2 through increased soil-carbon storage. If local governments and regional planning agencies are to effect changes in land-use management that could mitigate the impacts of increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, it is essential to know how carbon is cycled and distributed on the landscape. Only then can a cost/benefit analysis be applied to carbon sequestration as a potential land-use management tool for mitigation of GHG emissions. For the past several years, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been researching the role of terrestrial carbon in the global carbon cycle. Data from these investigations now allow the USGS to begin to (1) 'map' carbon at national, regional, and local scales; (2) calculate present carbon storage at land surface; and (3) identify those areas having the greatest potential to sequester carbon.

Recent Progress in Iron-Based Electrode Materials for Grid-Scale Sodium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Fang, Yongjin; Chen, Zhongxue; Xiao, Lifen; Ai, Xinping; Cao, Yuliang; Yang, Hanxi

2018-03-01

Grid-scale energy storage batteries with electrode materials made from low-cost, earth-abundant elements are needed to meet the requirements of sustainable energy systems. Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) with iron-based electrodes offer an attractive combination of low cost, plentiful structural diversity and high stability, making them ideal candidates for grid-scale energy storage systems. Although various iron-based cathode and anode materials have been synthesized and evaluated for sodium storage, further improvements are still required in terms of energy/power density and long cyclic stability for commercialization. In this Review, progress in iron-based electrode materials for SIBs, including oxides, polyanions, ferrocyanides, and sulfides, is briefly summarized. In addition, the reaction mechanisms, electrochemical performance enhancements, structure-composition-performance relationships, merits and drawbacks of iron-based electrode materials for SIBs are discussed. Such iron-based electrode materials will be competitive and attractive electrodes for next-generation energy storage devices. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Geologic Storage at the Basin Scale: Region-Based Basin Modeling, Powder River Basin (PRB), NE Wyoming and SE Montana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melick, J. J.; Gardner, M. H.

2008-12-01

Carbon capture and storage from the over 2000 power plants is estimated at 3-5 GT/yr, which requires large- scale geologic storage of greenhouse gasses in sedimentary basins. Unfortunately, determination of basin scale storage capacity is currently based on oversimplified geologic models that are difficult to validate. Simplification involves reducing the number of geologic parameters incorporated into the model, modeling with large grid cells, and treatment of subsurface reservoirs as homogeneous media. The latter problem reflects the focus of current models on fluid and/or fluid-rock interactions rather than fluid movement and migration pathways. For example, homogeneous models over emphasize fluid behavior, like the buoyancy of super-critical CO2, and hence overestimate leakage rates. Fluid mixing and fluid-rock interactions cannot be assessed with models that only investigate these reactions at a human time scale. Preliminary and conservative estimates of the total pore volume for the PRB suggest 200 GT of supercritical CO2 can be stored in this typical onshore sedimentary basin. The connected pore volume (CPV) however is not included in this estimate. Geological characterization of the CPV relates subsurface storage units to the most prolific reservoir classes (RCs). The CPV, number of well penetrations, supercritical storage area, and potential leakage pathways characterize each RC. Within each RC, a hierarchy of stratigraphic cycles is populated with stationary sedimentation regions that control rock property distributions by correlating environment of deposition (EOD) to CPV. The degree to which CPV varies between RCs depends on the geology and attendant heterogeneity retained in the fluid flow model. Region-based modeling of the PRB incorporates 28000 wells correlated across a 70,000 Km2 area, 2 km thick on average. Within this basin, five of the most productive RCs were identified from production history and placed in a fourfold stratigraphic framework (second- through fourth-order cycles). Within the small- scale 4th-order sequences (30-150-m thick, 16 total), sedimentation regions, each corresponding to an EOD, are defined by thickness, lithology and core-calibrated well-log patterns. This talk illustrates the workflow by focusing on one of the 16 layers in the basin-scale model. Isopach maps from this sample layer conform to depositional patterns confirmed through definition of five core-calibrated, well-log defined sedimentation regions. Lithology distributions also conform to thickness trends in nearshore deltas, but not in offshore regions, where sand-rich and sheet-like, but thin-bedded sandstones are flanked by mud-rich intervals of equivalent thickness. These maps represent sedimentation patterns confined by basal erosional sequence boundary and basin-wide bentonite, yet containing up to seven high-frequency sequence boundaries. To illustrate over simplification problems in this same layer, a 14000 km2 sample area is 600 km3 and using standard averaging methods, which are considered to be geologic in origin, the CPV is 16 km3. However, averaging increases connectivity with high CPV more uniformly distributed; significantly, the key mud belt region separating nearshore from offshore sandstones is not represented. Region-based modeling of this layer yields 13 km3 (110 Bbl). Furthermore, significant vertical leakage may exist from the 20000 well penetrations and faults and fractures along the western basin margin. This example illustrates the importance of accurately characterizing heterogeneity and distributing CPV using sedimentation regions.

Sub-Seafloor Carbon Dioxide Storage Potential on the Juan de Fuca Plate, Western North America

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jerry Fairley; Robert Podgorney

2012-11-01

The Juan de Fuca plate, off the western coast of North America, has been suggested as a site for geological sequestration of waste carbon dioxide because of its many attractive characteristics (high permeability, large storage capacity, reactive rock types). Here we model CO2 injection into fractured basalts comprising the upper several hundred meters of the sub-seafloor basalt reservoir, overlain with low-permeability sediments and a large saline water column, to examine the feasibility of this reservoir for CO2 storage. Our simulations indicate that the sub-seafloor basalts of the Juan de Fuca plate may be an excellent CO2 storage candidate, as multiplemore » trapping mechanisms (hydrodynamic, density inversions, and mineralization) act to keep the CO2 isolated from terrestrial environments. Questions remain about the lateral extent and connectivity of the high permeability basalts; however, the lack of wells or boreholes and thick sediment cover maximize storage potential while minimizing potential leakage pathways. Although promising, more study is needed to determine the economic viability of this option.« less

Integrated Energy System with Beneficial Carbon Dioxide (CO{sub 2}) Use

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sun, Xiaolei; Rink, Nancy

2011-04-30

To address the public concerns regarding the consequences of climate change from anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) emissions, the U.S. Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory (DOE-NETL) is actively funding a CO{sub 2} management program to develop technologies capable of reducing the CO{sub 2} emissions from fossil fuel power plants and other industrial facilities. Over the past decade, this program has focused on reducing the costs of carbon capture and storage technologies. Recently, DOE-NETL launched an alternative CO{sub 2} mitigation program focusing on beneficial CO{sub 2} reuse and supporting the development of technologies that mitigate emissions by converting CO{submore » 2} to solid mineral form that can be utilized for enhanced oil recovery, in the manufacturing of concrete or as a benign landfill, in the production of valuable chemicals and/or fuels. This project was selected as a CO{sub 2} reuse activity which would conduct research and development (R&D) at the pilot scale via a cost-shared Cooperative Agreement number DE-FE0001099 with DOE-NETL and would utilize funds setaside by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 for Industrial Carbon Capture and Sequestration R&D,« less

Millennial-scale iron fertilization of the eastern equatorial Pacific over the past 100,000 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loveley, Matthew R.; Marcantonio, Franco; Wisler, Marilyn M.; Hertzberg, Jennifer E.; Schmidt, Matthew W.; Lyle, Mitchell

2017-10-01

The eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean plays a crucial role in global climate, as it is a substantial source of CO2 to the atmosphere and accounts for a significant portion of global new export productivity. Here we present a 100,000-year sediment core from the eastern equatorial Pacific, and reconstruct dust flux, export productivity and bottom-water oxygenation using excess-230Th-derived fluxes of 232Th and barium, and authigenic uranium concentrations, respectively. We find that during the last glacial period (71,000 to 41,000 years ago), increased delivery of dust to the eastern equatorial Pacific was coeval with North Atlantic Heinrich stadial events. Millennial-scale pulses of increased dust flux coincided with episodes of heightened biological productivity, suggesting that dissolution of dust released iron that promoted ocean fertilization. We also find that periods of low atmospheric CO2 concentrations were associated with suboxic conditions and increased storage of respired carbon in the deep eastern equatorial Pacific. Increases in CO2 concentrations during the deglaciation are coincident with increases in deep Pacific and Southern Ocean water oxygenation levels. We suggest that deep-ocean ventilation was a primary control on CO2 outgassing in this region, with superimposed pulses of high productivity providing a negative feedback.

Localization of CO2 Leakage from a Circular Hole on a Flat-Surface Structure Using a Circular Acoustic Emission Sensor Array

PubMed Central

Cui, Xiwang; Yan, Yong; Guo, Miao; Han, Xiaojuan; Hu, Yonghui

2016-01-01

Leak localization is essential for the safety and maintenance of storage vessels. This study proposes a novel circular acoustic emission sensor array to realize the continuous CO2 leak localization from a circular hole on the surface of a large storage vessel in a carbon capture and storage system. Advantages of the proposed array are analyzed and compared with the common sparse arrays. Experiments were carried out on a laboratory-scale stainless steel plate and leak signals were obtained from a circular hole in the center of this flat-surface structure. In order to reduce the influence of the ambient noise and dispersion of the acoustic wave on the localization accuracy, ensemble empirical mode decomposition is deployed to extract the useful leak signal. The time differences between the signals from the adjacent sensors in the array are calculated through correlation signal processing before estimating the corresponding distance differences between the sensors. A hyperbolic positioning algorithm is used to identify the location of the circular leak hole. Results show that the circular sensor array has very good directivity toward the circular leak hole. Furthermore, an optimized method is proposed by changing the position of the circular sensor array on the flat-surface structure or adding another circular sensor array to identify the direction of the circular leak hole. Experiential results obtained on a 100 cm × 100 cm stainless steel plate demonstrate that the full-scale error in the leak localization is within 0.6%. PMID:27869765

Stochastic Modeling of CO2 Migrations and Chemical Reactions in Deep Saline Formations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, C.; Lee, I.; Lin, C.

2013-12-01

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has been recognized the feasible technology that can significant reduce the anthropogenic CO2 emissions from large point sources. The CO2 injection in geological formations is one of the options to permanently store the captured CO2. Based on this concept a large number of target formations have been identified and intensively investigated with different types of techniques such as the hydrogeophysical experiments or numerical simulations. The numerical simulations of CO2 migrations in saline formations recently gather much attention because a number of models are available for this purpose and there are potential sites existing in many countries. The lower part of Cholan Formation (CF) near Changhua Coastal Industrial Park (CCIP) in west central Taiwan was identified the largest potential site for CO2 sequestration. The top elevations of the KF in this area varies from 1300 to 1700m below the sea level. Laboratory experiment showed that the permeability of CF is 10-14 to 10-12 m2. Over the years the offshore seismic survey and limited onshore borehole logs have provided information for the simulation of CO2 migration in the CF although the original investigations might not focus on the purpose of CO2 sequestration. In this study we modify the TOUGHREACT model to consider the small-scale heterogeneity in target formation and the cap rock of upper CF. A Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) approach based on the TOUGHREACT model is employed to quantify the effect of small-scale heterogeneity on the CO2 migrations and hydrochemical reactions in the CF. We assume that the small-scale variability of permeability in KF can be described with a known Gaussian distribution. Therefore, the Gaussian type random field generator such as Sequential Gaussian Simulation (SGSIM) in Geostatistical Software Library (GSLIB) can be used to provide the random permeability realizations for the MCS. A variety of statistical parameters such as the variances and correlation lengths in a Gaussian covariance model are varied in the MCS and the uncertainty of the CO2 and other chemical concentrations are evaluated based on 144 random realizations. In this study a constant injection rate of100Mt/year supercritical CO2 is applied in the bottom of CF. The continuous injection time is 20 years and the uncertainty results are evaluated at 100 years. By comparing with the case without small-scale variability simulation results show that the CO2 plume sizes in the horizontal direction increase from tens of meters to hundreds of meters when the variances of small-scale variability are varied from 1.0 to 4.0. The changes of correlation lengths (i.e., from 100m, 200m, to 400m) show small contribution on the size increases of CO2 plumes. Other uncertainties of chemical concentrations show behaviors similar to the CO2 plume patterns.

In VIVO tracer kinetics of plant function using positron emission technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fares, Y.; Goeschl, J. D.; Magnuson, C. E.; Mckinney, C. J.; Musser, R. L.; Strain, B. R.

1989-04-01

A 11CO 2 storage and dispensing system was developed and used successfully to deliver constant activity levels for 2 h plant tracer experiments. Using tracer kinetics of a step input function the relationships between diurnal patterns of carbon partitioning and gas exchange properties of leaves in C 3 and C 4 plants were studied. We also studied the immediate and long term effects of the abrupt changes in CO 2 concentrations on carbon partitioning of these species. Results indicate that raising the CO 2 concentration above ambient immediately increases 11C storage over export rates, while lowering the CO 2 concentration immediately decreases storage more than export rates. This long term accumulation of starch may depend as much on the biochemistry of partitioning within the leaf as on limitations in the sink capacity of plants. Although gas exchange remained constant during the photoperiod, the photosynthate storage rate increased and the export rate decreased. These changes were more pronounced in C 4 plants.

Biochemical Basis of CO2-Related Internal Browning Disorders in Pears (Pyrus communis L. cv. Rocha) during Long-Term Storage.

PubMed

Deuchande, Teresa; Larrigaudière, Christian; Giné-Bordonaba, Jordi; Carvalho, Susana M P; Vasconcelos, Marta W

2016-06-01

This study aimed at understanding the biochemical basis of internal browning disorders (IBDs) in 'Rocha' pear. For this purpose, the effects of storage under normal controlled atmosphere (CA) (3 kPa of O2 + 0.5 kPa of CO2) and IBD-inducing CA (1 kPa of O2 + 10 kPa of CO2) on the antioxidant and fermentative metabolisms and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity and phenolics concentration were studied. The higher IBD incidence in high CO2-stored fruits was positively correlated with fermentative metabolites and negatively with ascorbate and H2O2 concentrations, and it was linked to PPO activation. These results indicate that both the antioxidant and fermentative metabolisms are involved in the occurrence of IBD in 'Rocha' pear. From the integration of the biochemical and enzymatic data, a schematic model illustrating the effects of high CO2 and low O2 in 'Rocha' pears during long-term storage was constructed.

Evidence for Increased Carbon Storage in the Mid-Depth South Atlantic During the Last Deglaciation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacerra, M.; Lund, D. C.; Yu, J.

2016-12-01

Carbon isotope anomalies were a ubiquitous feature in the mid-depth Atlantic during Heinrich Stadial 1 (HS1, 14.5-17.5 kyr BP) yet their cause is a matter of ongoing debate. New evidence points towards North Atlantic processes as the source of the δ13C anomalies, with the most likely driver being weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) (1, 2). Model simulations suggest that slowing of the AMOC 1) minimizes sinking of high δ13C surface water in the North Atlantic, and 2) increases the residence time of deep water, leading to the accumulation of isotopically light respired carbon (3). The simulated tracer field shows the largest anomalies in the North Atlantic and progressively smaller anomalies in the tropical and South Atlantic, similar to observations. Here, we assess the accumulation of carbon in the mid-depth South Atlantic using foraminiferal B/Ca, a proxy for [CO32-] (which is inversely related to ΣCO2) (4). Using two high resolution records from the Brazil Margin, we show that [CO32-] decreased by 23±6 μmol/kg during HS1 and 15±7 μmol/kg during the Younger Dryas (YD, 11.5-12.9 kyr BP), synchronous with the apparent AMOC weakening recorded in 231Pa/230Th records (5). The [CO32-] response at the Brazil Margin is smaller than at 12°N (6), implying there was a north-south gradient in [CO32-] signals during HS1. The implied millennial scale increases in ΣCO2 are consistent with model results of AMOC shutdown, suggesting the mid-depth Atlantic acted as a temporary reservoir of stored carbon during both HS1 and the YD. On longer time-scales, changes in [CO32-] at the Brazil Margin likely reflect exchange with an atmosphere with progressively higher pCO2. Our results suggest that mid-depth δ13C anomalies were partly due to increased carbon storage, meaning δ13C behaved non-conservatively during the deglaciation. Our results also imply that mechanisms responsible for rising atmospheric CO2levels must have counteracted increased carbon sequestration in the mid-depth Atlantic. 1) Lund et al., 2015, Paleoceanography, 30, 1-18. 2) Oppo et al., 2015, Paleoceanography, 30, 353-368. 3) Schmittner & Lund, 2015, Clim. Past, 11, 135-152. 4) Yu & Elderfield, 2007, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 258, 73-86. 5) McManus et al., 2004, Nature,428, 834-837. 6) Yu et al., 2010, Science, 330, 1084-1087.

Bench-Scale Development of a Hot Carbonate Absorption Process with Crystallization-Enabled High-Pressure Stripping for Post-Combustion CO{sub 2} Capture

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lu, Yongqi; DeVries, Nicholas; Ruhter, David

A novel Hot Carbonate Absorption Process with Crystallization-Enabled High-Pressure Stripping (Hot-CAP) has been developed by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Carbon Capture Scientific, LLC in this three-year, bench-scale project. The Hot-CAP features a concentrated carbonate solution (e.g., K{sub 2}CO{sub 3}) for CO{sub 2} absorption and a bicarbonate slurry (e.g., KHCO{sub 3}) for high-pressure CO{sub 2} stripping to overcome the energy use and other disadvantages associated with the benchmark monoethanolamine (MEA) process. The project was aimed at performing laboratory- and bench-scale experiments to prove its technical feasibility and generate process engineering and scale-up data, and conducting a techno-economic analysismore » (TEA) to demonstrate its energy use and cost competitiveness over MEA. To meet project goals and objectives, a combination of experimental, modeling, process simulation, and economic analysis studies were applied. Carefully designed and intensive experiments were conducted to measure thermodynamic and reaction engineering data relevant to four major unit operations in the Hot-CAP (i.e., CO{sub 2} absorption, CO{sub 2} stripping, bicarbonate crystallization, and sulfate reclamation). The rate promoters that could accelerate the CO{sub 2} absorption rate into the potassium carbonate/bicarbonate (PCB) solution to a level greater than that into the 5 M MEA solution were identified, and the superior performance of CO{sub 2} absorption into PCB was demonstrated in a bench-scale packed-bed column. Kinetic data on bicarbonate crystallization were developed and applied for crystallizer design and sizing. Parametric testing of high-pressure CO{sub 2} stripping with concentrated bicarbonate-dominant slurries at high temperatures ({>=}140{degrees}C) in a bench-scale stripping column demonstrated lower heat use than with MEA. The feasibility of a modified process for combining SO{sub 2} removal with CO{sub 2} capture was preliminarily demonstrated. In addition to the experimental studies, the technical challenges pertinent to fouling of slurry-handling equipment and the design of the crystallizer and stripper were addressed through consultation with vendors and engineering analyses. A process flow diagram of the Hot-CAP was then developed and a TEA was performed to compare the energy use and cost performance of a nominal 550-MWe subcritical pulverized coal (PC)-fired power plant without CO{sub 2} capture (DOE/NETL Case 9) with the benchmark MEA-based post-combustion CO{sub 2} capture (PCC; DOE/NETL Case 10) and the Hot-CAP-based PCC. The results revealed that the net power produced in the PC + Hot-CAP is 609 MWe, greater than the PC + MEA (550 MWe). The 20-year levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for the PC + Hot-CAP, including CO{sub 2} transportation and storage, is 120.3 mills/kWh, a 60% increase over the base PC plant without CO{sub 2} capture. The LCOE increase for the Hot-CAP is 29% lower than that for MEA. TEA results demonstrated that the Hot-CAP is energy-efficient and cost-effective compared with the benchmark MEA process.« less

Your View or Mine: Spatially Quantifying CO2 Storage Risk from Various Stakeholder Perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bielicki, J. M.; Pollak, M.; Wilson, E.; Elliot, T. R.; Guo, B.; Nogues, J. P.; Peters, C. A.

2011-12-01

CO2 capture and storage involves injecting captured CO2 into geologic formations, such as deep saline aquifers. This injected CO2 is to be "stored" within the rock matrix for hundreds to thousands of years, but injected CO2, or the brine it displaces, may leak from the target reservoir. Such leakage could interfere with other subsurface activities-water production, energy production, energy storage, and waste disposal-or migrate to the surface. Each of these interferences will incur multiple costs to a variety of stakeholders. Even if injected or displaced fluids do not interfere with other subsurface activities or make their way to the surface, costs will be incurred to find and fix the leak. Consequently, the suitability of a site for CO2 storage must therefore include an assessment of the risk of leakage and interference with various other activities within a three-dimensional proximity of where CO2 is being injected. We present a spatial analysis of leakage and interference risk associated with injecting CO2 into a portion of the Mount Simon sandstone in the Michigan Basin. Risk is the probability of an outcome multiplied by the impact of that outcome (Ro=po*Io). An outcome is the result of the leakage (e.g., interference with oil production), and the impact is the cost associated with the outcome. Each outcome has costs that will vary by stakeholder. Our analysis presents CO2 storage risk for multiple outcomes in a spatially explicit manner that varies by stakeholder. We use the ELSA semi-analytical model for estimating CO2 and brine leakage from aquifers to determine plume and pressure front radii, and CO2 and brine leakage probabilities for the Mount Simon sandstone and multiple units above it. Results of ELSA simulations are incorporated into RISCS: the Risk Interference Subsurface CO2 Storage model. RISCS uses three-dimensional data on subsurface geology and the locations of wells and boreholes to spatially estimate risks associated with CO2 leakage from injection reservoirs. Where plumes probabilistically intersect subsurface activities, reach groundwater, or reach the surface, RISCS uses cost estimates from the Leakage Impact Valuation framework to estimate CO2 storage leakage and interference risk in monetary terms. This framework estimates costs that might be incurred if CO2 leaks from an injection reservoir. Such leakage could beget a variety of costs, depending on the nature and extent of the impacts. The framework identifies multiple costs under headings of: (a) finding and fixing the leak, (b) business disruption, and (c) cleaning up and paying for damages. The framework also enumerates the distribution of costs between ten different stakeholders, and allocates these costs along four leakage scenarios: 1) No interference, 2) interference with a subsurface activity, 3) interference with groundwater, and 4) migration to the surface. Our methodology facilitates research along two lines. First, it allows a probabilistic assessment of leakage costs to an injection operator, and thus what the effect of leakage might be on CCS market effectiveness. Second, it allows a broader inquiry about injection site prioritization from the point of view of various stakeholders.

Key site abandonment steps in CO2 storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kühn, M.; Wipki, M.; Durucan, S.; Deflandre, J.-P.; Lüth, S.; Wollenweber, J.; Chadwick, A.; Böhm, G.

2012-04-01

CO2CARE is an EU funded project within FP7-research, which started in January 2011 with a funding period of three years. The project objectives will be achieved through an international consortium consisting of 23 partners from Europe, USA, Canada, Japan, and Australia, belonging to universities, research institutes, and energy companies. According to the EC Guidance Document 3, the lifetime of a CO2 storage site can be generally subdivided into 6 phases: 1. assessment, 2. characterisation, 3. development, 4. operation, 5. post-closure/pre-transfer, and 6. post transfer. CO2CARE deals with phases 5 and 6. The main goals of the project are closely linked to the three high-level requirements of the EU Directive 2009/31/EC, Article 18 for CO2 storage which are: (i) absence of any detectable leakage, (ii) conformity of actual behaviour of the injected CO2 with the modelled behaviour, and (iii) the storage site is evolving towards a situation of long-term stability. These criteria have to be fulfilled prior to subsequent transfer of responsibility to the competent authorities, typically 20 or 30 years after site closure. CO2CARE aims to formulate robust procedures for site abandonment which will meet the regulatory requirements and ensure long-term integrity of the storage complex. We present key results from the first year of the project via a report on international regulatory requirements on CO2 geological storage and site abandonment that includes a general overview on the current state-of-the art in abandonment methodologies in the oil and gas industry worldwide. Due to the long time-frames involved in CO2 storage (in the range of several thousands of years), the behaviour of a system with respect to, for example, long-term well stability can be demonstrated only by using long-term predictive modelling tools to study potential leakage pathways. Trapping mechanisms for CO2 are of high interest concerning a quantitative estimation of physically captured, capillary bound, dissolved, and precipitated CO2 in form of specific mineral phases. Useful results, partly supported by laboratory and field experiments, can be gained by process simulations considering periods of hundreds or thousands of years. Risk management for the post-operational phases is another essential part of the workflow. A first version of a decision support system has been created by means of a number of high-level and low-level criteria, most of which had to be defined in advance. The system provides instructions for the operators on how to act in case of irregularities after site closure. A compilation of all relevant results will be available at the end of the project in form of best practice guidelines. However, dissemination of information about the latest results and developments in the field of site abandonment are given via the CO2CARE-website (www.co2care.org) and also in conferences, workshops or radio and TV interviews.

Geologic carbon storage is unlikely to trigger large earthquakes and reactivate faults through which CO2 could leak

PubMed Central

Vilarrasa, Victor; Carrera, Jesus

2015-01-01

Zoback and Gorelick [(2012) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 109(26):10164–10168] have claimed that geologic carbon storage in deep saline formations is very likely to trigger large induced seismicity, which may damage the caprock and ruin the objective of keeping CO2 stored deep underground. We argue that felt induced earthquakes due to geologic CO2 storage are unlikely because (i) sedimentary formations, which are softer than the crystalline basement, are rarely critically stressed; (ii) the least stable situation occurs at the beginning of injection, which makes it easy to control; (iii) CO2 dissolution into brine may help in reducing overpressure; and (iv) CO2 will not flow across the caprock because of capillarity, but brine will, which will reduce overpressure further. The latter two mechanisms ensure that overpressures caused by CO2 injection will dissipate in a moderate time after injection stops, hindering the occurrence of postinjection induced seismicity. Furthermore, even if microseismicity were induced, CO2 leakage through fault reactivation would be unlikely because the high clay content of caprocks ensures a reduced permeability and increased entry pressure along the localized deformation zone. For these reasons, we contend that properly sited and managed geologic carbon storage in deep saline formations remains a safe option to mitigate anthropogenic climate change. PMID:25902501

Matrix effect of sodium compounds on the determination of metal ions in aqueous solutions by underwater laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

Goueguel, Christian; McIntyre, Dustin L.; Jain, Jinesh; ...

2015-06-30

A significant portion of the carbon sequestration research being performed in the United States involves the risk assessment of injecting large quantities of carbon dioxide into deep saline aquifers. Leakage of CO 2 has the potential to affect the quality of groundwater supplies in case contaminants migrate through underlying conduits. New remote sensing and near-surface monitoring technologies are needed to ensure that injection, abandoned, and monitoring wells are structurally sound, and that CO 2 remains within the geologic storage reservoir. In this paper, we propose underwater laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (underwater LIBS) as an analytical method for monitoring naturally occurring elementsmore » that can act as tracers to detect a CO 2 leak from storage sites. Laboratory-scale experiments were conducted to measure Sr 2+, Ca 2+, K +, and Li + in bulk solutions to ascertain the analytical performance of underwater LIBS. We compared the effect of NaCl, Na 2CO 3, and Na 2SO 4 on the analytes calibration curves to determine underwater LIBS’ ability to analyze samples of sodium compounds. In all cases, the calibration curves showed a good linearity within 2 orders of magnitude. The limit of detections (LODs) obtained for K + (30±1 ppb) and Li + (60±2 ppb) were in ppb range, while higher LODs were observed for Ca 2+ (0.94±0.14 ppm) and Sr 2+ (2.89±0.11 ppm). Evaluation of the calibration curves for the analytes in mixed solutions showed dependence of the lines’ intensity with the sodium compounds. The intensities increased respectively in the presence of dissolved NaCl and Na 2SO 4, whereas the intensities slightly decreased in the presence of Na 2CO 3. Lastly, the capabilities of underwater LIBS to detect certain elements in the ppb or in the low ppm range make it particularly appealing for in situ monitoring of a CO 2 leak.« less

Matrix effect of sodium compounds on the determination of metal ions in aqueous solutions by underwater laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goueguel, Christian; McIntyre, Dustin L.; Jain, Jinesh

A significant portion of the carbon sequestration research being performed in the United States involves the risk assessment of injecting large quantities of carbon dioxide into deep saline aquifers. Leakage of CO 2 has the potential to affect the quality of groundwater supplies in case contaminants migrate through underlying conduits. New remote sensing and near-surface monitoring technologies are needed to ensure that injection, abandoned, and monitoring wells are structurally sound, and that CO 2 remains within the geologic storage reservoir. In this paper, we propose underwater laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (underwater LIBS) as an analytical method for monitoring naturally occurring elementsmore » that can act as tracers to detect a CO 2 leak from storage sites. Laboratory-scale experiments were conducted to measure Sr 2+, Ca 2+, K +, and Li + in bulk solutions to ascertain the analytical performance of underwater LIBS. We compared the effect of NaCl, Na 2CO 3, and Na 2SO 4 on the analytes calibration curves to determine underwater LIBS’ ability to analyze samples of sodium compounds. In all cases, the calibration curves showed a good linearity within 2 orders of magnitude. The limit of detections (LODs) obtained for K + (30±1 ppb) and Li + (60±2 ppb) were in ppb range, while higher LODs were observed for Ca 2+ (0.94±0.14 ppm) and Sr 2+ (2.89±0.11 ppm). Evaluation of the calibration curves for the analytes in mixed solutions showed dependence of the lines’ intensity with the sodium compounds. The intensities increased respectively in the presence of dissolved NaCl and Na 2SO 4, whereas the intensities slightly decreased in the presence of Na 2CO 3. Lastly, the capabilities of underwater LIBS to detect certain elements in the ppb or in the low ppm range make it particularly appealing for in situ monitoring of a CO 2 leak.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moody, Mark; Sminchak, J.R.

Under this three year project, the condition of legacy oil and gas wells in the Midwest United States was evaluated through analysis of well records, well plugging information, CBL evaluation, sustained casing pressure (SCP) field testing, and analysis of hypothetical CO 2 test areas to provide a realistic description of wellbore integrity factors. The research included a state-wide review of oil and gas well records for Ohio and Michigan, along with more detailed testing of wells in Ohio. Results concluded that oil and gas wells are clustered along fields in areas. Well records vary in quality, and there may bemore » wells that have not been identified in records, but there are options for surveying unknown wells. Many of the deep saline formations being considered for CO 2 storage have few wells that penetrate the storage zone or confining layers. Research suggests that a variety of well construction and plugging approaches have been used over time in the region. The project concluded that wellbore integrity is an important issue for CO 2 storage applications in the Midwest United States. Realistic CO 2 storage projects may cover an area in the subsurface with several hundred legacy oil and gas wells. However, closer inspection may often establish that most of the wells do not penetrate the confining layers or storage zone. Therefore, addressing well integrity may be manageable. Field monitoring of SCP also indicated that tested wells provided zonal isolation of the reservoirs they were designed to isolate. Most of these wells appeared to exhibit gas pressure originating from intermediate zones. Based on these results, more flexibility in terms of cementing wells to surface, allowing well testing, and monitoring wells may aid operators in completing CO 2 storage project. Several useful products were developed under this project for examining wellbore integrity for CO 2 storage applications including, a database of over 4 million items on well integrity parameters in the study areas, a systematic CBL evaluation tool for rating cement in boreholes, SCP field testing procedures and analysis methodology, a process for summarizing well integrity at CO 2 storage fields, a statistical analysis of well integrity indicators, and an assessment of practical methods and costs necessary to repair/remediate typical wells in the region based on assessment of six test study areas. Project results may benefit both CO 2 storage and improved oil recovery applications. This study of wellbore integrity is a useful precursor to support development of geologic storage in the Midwest United States because it sheds more light on the actual well conditions (rather than the perceived condition) of historic oil and gas wells in the region.« less

Consistent quantification of climate impacts due to biogenic carbon storage across a range of bio-product systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guest, Geoffrey, E-mail: geoffrey.guest@ntnu.no; Bright, Ryan M., E-mail: ryan.m.bright@ntnu.no; Cherubini, Francesco, E-mail: francesco.cherubini@ntnu.no

2013-11-15

Temporary and permanent carbon storage from biogenic sources is seen as a way to mitigate climate change. The aim of this work is to illustrate the need to harmonize the quantification of such mitigation across all possible storage pools in the bio- and anthroposphere. We investigate nine alternative storage cases and a wide array of bio-resource pools: from annual crops, short rotation woody crops, medium rotation temperate forests, and long rotation boreal forests. For each feedstock type and biogenic carbon storage pool, we quantify the carbon cycle climate impact due to the skewed time distribution between emission and sequestration fluxesmore » in the bio- and anthroposphere. Additional consideration of the climate impact from albedo changes in forests is also illustrated for the boreal forest case. When characterizing climate impact with global warming potentials (GWP), we find a large variance in results which is attributed to different combinations of biomass storage and feedstock systems. The storage of biogenic carbon in any storage pool does not always confer climate benefits: even when biogenic carbon is stored long-term in durable product pools, the climate outcome may still be undesirable when the carbon is sourced from slow-growing biomass feedstock. For example, when biogenic carbon from Norway Spruce from Norway is stored in furniture with a mean life time of 43 years, a climate change impact of 0.08 kg CO{sub 2}eq per kg CO{sub 2} stored (100 year time horizon (TH)) would result. It was also found that when biogenic carbon is stored in a pool with negligible leakage to the atmosphere, the resulting GWP factor is not necessarily − 1 CO{sub 2}eq per kg CO{sub 2} stored. As an example, when biogenic CO{sub 2} from Norway Spruce biomass is stored in geological reservoirs with no leakage, we estimate a GWP of − 0.56 kg CO{sub 2}eq per kg CO{sub 2} stored (100 year TH) when albedo effects are also included. The large variance in GWPs across the range of resource and carbon storage options considered indicates that more accurate accounting will require case-specific factors derived following the methodological guidelines provided in this and recent manuscripts. -- Highlights: • Climate impacts of stored biogenic carbon (bio-C) are consistently quantified. • Temporary storage of bio-C does not always equate to a climate cooling impact. • 1 unit of bio-C stored over a time horizon does not always equate to − 1 unit CO{sub 2}eq. • Discrepancies of climate change impact quantification in literature are clarified.« less

Experimental study of CO2 effect on shale mechanical properties in the processes of complete strain-stress and post-failure tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y.; Ji, J.; Li, M.

2017-12-01

CO2 enhanced shale gas recovery has proved to be one of the most efficient methods to extract shale gas, and represent a mutually beneficial approach to mitigate greenhouse gas emission into the atmosphere. During the processes of most CO2 enhanced shale gas recovery, liquid CO2 is injected into reservoirs, fracturing the shale, making competitive adsorption with shale gas and displacing the shale gas at multi-scale to the production well. Hydraulic and mechanical coupling actions between the shale and fluid media are expected to play important roles in affecting fracture propagation, CO2 adsorption and shale gas desorption, multi-scale fluid flow, plume development, and CO2 storage. In this study, four reservoir shale samples were selected to carry out triaxial compression experiments of complete strain-stress and post failure tests. Two fluid media, CO2 and N2, were used to flow through the samples and produce the pore pressure. All of the above four compression experiments were conducted under the same confining and pore pressures, and loaded the axial pressure with the same loading path. Permeability, strain-stress, and pore volumetric change were measured and recorded over time. The results show that, compared to N2, CO2 appeared to lower the peak strength and elastic modulus of shale samples, and increase the permeability up two to six orders of magnitudes after the sample failure. Furthermore, the shale samples were dilated by CO2 much more than N2, and retained the volume of CO2 2.6 times more than N2. Results from this study indicate that the CO2 can embrittle the shale formation so as to form fracture net easily to enhance the shale gas recovery. Meanwhile, part of the remaining CO2 might be adsorbed on the surface of shale matrix and the rest of the CO2 be in the pore and fracture spaces, implying that CO2 can be effectively geo-stored in the shale formation.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sokhansanj, Shahabaddine; Kuang, Xingya; Shankar, T.S.

Few papers have been published in the open literature on the emissions from biomass fuels, including wood pellets, during the storage and transportation and their potential health impacts. The purpose of this study is to provide data on the concentrations, emission factors, and emission rate factors of CO2, CO, and CH4 from wood pellets stored with different headspace to container volume ratios with different initial oxygen levels, in order to develop methods to reduce the toxic off-gas emissions and accumulation in storage spaces. Metal containers (45 l, 305 mm diameter by 610 mm long) were used to study the effectmore » of headspace and oxygen levels on the off-gas emissions from wood pellets. Concentrations of CO2, CO, and CH4 in the headspace were measured using a gas chromatograph as a function of storage time. The results showed that the ratio of the headspace ratios and initial oxygen levels in the storage space significantly affected the off-gas emissions from wood pellets stored in a sealed container. Higher peak emission factors and higher emission rates are associated with higher headspace ratios. Lower emissions of CO2 and CO were generated at room temperature under lower oxygen levels, whereas CH4 emission is insensitive to the oxygen level. Replacing oxygen with inert gases in the storage space is thus a potentially effective method to reduce the biomass degradation and toxic off-gas emissions. The proper ventilation of the storage space can also be used to maintain a high oxygen level and low concentrations of toxic off-gassing compounds in the storage space, which is especially useful during the loading and unloading operations to control the hazards associated with the storage and transportation of wood pellets.« less

Characterization of corrosion products of AB{sub 5}-type hydrogen storage alloys for nickel-metal hydride batteries

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maurel, F.; Knosp, B.; Backhaus-Ricoult, M.

2000-01-01

To better understand the decrease in storage capacity of AB{sub 5}-type alloys in rechargeable Ni/MH batteries undergoing repeated charge/discharge cycles, the corrosion of a MnNi{sub 3.55}Co{sub 0.75}Mn{sub 0.4}Al{sub 0.3} alloy in aqueous KOH electrolyte was studied. The crystal structure, chemical composition, and distribution of corrosion products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Hollow and filed needles of a mixed rare earth hydroxide Mn(OH){sub 3} were found to cover a continuous nanocrystalline corrosion scale composed of metal (Ni, Co) solid solution, oxide (Ni,Co)O solid solution and rare earth hydroxide, and a Mn-depleted alloy subscale. Corrosionmore » kinetics were measured for three different temperatures. Growth kinetics of the continuous corrosion scale and of the Mm(OH){sub 3} needles obeyed linear and parabolic rate laws, respectively. Models for the corrosion mechanism were developed on the basis of diffusional transport of Mn and OH through the hydroxide needles and subsequent diffusion along grain boundaries through the nanocrystalline scale.« less

Spatial Persistence of Macropores and Authigenic Clays in a Reservoir Sandstone: Implications for Enhanced Oil Recovery and CO2 Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dewers, T. A.

2015-12-01

Multiphase flow in clay-rich sandstone reservoirs is important to enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and the geologic storage of CO2. Understanding geologic controls on pore structure allows for better identification of lithofacies that can contain, storage, and/or transmit hydrocarbons and CO2, and may result in better designs for EOR-CO2 storage. We examine three-dimensional pore structure and connectivity of sandstone samples from the Farnsworth Unit, Texas, the site of a combined EOR-CO2 storage project by the Southwest Regional Partnership on Carbon Sequestration (SWP). We employ a unique set of methods, including: robotic serial polishing and reflected-light imaging for digital pore-structure reconstruction; electron microscopy; laser scanning confocal microscopy; mercury intrusion-extrusion porosimetry; and relative permeability and capillary pressure measurements using CO2 and synthetic formation fluid. Our results link pore size distributions, topology of porosity and clay-rich phases, and spatial persistence of connected flow paths to multiphase flow behavior. The authors gratefully acknowledge the U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory for sponsoring this project through the SWP under Award No. DE-FC26-05NT42591. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.