Tip Meckel, PhDTip Meckel, PhD

Research AssociateResearch AssociateGulf Coast Carbon CenterGulf Coast Carbon Center

Bureau of Economic GeologyBureau of Economic GeologyThe University of Texas at AustinThe University of Texas at Austin

December 9, 2010December 9, 2010CCS Technical WorkshopCCS Technical Workshop

Kyoto, JapanKyoto, Japan

Summary of Current Regional Summary of Current Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership Carbon Sequestration Partnership

Activities, USAActivities, USA

Outline

• Department of Energy & National Energy Technology Laboratory – Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership Program (RCSP)

• Integrated Systems – Source to Sink• Role of Enhanced Oil Recovery• Pressure• Onshore vs. Offshore

Carbon Sequestration Program GoalsDevelop Technology Options That...

• Deliver technologies & best practices that provide

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) with:

– 90% CO2 capture at source

– 99% storage permanence

– < 10% increase in COE

• Pre-combustion capture (IGCC)

– < 30% increase in COE

• Post-combustion capture

• Oxy-combustion

RCSP

BIG SKYBIG SKYBIG SKY

WESTCARBWESTCARBWESTCARB

SWPSWPSWP

PCORPCORPCOR

MGSCMGSCMGSC

SECARBSECARBSECARB

MRCSPMRCSPMRCSP

Regional Carbon Sequestration PartnershipsInnovation for Characterization to Large Scale Injection

Seven Regional Partnerships400 + distinct organizations, 43 states, 4 Canadian Provinces

• Engage regional, state, and local governments• Determine regional sequestration benefits• Baseline region for sources and sinks • Establish monitoring and verification protocols• Address regulatory, environmental, and outreach issues• Validate sequestration technology and infrastructure

RCSP

RCSP

RCSP

RCSP

AEP @ Mountaineer, WV Integration

American Electric PowerPost-combustion capture: chilled ammoniaOperational 20151.5 Mt/yr capture and storage

Integration

Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)Corn ethanol plant

Southern Company, MSIntegration

MHI advanced amine capture unit • 25 MW post combustion slip stream • Compress CO2 to 2000 psi

� 12-mile CO2 pipeline constructed by Denbury Resources

� CO2 Injection at Denbury’s Citronelle Field 2011-2013

� SECARB researchers will monitor injection and 3-years post injection

CO2 Capture Unit at Alabama Power’s Plant Barry

CO2 use for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) is Sequestration

Capture unit

CO2 emissions

CO2

Oil

Brine

CO2

Oil to market

recycle

Separation plant

EOR

West Texas EOREOR

~150 million metric tons CO2 injected for EOR since 1972 by various oil companies

~75 million metric tons CO2 recovered through 2010

SWP + BEG researchers have documented no impact to overlying potable groundwater.

Enhanced oil and gas productionto offset development cost and speed implementation

Very large volumestorage in stacked brineformations beneathreservoir footprints

Near-term and long-term sources and sinks linked in a regional pipeline network

The Role of EOR:Stacked Storage Concept

EOR

Natchez Mississippi

Mississippi River

3,000 m depthGas cap, oil ring, downdip water legShut in since 1965Strong water driveReturned to near initial pressure

Cranfield, MS: SECARB Phase 3Cranfield, MS: SECARB Phase 3Example of stacked storage conceptExample of stacked storage concept

EOR

Closely spaced injectors and observation wells in brine reservoir @ 3 km depth

Above-zonemonitoring

DTSSystemERT

U-TubeSystem

CASSM

Press/Temp

Distributed Temperature System

P/T

Injector(F1)

Obs #1(F2)

Obs #2(F3)

F1 F2 F3

Injection Zone

Above Zone Monitoring

10,500 feet BSL

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

11/29/09 0:00 12/4/09 0:00 12/9/09 0:00 12/14/09 0:00 12/19/09 0:00 12/24/09 0:00 12/29/09 0:00 1/3/10 0:00

SAMPLING TIME

CO

NC

ENTR

ATI

ON

CH4

CO2

High frequency fluid sampling via U-tubeyields data on flow processes

BEG, LBNL, USGS, ORNL, BEG, LBNL, USGS, ORNL, UTDoGUTDoG, , data compiled by Changbing Yang BEGdata compiled by Changbing Yang BEG

Breakthrough of of CO2

No sam

ples

Additional flow paths – more methane extracted

Double injection rate

Small diameter sampler with N2 drive brings fluids quickly tosurface with tracers intactCO2 dissolution into brine liberates dissolved CH4

Originallybrine methane saturated

Injector

Direction of CO2 plume

x

x

x

x

x

x

Cross Well Electrical Resistance Tomography: Flow dynamics at inter-well scale over months

Charles Carrigan, LLNL Charles Carrigan, LLNL

50ft

Obs

erva

tion

wel

l F3

elec

trode

s

Obs

erva

tion

wel

l F2

elec

trode

s

Conductive plume= workover fluids?

Resistive plume = CO2 in reservoir

SecondResistive plume out of section migration

Dedicated observation well

Injection wells

Problem: Many wells-How Good is Cement?

surface

Remaining open annulus between rock and casing=Potential leakage path for CO2 or displaced brine?

Add CO2 for Tertiary production of hydrocarbon resource

Surface casing to protect USDWs

Original development 1940’s-60’s

Pressure as Monitoring Tool:Pressure as Monitoring Tool:Cranfield, MSCranfield, MS

5 10 15

res

Ohm-m-150-100 -50 09,700

9,800

9,900

10,000

10,100

10,200

10,300

sp

mVD

EPTH

(ft)

10-3/4" casing set @ 1,825'

16" casing set @ 222'

7" casing set @ 10,305'

AZMI

CO2 Injection Zone

Mar

ine

mud

ston

eTe

rres

trial

fluvi

al

Tuscaloosaperforation

10,142’

Isolation packer

10’

Pressure

Observationwell

Satellitetransmission

Jul.03 Jul.04 Jul.05 Jul.06 Jul.07 Jul.08 Jul.09 Jul.10 Jul.11 Jul.12 Jul.13 Jul.14 Jul.15 Jul.16 Jul.17 Jul.18 Jul.19 Jul.20 Jul.21 Jul.22 Jul.23 Jul.24 Jul.25-10

-5

0

Tubi

ng P

ress

ure

(psi

g)

Date

Tubing data

50

100

150

Tubi

ng T

empe

ratu

re (F

)

Surface & downhole data collected every minute and uploaded every 10 minutes to website.

Pressure

Continuous 2-year data seriesMaximum sustained pressure differential >1,200 psi

Suggests old wells have reasonable integrity.Some aspects of data difficult to interpret, but likely relate to complicated well completion.

4461 psi

Pressure

Pressure & Boundary ConditionsInfluence Capacity

OPEN CLOSED

Pressure Mitigation (Fluid Withdrawal) Pressure

Ron Surdam,Wyoming, USA

Injected CO2 will raise pressure and displace large volumes of brine –where will it go?

Extraction wells may be viable, but costs of re-injecting brine may be high.

Potential to desalinate brine for economic use of water is being considered.

British Isles & North Sea

AUSTRALIA 2009 RELEASE OF OFFSHORE AREAS FOR GREENHOUSE GAS STORAGE ASSESSMENT

USA Offshore CCS Activities

Wilmington Wilmington GrabenGraben, offshore LA, offshore LAMike Bruno, Mike Bruno, TerralogTerralog Tech.Tech.

~6,400 square milesExtends 10.3 miles offshore

40% bays, estuaries, and passes60% seaward of barrier islands

<20% currently leased

Offshore Texas, Gulf of MexicoOffshore Texas, Gulf of MexicoT. Meckel & R. Trevino, TX BEGT. Meckel & R. Trevino, TX BEG

Onshore vs. Offshore

Significant offshore potentialin northern Gulf of Mexico

NETL 2010 Atlas of CapacityNETL 2010 Atlas of Capacity

SCS Energy LLC

Offshore Monitoring: RITE Onshore vs. Offshore

MichimasaMichimasa Magi: IEA Natural Releases Meeting, Maria Magi: IEA Natural Releases Meeting, Maria LaachLaach, Germany, Nov. 2010, Germany, Nov. 2010

Basin Fluid Histories and CO2

Baines, 2004

Baines, 2004

CO2 is common in many geological settings.

Understanding the historic ability of basins to naturally buffer CO2 will greatly reduce uncertainties about long-term fate of injected CO2.

Global CO2 MapEach country is sized proportional to its annual CO2 emissions.

Thank you to Japanese hosts, especially Ziqiu Xue.I look forward to working on this important international issue with Japanese researchers.