Research Theme 3

Monitoring Methods Optimization

Theme 3: Monitoring Methods Optimization [PDF]

Monitoring optimization of geological carbon sequestration at GCCC focuses on four monitoring zones: in zone, above zone, shallow groundwater, and vadose zone. Our work includes field demonstration, laboratory studies, and assessments.

Accomplishments

• Developed new monitoring tools and approaches: for example, a process-based method of using gas ratios to attribute sources of anomalies and time-lapse compressibility to assess change/no change in fluid in a zone.
• Analyzed dense monitoring data from 2008 to the present from the research-oriented program at Cranfield, Mississippi.
• Designed a monitoring plan for two commercial enhanced oil recovery (EOR)projects sourced from anthropogenic (captured) CO₂ (Hastings and West Ranch, Texas).
• Produced assessments of methods for optimization of monitoring approaches including site-specific sensitivity of tools (Hovorka, S. D., Zeidouni, Mehdi, Sava, Diana, Remington, R. L., and Yang, Changbing, in revision, 2014, Site-specific optimization of selection of monitoring technologies, in Carbon dioxide storage in deep saline formations: v. 4, CPL Press and BP.), sites with storage via EOR (Wolaver, B. D., Hovorka, S. D., and Smyth, R. C., 2013, Greensites and brownsites: implications for CO₂ sequestration characterization, risk assessment, and monitoring: International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, v. 19, p. 49–62, dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2013.07.020.), and statistical methods for optimization of well placement.
• Transmitted information to industry and regulatory participants (see Outreach, Training, Policy and Regulation Theme for more information).

Impacts

• Pioneered pressure surveillance of above-zone monitoring intervals (AZMI) as a robust, commercial method of assessing storage permanence.
• Provided fit-to-purpose monitoring tools for response to changes (time-lapse compressibility and process-based method) (see Natural Analog Studies Theme for more on process-based method).
• Improved conceptualization of fluid flow using multiple methods in a cross-well array.
• Developed a pragmatic approach to monitoring large-scale injection with full industrial participation.
• Enabled the private sector to develop an economically viable CO₂ sequestration industry.
• Assessed and demonstrated limits, as well as strengths, of monitoring methods that support parsimonious commercial plans.
• Generated valuable experience using monitoring data for input into a fluid-flow model.

Major Projects

• SECARB Cranfield 2008–17 [PDF]
  Multiyear, multimillion-ton injection with a focus on the water leg of an EOR project.
• Monitoring design and implementation for commercial capture to EOR projects [PDF]
  Working with industry partners on commercial projects has sharpened the understanding of optimization of monitoring, including thermal and time-lapse pressure methods.
• Pressure-based inversion and data assimilation system (PIDAS) [PDF]
  The PIDAS system is developing a harmonic pulse testing technique for detecting leakage from CO₂ storage formations and data assimilation and inversion algorithms for incorporating this technique into operational monitoring programs.
• EPA-CCP site-specific monitoring study [PDF]
  This study undertook a novel assessment of how site-specific properties impact development of monitoring strategies at geological sequestration sites. (See Natural Analog Studies Theme for information on additional monitoring associated with industrial and natural analog sites.)

Personnel

• Susan Hovorka
• Tip Meckel
• Rebecca Smyth
• Ramon Treviño
• Vanessa Nuñez
• J.-P. Nicot
• Changbing Yang
• Mehdi Zeidouni
• Alex Sun
• Katherine Romanak