Research Theme E

Offshore Storage Source-Sink Synergies (OS4)

Many regions around the world have limited onshore storage opportunities near CO₂ sources. Limits include poor reservoirs, tectonically complex settings, urban development in coastal basins and public and political opposition. Europe has been recognized as one such region of limited onshore storage, and therefore storage options in North Sea basin have been extensively studied and demonstrated.

Large portions of the densely populated coastal U.S. have negligible onshore carbon sink options; GCCC preliminary evaluation of evaluation of capacity beneath the Atlantic continental shelf shows significant resource potential. Wider recognition of this option may build US stakeholder support for CCS. Proven potential and an interested single surface owner (Texas General Land Office) in the northwest Gulf of Mexico (GoM) may be valuable, for example as back-up to onshore CCUS potential. The value of existing pipeline and platform infrastructure will be considered.

A GCCC reconnaissance survey suggests that opportunities for continental shelf storage exist globally. Accumulations of thick, geologically young sandstones with shale seals proximal to coastal industrial centers may provide high quality capacity. We will study the potential for this resource and it's potential to increase global acceptance of CCS. An initial study is underway for CSLF.Many lessons learned in the North Sea are transferable to other parts of the world. However, most offshore regions with storage potential are geologically different from the North Sea and pose different opportunities and limits that need evaluation.

In addition GCCC P-Cable high-resolution 3D (HR3D) seismic can provide completely new data sets in frontier areas or can improve the utility of historical, complementary datasets.

Research under this theme anticipates:

• Assist US DOE prepare a report on global offshore technical barriers and R&D opportunities for offshore storage for CSLF.
• Develop potential for follow-on studies, workshops and publications to increase knowledge about and awareness of global storage potential; incentivize consideration of field tests in offshore settings.
• Seek additional opportunities to study and inform stakeholders of the GoM and Atlantic sedimentary accumulations as a storage resource.
• Apply and expand GCCC characterization, storage capacity (e.g. EASiTool), fluid flow, geomechanical, and other learnings applied to other thick sedimentary wedges on continental shelves.
• Participate in the EU-led International Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) proposal GlaciStore proposal. This study is proposed to evaluate glacial stratigraphy and seal characterization for CO₂ storage in the North Sea. We will compete for opportunities for U.S. involvement in this proposal.
• Seek opportunities and value from P-Cable surveys for CCS. (e.g., collecting independent datasets to test interpretations of previously-acquired P-Cable HR3D datasets; testing new P-Cable acquisition parameters and capabilities in various geologic settings).