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Abstract: This paper summarizes the development of a new numerical simulator for environmental impact assessment of CO2 geological storage and the results of case studies. The simulator is developed by coupling the multiphase fluid flow simulator TOUGH2 and an open-source FEM code FrontISTR. Case studies for In Salah CO2 storage project are conducted to assess the validity of the developed simulator. Then, sensitivity analyses for physical parameters corresponding to pore space and rock rigidity are conducted. Results are consistent with measured data and suggest the validity of the simulator. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Large-scale implementation of geologic carbon storage (GCS) will require reliable techniques for monitoring the movement of the CO2 plume in the subsurface. The movement of CO2 plumes beyond the region permitted for storage will be of particular interest both to regulators and to operators. However, the cost of many monitoring technologies, such as time-lapse seismic, limits their application. Given that injection data (pressures, rates) from wells are readily available and inexpensive, we examine whether they can be used as a viable alternative for monitoring and predicting plume migration. In this paper, we have implemented a probabilistic history matching approach to creating models of the aquifer for predicting the movement of the CO2 plume. The geologic property of interest for example hydraulic conductivity is updated conditioned to geological information and injection pressures. The resultant aquifer model which is geologically consistent can be used to reliably predict the movement of the CO2 plume in the subsurface. We tailor the method to CO2 sequestration by considering only injection data in the matching process. We also introduce a two-step approach to stochastically simulate high-permeability features such as oriented sets of natural fractures that occupy only a small fraction of the storage formation. We illustrate the approach by applying it to data from the In Salah Gas project. The final history-matched models contain high permeability features consistent with the field observation of rapid arrival of injected CO2 at a suspended well and with surface deformation data obtained by remote sensing. We conclude that the approach can provide a probabilistic assessment of plume migration at the field scale. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In 2006, the CO2ReMoVe project funded by the European Commission was launched with the objectives of developing new and common methodologies and technologies to improve site based R&D for the monitoring, measurement and verification of the injection and storage of CO2 at multiple sites. The In Salah Gas Krechba Field Joint Industry Project has been in operation since 2004 when gas from several fields was put on production. To comply with export regulations, the high content of carbon dioxide (CO2), 1–10% in the produced gas is removed and re-injected down dip from the producing gas horizon, through three horizontal injection wells at approximately 1800 m below surface. Within the framework of CO2ReMoVe, this paper discusses the site characterization and the short term system performance for the In Salah Krechba field. Prior to the injection, the reservoir unit and the seals were characterized. The resulting geological (static) model is consistent with the information obtained from the drilling activities in 2004 and 2005 and from the reprocessed 3D seismic done by Compagnie Générale de Géophysique (CGG) in 2006. A fracture study carried out on information obtained from resistivity and acoustic images available on the Krechba field had shown the existence of an open fracture network oriented along the NE-SW direction parallel to the maximum stress direction. Typically, monitoring data serves as a calibration yardstick for the static model. It was therefore valuable information to detect the CO2 breakthrough at KB-5, a suspended well located 1.7 km away from the KB-502 injector well. Tracer analysis confirmed the CO2 detected at KB-5 came from KB-502. A multi-phase, multi-component compositional simulator specially designed for CO2 sequestration (ECLIPSE 1 [1] Mark of Schlumberger. 300 with the CO2SOL option) was used to simulate and predict the properties of the injected carbon dioxide as well as that of the gas in place (mainly methane) and of the saline aquifer. History matching was used to calibrate the dynamic model by iteratively modifying parameters until a satisfactory match between model results and field measurements was obtained. The resulting dynamic model is used for short term predictions of the behaviour of injected CO2. The history matching parameters are the fracture porosity, permeability and matrix permeability (difficult to measure permeability in a fractured medium). In each iteration, the simulated bottomhole pressures, gas (CO2) injection rates were compared against field data as well as the CO2 breakthrough time at KB-5. Iterations were repeated until a good match was obtained. Predictive simulation results indicate that CO2 would reach the northern part of the gas field in 2010 and would spread out over an area including production wells in 2015, both in the northern (KB-502, KB-503) and the eastern part (KB-501) of the gas field. Although a good match has been obtained in the history matching process, some observed discrepancies could still not be explained only by fluid dynamics. Possibly, the application of coupled fluid flow and geomechanical simulations would aid in explaining the remaining discrepancies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents a structured qualitative approach to analysing the varied kinds of information from a CO2 storage site, so as to produce scenarios that are amenable to numerical analysis. The approach is illustrated by application to an industrial scale CCS project at Krechba, In Salah, in Algeria. A structured approach is needed to support assessments of the likely performance of CCS systems over operational, monitoring and longer term time-frames. Very varied information concerning such systems’ engineered and environmental components must be obtained and evaluated to attain sufficient confidence that performance will be acceptable. Computer simulations and risk assessment models are needed to help understand the behaviour of CO2 and place plausible bounds on the temporal evolution of all aspects of the system. The outcomes will be uncertain, even if underpinning data sets are of good quality The approach included identification of the important the Features, Events and Processes (FEPs) that together describe the Krechba system and its likely evolution. An ‘expected evolution’ scenario was then identified by systematically evaluating existing knowledge. Scenarios describing potential situations that could involve alternative evolution mechanisms were also identified; these included consideration of mechanisms that could in principal lead to containment failure. These scenarios need to be analysed to show that they are either unlikely to occur and/or will be of limited impact and so do not represent threats to adequate performance. After audit against Quintessa’s freely available generic online CO2 FEP database to ensure and demonstrate comprehensiveness, the site-specific scenarios identified and the associated list of remaining uncertainties, were used to prioritise future (e.g. systems modelling) work. The outcomes of this and other data analysis and modelling programmes will be used to update the FEP and scenario descriptions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the paper we share our operational experience gained from three sites: Sleipner (14 years of injection), In Salah (6 years) and Snøhvit (2 years). Together, these three sites have disposed 16 Mt of CO2 by 2010. In highly variable reservoirs, with permeability ranging from a few milliDarcy to more than one Darcy, single wells have injected several hundred Kt of CO2 per year. In the reservoirs, the actual CO2 plume development has been strongly controlled by geological factors that we learned about during injection. Geophysical monitoring methods (especially seismic, gravity, and satellite data) have, at each site, revealed some of these unpredicted geological factors. Thus monitoring methods are as valuable for reservoir characterisation as they are for monitoring fluid saturation and pressure changes. Current scientific debates that address CO2 storage capacity mainly focus on the utilization of the pore space (efficiency) and the rate of pressure dissipation in response to injection (pressure limits). We add to this that detailed CO2 site characterisation and monitoring is needed to prove significant practical CO2 storage capacity–on a case by case basis. As this specific site experience and knowledge develops more general conclusions on storage capacity, injectivity and efficiency may be possible. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]