Aim of project
The participants of the CO2STORE research project wish to prepare the ground for widespread underground storage of CO2 i aquifers. The project will investigate how lessons learned from the other previous projects on this matter (like SACS, GESTCO, NASCENT) can be implemented on other aquifers in Europe, not only offshore, but also under land. Through careful evaluation and application of both existing and novel approaches, the project will provide sound, scientifically- based methodologies for the assessment, planning, and long-term monitoring of underground CO2 storage.
The proposed work falls into two parts. Firstly we aim to apply the knowledge and experience gained from the CO2 storage at the Sleipner gas field in the North Sea to develop site-specific plans for storage operations elsewhere in Europe, both onshore and offshore. This will be done in collaboration with specific power generating companies. Secondly, in order to firmly establish the long-term safety case for geological CO2 storage, we seek to continue work on the ongoing injection operation at Sleipner, which provides a unique natural underground CO2 injection laboratory. More specifically we want to:
· Investigate the feasibility of alternative and smaller CO2 reservoirs
· Investigate the final fate of CO2 injected into the Utsira reservoir near the Sleipner field
· Investigate alternative cost-effective monitoring techniques
· Update documentation needed for dissemination of the technology
Innovation
The project will provide and implement in different case studies, novel and sound methodologies for the assessment, planning, and long-term monitoring of underground CO2 storage into different reservoirs, both onshore and offshore. In order to build the long-term safety case at Sleipner, novel geophysical monitoring technologies will be tested, and new long-term flow simulations and coupled reaction-transport models will be developed. With appropriate refinements, the new knowledge gained at Sleipner is anticipated to be directly transferable to the storage of CO2 from large point sources such as power plants and other major industrial CO2 emitters.
Expected results
A major result we hope to achieve is the refinement of the methodology developed by SACS, GESTCO, and NASCENT ETC. The evaluation of subsurface CO2 storage should be obtained from the present project, both regarding technical and environmental matters and regarding the matters of feasibility, safety, and reliability of the CO2 storage process. Alternative monitoring techniques will be investigated and tested to obtain a pallet of proven “monitoring tools” available for different circumstances and requirements. New understanding will be gained regarding the long-term behaviour of CO2 in the Utsira reservoir and increase the necessary background knowledge for the method. A revision of the SACS “Best Practice Manual” for storage in deep saline aquifers will be included.
Research co-funded by EU
CO2STORE is a research project within the 5th framework of the European Union (link www.cordis.lu/fp5/). The funding of the project is roughly equally shared by the participants and the EU.
