Susan Hovorka *Christine Doughty**

and Mark Holtz*

*Bureau of Economic Geology,Jackson School of Geosciences

University of Texas at Austin** Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

TESTING EFFICIENCY OF TESTING EFFICIENCY OF STORAGE IN THE STORAGE IN THE

SUBSURFACE: FRIO BRINE SUBSURFACE: FRIO BRINE PILOT EXPERIMENTPILOT EXPERIMENT

Texas Gulf CoastTexas Gulf Coast

Frio Brine Pilot Research TeamFrio Brine Pilot Research Team

• Funded by US DOE National Energy Technology Lab: Karen Cohen/Charles Byrer• Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School, The University of Texas at Austin: Susan

Hovorka, Mark Holtz, Shinichi Sakurai, Seay Nance, Joseph Yeh, Paul Knox, Khaled Faoud• Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, (Geo-Seq): Larry Myer, Tom Daley, Barry Freifeld, Rob Trautz,

Christine Doughty, Sally Benson, Karsten Pruess, Curt Oldenburg, Jennifer Lewicki, Ernie Major, Mike Hoversten, Mac Kennedy; Don Lippert

• Oak Ridge National Lab: Dave Cole, Tommy Phelps • Lawrence Livermore National Lab: Kevin Knauss, Jim Johnson • Alberta Research Council: Bill Gunter, John Robinson• Texas American Resources: Don Charbula, David Hargiss• Sandia Technologies: Dan Collins, “Spud” Miller, David Freeman; Phil Papadeau • BP: Charles Christopher, Mike Chambers • Schlumberger: T. S. Ramakrishna and others • SEQUIRE – National Energy Technology Lab: Curt White, Rod Diehl, Grant Bromhall, Brian

Stratizar, Art Wells • University of West Virginia: Henry Rausch • USGS: Yousif Kharaka, Bill Evans, Evangelos Kakauros, Jim Thorsen• Praxair: Joe Shine, Dan Dalton• Australian CO2CRC (CSRIO): Kevin Dodds• Core Labs: Paul Martin and others

•Demonstrate that CO2 can be injected into a brine formation without

adverse health, safety, or environmental effects

•Determine the subsurface distribution of injected CO2 using a

diverse monitoring technologies

•Demonstrate validity of conceptual and numerical models

•Develop experience necessary for success of large-scale CO2

injection experiments

How can we demonstrate that geologic How can we demonstrate that geologic storage is an effective method of storage is an effective method of reducing emissions of COreducing emissions of CO22 to the to the

atmosphere?atmosphere?

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Saline Formations

Focus on the Gulf CoastFocus on the Gulf Coast#

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Sources (dot size =release) Refineries and chemical

plants Electric power plants

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Selected oil fieldthat could benefit from EOR

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Existing CO2

pipeline

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Future CO2 pipeline

Frio Brine Pilot

Status of Frio Brine PilotStatus of Frio Brine Pilot

1) site selection, with general characterization and scoping modeling;

(2) geologic characterization; (3) modeling and experimental-design refinement; (4) permitting; (5) site preparation; (6) detailed site characterization; (7) baseline monitoring; (8) injection and syninjection monitoring; 9/27(9) postinjection monitoring: 10/04 to 3/05

Site SettingSite Setting

Photo: SDH BEG

Observation WellInjection Well

Frio Brine PilotFrio Brine Pilot

• Injection interval: 24-m-thick, mineralogically complex Oligocene reworked fluvial sandstone, porosity 24%, Permeability 2-3 Darcys

• Seals numerous thick shales, small fault block

• Depth 1,500 m• Brine-rock system, no

hydrocarbons• 190 bar

Injection interval

Oil production

Porosity

Fault planes

Monitoringinjection and monitoring

Monitoring wellInjection well

Reservoir ModelReservoir Model

500 m

100m

Core has been slabbed Core has been slabbed while still frozen, and while still frozen, and

samples cut for samples cut for petrophysical, petrophysical,

petrographic, and petrographic, and geochemical analysisgeochemical analysis

Open Open Hole Hole logslogs

Injection well Observation well

Top A ss

Top B ss

Top C ss

Proposed injection zone

Log Permeability Calibrated with Plug Log Permeability Calibrated with Plug PermeabilityPermeability

Log Interpretation, Shinichi Sakurai

Injection Zone

Frio Pre-Injection GeophysicsFrio Pre-Injection Geophysics

VSP- Designed for monitoring and imaging- 8 Explosive Shot Points (100 – 1500 m offsets)- 80 – 240 3C Sensors (1.5 – 7.5 m spacing)

Cross Well- Designed for monitoring and CO2 saturation estimation- P and S Seismic and EM- > 75 m coverage @ 1.5 m Spacing (orbital-vibrator seismic source, 3C geophone sensor)- Dual Frequency E.M.

P-Wave

S-wave

P-Wave

Denser spacing inreservoir interval

Reflection

From Tom Daley, LBNL

How Modeling and Monitoring will Assess COHow Modeling and Monitoring will Assess CO22

PerformancePerformance

• Modeling has identified variables which appear to control CO2 injection and post injection migration.

• Measurements made over a short time frame and small distance will confirm the correct value for these variables

• Better conceptualized and calibrated models will be used to develop larger scale longer time frame injections

Residual gas saturation of 5%

Residual gas saturation of 30%

TOUGH2 simulations C. Doughty LBNL

Capillary Character Demonstrates Residual Capillary Character Demonstrates Residual SaturationSaturation

0

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0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Wetting-phase “water” saturation(percent)

Cap

illa

ry p

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ure

(p

si)

Drainage, wetting phase being replaced by non wetting phase

Imbibition, wetting phase replacing nonwetting phase

SwirrSgrm All porous media

Pore-Scale Gas TrappingPore-Scale Gas TrappingSnap-offSnap-off

• Oh and Slattery, 1976– Snap-off model

Capillary force cause non-wetting phase to snap-off into

pore

Aspect ratio =Pore radius

Pore throat radius

Residual Residual SaturationSaturation

- key - key parameterparameter

Case 1 Case 2

Impact of Residual Saturation on COImpact of Residual Saturation on CO22

DistributionDistribution

Frio Brine Pilot SummaryFrio Brine Pilot Summary

• MMV demonstration in high permeability sandstone

• Comparison of diverse MMV technologies

• Better understanding of CO2 behavior though model matching

• Invitation for participation • Updates: www.gulfcoastcarbon.org