Virtual CO2 Laboratory

The overall vision of the Virtual CO2 Laboratory project (VIRCOLA) has been to develop a data platform and methodology that can facilitate improved data utilization and work processes, and lead to better understanding of the storage capacity, injectivity and long-term confinement of CO2. The project is closely affiliated with the National Centre for Environment-friendly Energy SUCCESS. The VIRCOLA project partners are Christian Michelsen Research (CMR), CGGVeritas Services (Norway) AS, Institutt for Energiteknikk (IFE), Statoil Petroleum AS, and Universitetssenteret på Svalbard (UNIS). The project is funded by the Research Council, CGGVeritas Services (Norway) AS, Statoil and SUCCESS. In this project, we have established a visualization platform that makes it possible to produce visualizations combining different data types from the research in SUCCESS. Before we selected the components for the visualization platform, we evaluated professional 2D and 3D geological modelling/visualization tools. Through the evaluation, we identified SKUA from Paradigm and Petrel from Schlumberger as appropriate software tools for the VIRCOLA visualization platform. Longyearbyen CO2 Lab (LYB) was selected as a case for the VIRCOLA project since several SUCCESS partners work with data from LYB. We have built a database containing data from LYB. The database describes all the data we have received with information such as where the data resides, who owns the data, and what are the rights of use for the data. The database also includes publications that describe the data more in depth. We have used the VIRCOLA visualization platform to create visualizations that combine different types of data from Longyearbyen CO2 Lab. In this work, we have involved SUCCESS researchers to identify how such visualizations could be useful to support interdisciplinary collaboration. This has led to the identification of new cooperation opportunities. Such a possibility is related to analysis of seismic data, magnetic and magnetotelluric data, another focuses on microbiology compared with geochemical analyzes, and a third case is correction for deformation in CT images of flow in the core samples. We also conducted a survey to find out how researchers in SUCCESS collaborate across institutions and disciplines, and the needs they see for greater interdisciplinary collaboration. The visualization platform is available at CMR, e.g. in our collaboration room, which has a large high-resolution screen (4.6 x 1.6 meters). We also wanted to make the visualization platform available to external users through video meetings and considered various options for this. We tested a program (Virtual Arena from Visual Solutions) which made it possible to share SKUA with video participants. All participants saw the same program window that we had up on our screen, and we could transfer the control over the application to the remote participants. We concluded that the methodology worked, but for practical purposes, it was somewhat cumbersome to use. As an easier alternative, we therefore decided to make the VIRCOLA database accessible via a map-based web page. This website makes it possible for scientists to find reports and publications related to the given data, and hence identify possible cooperation constellations. On this website, one can explore the datasets in a map-representation. By clicking on a dataset in the map, the user can download reports, images of seismic data and data measured in the wells. The developed web solution was well received by the SUCCESS partners, and has been discussed with an oil company that was not partner in the project. CMR is therefore planning to develop the web solution further so that it can be useful for both research groups and commercial companies. We will have a dialogue with the SUCCESS centre to discuss integration of new data in the VIRCOLA database. VIRCOLA can provide good access to the SUCCESS data and results after the centre has closed down.

In order to mitigate predicted climate change, the European Union has promoted goals and developed action plans for advancing CCS technologies. Capturing CO2 from large anthropogenic point sources and inject the carbon into underground aquifers is an impo rtant measure. The SUCCESS centre, hosted by the applicant CMR, addresses several important areas for CO2 storage in the subsurface: storage performance, sealing properties, injection, monitoring and consequences for the marine environment. This applicat ion targets strengthening the collaboration and cross-disciplinary work within the centre. Activities and projects facilitating tight cooperation within SUCCESS have been emphasized by the industry partners. The research in CO2 storage is highly interdis ciplinary. Therefore, bringing together scientists by fusing their data into one visualization inside our proposed virtual lab can be of large help. The central element in the proposed project is the recruitment of a postdoc with expertise within Geoscien ces. The postcoc will collect and condition data from the partners. In collaboration with CMR, the PostDoc will evaluate alternative strategies for covisualization and exploration of the multiscale and multimodal data. The PostDoc will also address how to best link the results of the various research groups in SUCCESS. The proposed virtual lab will be based on DIRECT (Distributed Research Collaboration Technology), which is a collaborative research environment to promote the integration of the SUCCESS pa rtners and their research. DIRECT has been funded by the Research Council of Norway in addition to own funding, and consists of a collaboration room at CMR providing state of the art display and interaction hardware, a facility for remote experiment contr ol at IFE, and satellite collaboration facilities with the other research partners. The methods and tools developed in this project will be made available to industry and academia on reasonable terms.