Real-Time Monitoring for Safe Geological CO2 Storage

With the emerging capability to capture large amounts of CO2, there is now a need for cost efficient and secure subsurface storage of CO2. Subsurface storage options are reservoirs in deep saline aquifers, abandoned hydrocarbon fields and producing fields. Injecting captured CO2 into producing fields can boost oil recovery and extend the life of oil fields. This process, called CO2 Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), provides a potentially valuable revenue stream that can help cover the costs of CCS operations. Thus, EOR is expected to be an important stepping stone to kickstart CCS activities at a larger scale. The capability of monitoring CO2 injection processes and storage conditions in underground rock formations will be paramount to ensure reservoir integrity and permanent safe storage. If CO2 escapes from a reservoir after injection, the effort of capturing, transporting and storing the gas will be futile, and costly remedial actions have to be put in place. Thus, tools and systems to monitor, measure and verify injection processes and storage conditions will be an essential part of the final steps in the CCS value chain. The project has developed a software tool based on an advanced geomechanical framework for real-time surveillance and optimization of CO2 injection operations. The software tool will provide continuous information about the reservoir conditions during injection operations. Understanding the immediate response of the geological formations during injection will enable the operators to tailor, review and optimize injection operations and thus increase the safe permanent CO2 storage capacity of the reservoirs.

The project's R&D results will be commercialized in the form of a software tool capable of real-time monitoring and analysis of geomechanical properties, to maximize safe CO2 storage capacity and avoid leakages during and after injection. The innovation is an important part of Geomec Engineering's long term business plan and a commercial enabler for CO2 storage projects on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, paving the road for a large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) value chain. The North Sea has a critical role in the permanent storage of CO2 from many of Europe's emitters in order to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The North Sea has immense secure CO2 storage capacity and indigenous offshore industries with the capability to develop and operate CO2 storage complexes. Geomec's innovation will enable large scale development of CO2 storage and EOR+. CCS has the potential to become a large industry for the North Sea, eclipsing the declining hydrocarbon production.

With the emerging capability to capture large amounts of CO2, there is now a need for cost efficient and secure subsurface storage of CO2. Subsurface storage options are reservoirs in deep saline aquifers, abandoned hydrocarbon fields and producing fields. Injecting captured CO2 into producing fields can boost oil recovery and extend the life of oil fields. This process, called CO2 Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), provides a potentially valuable revenue stream that can help cover the costs of CCS operations. Thus, EOR is expected to be an important stepping stone to kickstart CCS activities at a larger scale. The capability of monitoring CO2 injection processes and storage conditions in underground rock formations will be paramount to ensure reservoir integrity and permanent safe storage. If CO2 escapes from a reservoir after injection, the effort of capturing, transporting and storing the gas will be futile, and costly remedial actions have to be put in place. Thus, tools and systems to monitor, measure and verify injection processes and storage conditions will be an essential part of the final steps in the CCS value chain. The principal idea of Geomec's planned innovation is to develop a software tool based on an advanced geomechanical framework for real-time surveillance and optimization of CO2 injection operations. The software tool will cover all types of storage options including deep saline aquifers, abandoned fields and enhanced oil recovery with permanent storage of CO2 (EOR+), and will provide continuous information about the reservoir conditions during injection operations. Understanding the immediate response of the geological formations during injection will enable the operators to tailor, review and optimize injection operations and thus increase the safe permanent CO2 storage capacity of the reservoirs. This powerful and important real-time capability is not covered by any existing reservoir simulation tool.