Carbon Capture and Storage:

What are the Big Issues and Opportunities

for the Petroleum Industry?

John G. Kaldi

University of Adelaide

Abstract:

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) can make significant cuts in Greenhouse Gas emissions, and will need to be part of the development of future energy resources worldwide. CCS technology comprises a number of steps: 1) CO2 is captured at the source (eg a power plant or gas production facility); 2) the captured CO2 is compressed to a supercritical state and transported, typically via pipeline, from the source to the geologic storage site; 3) the CO2 is injected via conventional wells into the geologic reservoir; and, 4) the CO2 is stored (trapped) in the geologic reservoir, where its movement is carefully monitored and the quantity stored is regularly verified.

Depleted oil and gas fields, which generally have proven geologic traps, reservoirs and seals, are ideal sites for storage of injected CO2. However, storage in saline aquifers, which rely on other trapping mechanisms such as solubility, residual and mineral trapping may be volumetrically more significant trapping mechanisms worldwide. Monitoring the behaviour of the stored CO2 includes both direct and remote technologies that can be deployed on the surface and in boreholes. These technologies record properties such as pressure, temperature, resistivity and sonic responses in both injection and observation wells. Other monitoring involves time-lapse seismic, microseismic, petrophysical and geochemical sampling, including tracer and isotope analysis. Systematic risk assessment for all storage sites considers both the engineered and natural systems. The engineered systems consist of the wells, the plant and the gathering line; the natural system includes the geology of the reservoir, the overlying and underlying sealing formations, faults and the groundwater flow regimes. CCS will undoubtedly provide entirely new challenges to the way we evaluate and monetize our future energy resources. Can these challenges be turned into opportunities? Successful deployment of CCS will require top quality science, specific infrastructure, appropriate regulations, clarity on liability issues and acceptance by the community. Organisations and individuals suitably skilled in these aspects stand to benefit tremendously from CCS.

Biography:

John Kaldi is the Chief Scientist for the Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies (CO2CRC), and Professor and Chair of Geosequestration at the University of Adelaide. John was the inaugural Head of the Australian School of Petroleum (ASP) and Director of the National Centre for Petroleum Geology and Geophysics (NCPGG) at University of Adelaide. Prior to academia, John spent 18 years in the Petroleum Industry in both technical and managerial roles with Shell, Arco and Vico. He has received Distinguished Service, Honorary member and Special Commendation awards from AAPG and has been an AAPG and PESA Distinguished Lecturer. He serves on the SPE committee for CCS and provides continuing education  courses on Carbon Capture & Storage, Reservoir and Seal Evaluation, and Capillary Pressure Principles.  He has been the author and presenter of over 150 journal articles and technical conference papers.