Geologic Carbon Sequestration Program
Research
Projects
GEO-SEQ
Task 2. Deploy and evaluate MMV and simulation technologies at the Otway Basin Demonstration Site in Australia
Contact: |
Barry Freifeld |
Key Personnel: |
Tom Daley |
The GEO-SEQ team is participating in the upcoming demonstration project of geologic storage in the Otway Basin in Australia. This provides a unique opportunity to gain new insights about geologic storage of CO2 and improve MMV techniques. The demonstration project will take place over a multi-year period and inject up to 100,000 tonnes of CO2 in gas and saline formations. The comparatively large mass of CO2 that will be injected, combined with the opportunity to leverage the large investment in this demonstration project by the Australian government and industrial partners, provides a tremendous opportunity for gaining experience with geologic storage of CO2 in saline formations. During FY2006, the LBNL team designed a U-tube monitoring system and participated in detailed geophysical design studies for the test. In addition, we initiated a code-intercomparison project to help improve simulation capabilities for storage in depleted gas reservoirs. During FY2007 the role of the LBNL team will be to:
- Install and initiate baseline geochemical data collection with the U-tube sampling system;
- Deploy and collect baseline geophysical data, specifically, time-lapse vertical seismic profile data;
- Help to design the data collection approach and interpret injectivity data;
- Develop and interpret simulation intercomparison studies; and
- Participate in the integrated interpretation and simulation of the fate and transport of the injected CO2
Not only does this test provide a unique opportunity for collaboration, but the injection formation is not unlike many potential storage formations present in the U.S.

