Modeling and mapping the area of potential impact (AoPI) for Class VI CO2 injection wells

Stephen Kraemer, Ph.D.Research Hydrologist

U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyOffice of Research and Development

y g

Office of Research and DevelopmentAthens, Georgia

Ground Water Protection Council Annual Forum,Atlanta, Georgia,

26 September, 2011

Office of Research and Development, National Exposure Research LabEcosystems Research Division, Athens, Georgia

Disclaimer• This material has been reviewed for presentation, and does not

represent the policy of the US Environmental Protection Agency.• Mention of commercial products does not indicate endorsement by

the Agency.

2

How to cut At leasttriplingt CO

Strategy for Reducing Emissions

CO2 emissions?

atm CO2

Emissions

one wedge (1GtC/yr):

emissions?

carbon capture and storage (CCS): geologic sequestration (GS)

Avoiddoubling

introduce systems to capture CO2 and store it underground at 800

Stabilizeunderground at 800 large coal-fired plants or 1,600 natural-gas-fired plants

atm 500 ppm

3

plants.

Pacala, Socolow, Science, 2004

Today 20571957

CO2 Stationary Sources

electricity generationcoal and natural gas

4

NETL 2010 Atlas

Advantages and challenges ofdeep storage of CO2p g 2

Benson, Cook, IPCC

NETL, 2010

5

Deep Saline Formations

Illinois BasinMt. Simon Sandstone

6NETL 2010 Atlas

Potential threats to underground sources of drinking water

7

Birkholzer et al., 2009

EPA UIC Area of Review (AoR)computational/numerical modeling and mapping

Guidance forGuidance for

CO2front

permit applicantpermit applicant

front

Critical pressure frontfront

AoR = MESPOP (maximum extent of the separate-phase plume

8

p p por the pressure front)

Area of Potential Impact (AoPI)semi-analytical modeling and mapping

pressure influenceBlock-diagram

view Guidance forGuidance forpermit reviewerpermit reviewer

threshold pressure

CO2 plume

Plan view

Primary seal and secondary traps and seals

from Birkholzer et al., 2008

USDW (TDS<10,000 mg/L

y y p

injection well freshunpluggedwell

99Cross-sectional view

Storage Unit brineCO2

Single Layer Concept Multi Layer Conceptet

al.

09

yes aquitard storage

boun

dary

Zhou

20

0

en o

r clo

sed

bop

eeb based frame ork

CAMELOT solver

web-based framework

desktop framework

TTim solver

desktop framework

GeoSequestrationBAEM

10

GeoSequestration

Maximum extent CO2 front

Qvertically integrated approach

Q

σc, cCO2

Haσb, b

ka, a

brine

r11

r

(Nordbotten and Celia, JFM, 2006)

Pressure Influence (single aquifer)

S

uWKHQp );(

42

p is the change in pressure [FL-2]

KHtrS

u4

2

Q is the injection rate (positive into the aquifer) [L3T-1]

K is the hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer [L2]

S is the storativity of the aquifer [-]

Qr is the radial distance from the center of the injection well [L]

H is the aquifer thickness [L]

t is time since injection started [T]

HK S

t is time since injection started [T]

W() is the well function

Note: an equivalentK, S Note: an equivalent injection volume rate of brine is computed by dividing CO2 mass rate of i j ti b CO d it @

1212r

(Theis, 1935)injection by CO2 density @ pressure, temperature. (Altunin, 1975).

Pressure influence … continued

yes aquitard storage

-Jac

ob55

no aquitard storage

Moe

nch

1985

yes aquitard storage

Han

tush

-19

5 M

. yes aquitard storage n

hou

et a

l20

09

y q g

dary

con

ditio

n

1313

Z

boun

Case StudyIllinois Basin

1E+06 800750700650600

Iowa

WisconsinWisconsin Arch

Kankakee Arch C

ppi R

iver A

rch

GroundwaterResourcesRegion

Thickness Mt. Simon (m)

Illinois Basin800000

900000 550500450400350300250200

Illinois

CincinnatiA

rch

ADM Site

Miss

issip

p

20 hypothetical injection wells5 Mt CO2/yr each

600000

700000

200150100500

IndianaCore Injection Area

Ozark

Dom

e

5 Mt CO2/yr eachTotal 100 Mt/yr

800000 900000 1E+06 1.1E+06 1.2E+06 1.3E+06

500000KentuckyMissouri

e

Pascola Arch

2000

mBirkholzer, Zhou, IJGCC 2009Zhou et al., GW, 2010

141414

Mt. Simon SandstoneEau Clare sealTOUGH2/ECO2N

24 node Linux supercomputer

Pressure fronts --- basin scale,CO2 fronts --- local scale

0.1

0 5

40353020

CO2 saturation at 50 yrspressure, bars50 yrs

0.5

1

5

1

2010510.50.1

10

2030

35

20

105

1

151515800000

1E+061.2E+06

600000

800

Birkholzer, Zhou, 2009Zhou et al., 2010

Pressure influence, Mt. Simon fm, 50 yrs, semi-analytical, single

phase solution, single layer

0.1

0.5

1

40353020105 phase solution, single layer

5

10

2030

35

20

10.50.1

“AoPI” ¯10

5

1

“AoR”G Sit L ti

¯

G

G Site LocationPressure increase

0.1 bar0.2 bar G

0.5 bar1.0 bar2.0 bar5 0 bar5.0 bar10.0 bar20.0 bar50.0 bar

1616

StatesIllinois BasinCounties 0 50 100 150 20025

Kilometers

Maximum extent threshold pressure

fresh zdw

w

l

ti tc

salinebi

Hbc

Bandilla, Kraemer, Birkholzer, under reviewstatic calculations- assume equilibrium density

17

assume equilibrium density- assume uniform density

0.12dynamic vs static threshold pressure

kg/s

)

0.1

DP = 1 barDP = 2 barDP 3 b

quife

r(k 0.08

DP = 3 barDP = 5 barDP = 10 barDP = 15 bar

ate

into

A 0.06

ce(m

)

600

-400

-200 Shale

Aquifer

Flow

Ra

0.04D

epth

Bel

owS

urfa

c

0 500 1000 1500 2000

-1400

-1200

-1000

-800

-600

Reservoir

Pressure BuildupBoundary Condition

Wellbore

TOUGH2

0.02 static threshold pressureequilibrium density = 2.1 baruniform density=1.3 bar

Radius (m)0 500 1000 1500 2000

1818Time (days)

10-1 100 101 102 103 104 1050

Birkholzer et al, 2011

19Mark Bakker

20Mark Bakker

8

7

21Mark Bakker

6

8

7

6

22Mark Bakker

65 4

8

7

65

23Mark Bakker

54

GeoSequestration v0.2web interface- web interface

Jay Rineer team

24

BAEM v0.1 – desktop interfaceBASINS Analytic Element ModelBASINS Analytic Element Model

Jay Rineer team

CAMELOT l iCAMELOT plug-in

25TTim plug-in Matt Tonkin team

Single Layer Concept Multi Layer ConceptAoPIT l f

ou e

t al.

2009

yes aquitard storage

ed b

ound

ary Tools for

Regulators

Zho 2

open

or c

lose

pressure influence

CAMELOT solver

TTim sol er

threshold pressure

CO l

b b d f k

TTim solverCO2 plume

web-based frameworkdesktop framework

BAEM26

GeoSequestration

BAEM