Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation

Queensland Carbon Geostorage InitiativeGroundwater Research Projects

2© The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2010

The Queensland Carbon Geostorage Initiative

CGI Stage 1Site Assessment

Atlas

CGI Stage 2Site Selection

HydrodynamicsGeological Models

HydrochemistryMineralogy

AcreageReleaseGap Analysis

CGI Stage 3Site Characterisation

EOI

Drilling Program

CommercialDeployment

DemonstrationProjects

3© The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2010

The Change in Queensland Government Objectives

Decreasing Uncertainty

Increasing Data-Effort Required

4© The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2010

Research Perspectives

• The applicability and timing of research programs• Timeframes• FID impacts• Research ambiguity• Fundamental Vs applied research• Embedded research

5© The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2010

CGI Groundwater Studies• Completed studies

• QA of the Department of the Environment and Resource Management Groundwater Database (DERM GWB)

• QA of selected Queensland petroleum well data points in the Surat and Galilee basins

• Conceptual hydrodynamic modelling in the Surat Basin• Aquifer media mineral stability in the presence of CO2 charged

groundwater• Hydrochemical characterisation of Jurassic groundwaters

• Proposed Studies• Conceptual hydrodynamic modelling in the Galilee Basin• Regional numerical groundwater flow modelling in the Surat Basin• Experimental studies on rock reactivity under CO2 stress• Reactive Transport modelling in the Surat and Galilee basins

6© The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2010

Existing Regional Groundwater Flow Models

Habermehl 1980 Radke et al. 2000

7© The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2010

Regional Hydrodynamic Modelling

8© The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2010

Regional Hydrodynamic Modelling

9© The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2010

Pressure/Depth Hydraulic Analysis

Hutton Sandstone

Evergreen Formation

Precipice Sandstone

basement

Hutton Sandstone

Evergreen Formation

Precipice Sandstone

basement

Precipice Sandstone

Hutton Sandstone

Hutton Sandstone

Evergreen Formation

Precipice Sandstone

Hutton Sandstone

Hutton Sandstone

Evergreen Formation

10© The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2010

Groundwater Hydrochemical QA Methodology

11© The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2010

Aquifer Media Mineral Composition and Groundwater Chemical Character

0 100 20050Km

Chemical composition (n = 248)

Mean mineralogical composition(n = 17)

Quartz

Illite

Kaolinite

Chlorite

Calcite

Na K Ca Mg Fe Mn HCO3 CO3 Cl SO4Mean 88.5 2.2 12.4 4.7 0.16 0.02 149.2 9.6 64.6 9.3

Median 44.3 1.9 2.5 0.6 0.00 0.00 106.8 0.1 14.0 0.0Mode 31.0 0.0 2.0 0.3 0.00 0.00 105.0 0.0 12.0 0.0

Standard Deviation 190.1 3.1 34.3 21.6 0.79 0.06 243.1 31.2 238.8 58.6Minimum 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.00 0.00 0.0 0.0 5.0 0.0Maximum 1590 30 290 275.5 8.7 0.47 3103.1 203.3 2189.7 753.9

HCO3

Stiff diagramNa Cl

CaMg SO4

300 - 1500< 300

1500 - 2000020000 - 35000

TDS (mg/L)

Precipice Sandstone

12© The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2010

Geochemical ModellingExamples of rock-water interactions

Precipice Sandstone

5678.01

.1

1

10

100

pH

Som

e m

iner

als

(gra

ms)

Quartz

Kaolinite

5678.01

.1

1

10

100

pH

Som

e m

iner

als

(gra

ms)

MuscoviteQuartz

Kaolinite

System:sandstone (>95% quartz)+ Na-HCO3 fresh gw (40 mg/L Na)

System:siltstone (53% quartz, 3 % mica, 20% K-feldspars, 13% kaolinite)+ Na-HCO3 fresh gw (40 mg/L Na)

quartz – constantkaolinite – slight precipitation

quartz – constantmica – dissolutionkaolinite – significant precipitation

13© The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2010

Geochemical ModellingExamples of rock-water interactions

Precipice Sandstone

System:sandstone (82% quartz, 13% kaolinite)+ Na-HCO3 gw (860 mg/L Na)

System:siltstone (53% quartz, 20% K-feldspars, 13% kaolinite)+ Na-HCO3 gw (860 mg/L Na)

quartz – constantmica + feldspar – significant dissolutionkaolinite – slight precipitation

quartz – constantmica – slight dissolutionfeldspar – significant dissolutionkaolinite – significant precipitationdawsonite – precipitation

55.566.577.588.59.1

1

10

100

pH

Min

eral

s (g

ram

s) Kaolinite

Albite lowMuscovite

Quartz

55.566.577.588.59.1

1

10

100

pH

Som

e m

iner

als

(gra

ms)

Clinochl-14A

K-feldspar

Muscovite

Quartz

Albite low

Dawsonite

Kaolinite

14© The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2010

Geochemical Modelling

System:mudstone (48% quartz, 35% kaolinite, 2% K-feldspar)+ Na-HCO3 gw (530 mg/L Na)

System:mudstone (25% quartz, 10% kaolinite, 24% smectite-illite mixed layer, 10% K-feldspar)+ Na-HCO3 gw (530 mg/L Na)quartz – constantmica, mixed layers – slight dissolutionfeldspar – significant dissolutionkaolinite – significant precipitationdawsonite – precipitation

Examples of rock-water interactionsEvergreen Formation

55.566.577.588.5.1

1

10

100

pH

Min

eral

s (g

ram

s)

Muscovite

Albite low

QuartzNontronit-Na

Kaolinite

Dawsonite

quartz – constantmica – slight dissolutionfeldspar – significant dissolutionkaolinite – significant precipitation

55.566.577.588.5.1

1

10

100

pH

Min

eral

s (g

ram

s)

Kaolinite

Muscovite

Albite low

Quartz

15© The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2010

Geochemical ModellingExamples of rock-water interactions

Evergreen FormationSystem:mudstone (40% quartz, 31% kaolinite, 10% K-feldspar, 1% siderite, 1% calcite)+ Na-HCO3 gw (530 mg/L Na)quartz – constantmica – slight dissolutionfeldspar – significant dissolutionkaolinite – precipitationsiderite – constantcalcite – significant dissolutiondawsonite – significant precipitation

55.566.577.5.1

1

10

100

pH

Som

e m

iner

als

(gra

ms)

Kaolinite

Calcite

Quartz

Muscovite

Siderite

Dawsonite

55.566.577.588.5.1

1

10

100

pH

Min

eral

s (g

ram

s)

KaoliniteMuscovite

Calcite

Albite low

Quartz

Nontronit-Na

SideriteDawsonite

System:mudstone (40% quartz, 31% kaolinite, 10% K-feldspar, 1% siderite, 1% calcite)+ Na-Cl gw (630 mg/L Na)

same processes

16© The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2010

Current and Future Requirements• New data is the key

• Reservoir and seal mineralogy at depth• Hydrochemistry – accurate minor and trace element compositions• Improved kinetic rate constants – asymmetry between precipitation

and dissolution• Empirical confirmation of modelled scenarios• Hydraulic data – porosity/permeability/relative permeability

• Modelling studies• Improved geological frameworks• Sequence stratigraphic interpretation for regional correlation• 3D fluid flow

• Vertical hydraulic relationships• Hydraulic significance of faults

• Reactive transport• Geomechanics