Geologic Carbon Dioxide and Energy-related Storage, Gas Resources, and Utilization Active
Caballos Novaculite Reservoir Outcrop
A major reservoir for naturally occurring carbon dioxide in southwestern Texas
Atop the LaBarge Platform
A major reservoir for naturally occurring carbon dioxide, helium, and hydrocarbon gases
Mud Volcanoes
Mud volcanoes at the Davis-Schrimpf Seep Field, Calipatria, California
Above-ground Infrastructure for Storing Excess Energy
Subsurface natural gas storage in the Hutchinson Salt Member in Reno County, Kansas
The objectives of this task are to conduct relevant research needed to 1) evaluate helium (He) and CO2 resources; 2) support future assessments of low-thermal gases and better understand their resources and potential for use as analogues for anthropogenic CO2 storage; 3) study the feasibility of large-scale CO2 mineralization in the United States; 4) develop pressure-limited dynamic models for regional CO2 storage assessments and economic evaluations; and 5) evaluate geologic energy storage resources.
Geologic Carbon Dioxide Utilization Topics
Utilization of other energy-related gases such as CO2, He, nitrogen (N2), and hydrogen sulfide (H2S), if separated and concentrated from the produced natural gas stream, can make otherwise low-thermal (un-economic) natural gas accumulations a viable part of the national natural gas resource base. Many of these gases, including CO2, are separated and vented at the production site (H2S is typically reinjected), thereby contributing greenhouse gas to the atmosphere. Similarly, methane emissions during coal mining and after mine closure are often released to the atmosphere and contribute to greenhouse gases instead of being captured and utilized for energy production. The national electrical grid requires a balance between supply and demand across daily to annual cycles. Subsurface energy storage mechanisms including compressed air or gas, pumped hydroelectric, and geothermal require additional geologic investigations and assessments of available storage resources. To address an all-of-the-above approach, this project works to build improved geologic models needed to describe the distribution and resource-potential of these various energy options.
This task plans to complete a national assessment of He and CO2 resources found in natural gas reservoirs. New field and natural gas geochemistry data collected by task staff will be compiled and interpreted for scientific journal publications. Models of natural CO2 leakage of stored CO2 into shallow aquifers will be developed. A report describing the feasibility of large-scale CO2 mineralization in the United States was completed in 2019. In addition, engineering and economic modeling will be used to better characterize pressure-limited geologic CO2 storage resources. The task will evaluate the datasets and key process steps required to build a probabilistic assessment methodology to assess various geologic subsurface energy storage options that are available for use by the U.S. energy industry.
Subtasks:
- National Helium Resource Assessment: 01-OCT-2017 to 30-SEP-2022 -- Brennan
- Natural CO2 and Helium - Resources and Analogues for Anthropogenic CO2 Storage: 01-OCT-2017 to 30-SEP-2022 -- Brennan
- Feasibility of CO2 Mineralization in the United States: 01-OCT-2017 to 30-SEP-2022 -- Blondes
- Economics of CO2 storage: 01-OCT-2017 to 30-SEP-2020 -- Anderson, Freeman
- Geologic Energy Storage: 01-OCT-2019 to 30-SEP-2022 -- Buursink
Slideshows Associated with Project Member Talks:
- Federal lands greenhouse gas emissions and sequestration – a modified EPA methodology [.pdf]
- A Pressure-limited Model to Estimate CO2 Injection and Storage Capacity of Saline Formations: Investigating the Effects of Formation Properties, Model Variables and Presence of Hydrocarbon Reservoirs [.pdf] [1.2 MB]
- Overview of USGS Carbon Sequestration - Geologic Research and Assessments Project [.pdf] [2.1 MB]
- Status Report: Estimating greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels produced from Federal lands [.pdf] [1.2 MB]
- U.S. Geological Survey National Assessment of Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Resources and Associated Research [.pdf] [2.3 MB]
- U.S. Geological Survey National Assessment of Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Resources and Associated Research [.pdf] [2.6 MB]
- National Assessment of Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Resources - Results [.pdf] [2.2 MB]
- U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Resource Assessment of the United States - 2012 Project Update [.pdf] [3.9 MB]
- Examining Salinity Restrictions for CO2 Storage: Suggestions from Basin to Reservoir Scales [.pdf] [1.9 MB]
- Using ArcGIS to Identify Environmental Risk Factors Associated with CO2 Storage [.pdf] [1.7 MB]
- A Probabilistic Assessment Methodology for the Evaluation of Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage [.pdf] [1.4 MB]
- CO2 Fluid Flow Modeling to Derive the Time Scales of Lateral Fluid Migration [.pdf] [1.2 MB]
- U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Resource Assessment of the United States - Project Update [.pdf] [3.3 MB]
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Estimating market conditions for potential entry of new sources of anthropogenic CO2 for EOR in the Permian Basin
Preliminary GIS representation of deep coal areas for carbon dioxide storage in the contiguous United States and Alaska
Improving pressure-limited CO2 storage capacity in saline formations by means of brine extraction
Estimating the pressure-limited dynamic capacity and costs of basin-scale CO2 storage in a Saline Formation
Overview of future USGS Gulf of Mexico buoyant storage assessment project
Carbon dioxide mineralization feasibility in the United States
Simulating the evolution of fluid underpressures in the Great Plains, by incorporation of tectonic uplift and tilting, with a groundwater flow model
Estimating the potential costs of brine production to expand the pressure-limited CO2 storage capacity of the Mount Simon Sandstone
Federal lands greenhouse emissions and sequestration in the United States—Estimates for 2005–14
In January 2016, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior tasked the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) with producing a publicly available and annually updated database of estimated greenhouse gas emissions associated with the extraction and use (predominantly some form of combustion) of fossil fuels from Federal lands. In response, the USGS has produced estimates of the greenhouse gas emi
Estimating the pressure-limited CO2 injection and storage capacity of the United States saline formations: Effect of the presence of hydrocarbon reservoirs
Economics, helium, and the U.S. Federal Helium Reserve: Summary and outlook
Using mercury injection pressure analyses to estimate sealing capacity of the Tuscaloosa marine shale in Mississippi, USA: Implications for carbon dioxide sequestration
Below are data or web applications associated with this project task.
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- Overview
The objectives of this task are to conduct relevant research needed to 1) evaluate helium (He) and CO2 resources; 2) support future assessments of low-thermal gases and better understand their resources and potential for use as analogues for anthropogenic CO2 storage; 3) study the feasibility of large-scale CO2 mineralization in the United States; 4) develop pressure-limited dynamic models for regional CO2 storage assessments and economic evaluations; and 5) evaluate geologic energy storage resources.
Geologic Carbon Dioxide Utilization TopicsUtilization of other energy-related gases such as CO2, He, nitrogen (N2), and hydrogen sulfide (H2S), if separated and concentrated from the produced natural gas stream, can make otherwise low-thermal (un-economic) natural gas accumulations a viable part of the national natural gas resource base. Many of these gases, including CO2, are separated and vented at the production site (H2S is typically reinjected), thereby contributing greenhouse gas to the atmosphere. Similarly, methane emissions during coal mining and after mine closure are often released to the atmosphere and contribute to greenhouse gases instead of being captured and utilized for energy production. The national electrical grid requires a balance between supply and demand across daily to annual cycles. Subsurface energy storage mechanisms including compressed air or gas, pumped hydroelectric, and geothermal require additional geologic investigations and assessments of available storage resources. To address an all-of-the-above approach, this project works to build improved geologic models needed to describe the distribution and resource-potential of these various energy options.
This task plans to complete a national assessment of He and CO2 resources found in natural gas reservoirs. New field and natural gas geochemistry data collected by task staff will be compiled and interpreted for scientific journal publications. Models of natural CO2 leakage of stored CO2 into shallow aquifers will be developed. A report describing the feasibility of large-scale CO2 mineralization in the United States was completed in 2019. In addition, engineering and economic modeling will be used to better characterize pressure-limited geologic CO2 storage resources. The task will evaluate the datasets and key process steps required to build a probabilistic assessment methodology to assess various geologic subsurface energy storage options that are available for use by the U.S. energy industry.Subtasks:
- National Helium Resource Assessment: 01-OCT-2017 to 30-SEP-2022 -- Brennan
- Natural CO2 and Helium - Resources and Analogues for Anthropogenic CO2 Storage: 01-OCT-2017 to 30-SEP-2022 -- Brennan
- Feasibility of CO2 Mineralization in the United States: 01-OCT-2017 to 30-SEP-2022 -- Blondes
- Economics of CO2 storage: 01-OCT-2017 to 30-SEP-2020 -- Anderson, Freeman
- Geologic Energy Storage: 01-OCT-2019 to 30-SEP-2022 -- Buursink
Slideshows Associated with Project Member Talks:
- Federal lands greenhouse gas emissions and sequestration – a modified EPA methodology [.pdf]
- A Pressure-limited Model to Estimate CO2 Injection and Storage Capacity of Saline Formations: Investigating the Effects of Formation Properties, Model Variables and Presence of Hydrocarbon Reservoirs [.pdf] [1.2 MB]
- Overview of USGS Carbon Sequestration - Geologic Research and Assessments Project [.pdf] [2.1 MB]
- Status Report: Estimating greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels produced from Federal lands [.pdf] [1.2 MB]
- U.S. Geological Survey National Assessment of Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Resources and Associated Research [.pdf] [2.3 MB]
- U.S. Geological Survey National Assessment of Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Resources and Associated Research [.pdf] [2.6 MB]
- National Assessment of Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Resources - Results [.pdf] [2.2 MB]
- U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Resource Assessment of the United States - 2012 Project Update [.pdf] [3.9 MB]
- Examining Salinity Restrictions for CO2 Storage: Suggestions from Basin to Reservoir Scales [.pdf] [1.9 MB]
- Using ArcGIS to Identify Environmental Risk Factors Associated with CO2 Storage [.pdf] [1.7 MB]
- A Probabilistic Assessment Methodology for the Evaluation of Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage [.pdf] [1.4 MB]
- CO2 Fluid Flow Modeling to Derive the Time Scales of Lateral Fluid Migration [.pdf] [1.2 MB]
- U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Resource Assessment of the United States - Project Update [.pdf] [3.3 MB]
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project task.
- Data
Below are data or web applications associated with this project task.
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Below are multimedia items associated with this project task.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project task.
Filter Total Items: 69Estimating market conditions for potential entry of new sources of anthropogenic CO2 for EOR in the Permian Basin
This study attempts to determine feasible carbon dioxide (CO2) price thresholds for entry of new sources of anthropogenic (man-made) CO2 for utilization in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in the Permian Basin. Much of the discussion about carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) has focused on the high costs of carbon capture as the major barrier to entry of new anthropogenic sources of CO2 forAuthorsSteven T. Anderson, Steven M. CahanPreliminary GIS representation of deep coal areas for carbon dioxide storage in the contiguous United States and Alaska
This report and its accompanying geospatial data outline many areas of coal in the United States beneath more than 3,000 ft of overburden. Based on depth, these areas may be targets for injection and storage of supercritical carbon dioxide. Additional areas where coal exists beneath more than 1,000 ft of overburden are also outlined; these may be targets for geologic storage of carbon dioxide in cAuthorsKevin B. Jones, Laura E. Barnhart, Peter D. Warwick, Margo D. CorumImproving pressure-limited CO2 storage capacity in saline formations by means of brine extraction
The carbon dioxide (CO2) storage capacity of saline formations may be constrained by reservoir pressure limitations. Brine extraction could be necessary to increase the CO2 storage capacity of a given formation, manage the extent of the underground CO2 plume and induced pressure front, and control the migration direction. To estimate the additional CO2 storage capacity of a saline formation that cAuthorsHossein Jahediesfanjani, Steven T. Anderson, Peter D. WarwickEstimating the pressure-limited dynamic capacity and costs of basin-scale CO2 storage in a Saline Formation
Deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) could be necessary to be able to satisfy baseload electricity demand, maintain diversity in the energy mix, and achieve mitigation of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at lowest cost (IPCC, 2015; U.S. DOE, 2016). If basin-, regional- or national-scale deployment of CCS is needed, it may be possible to store only a small fraction of the captured CO2 in oiAuthorsSteven T. Anderson, Hossein JahediesfanjaniOverview of future USGS Gulf of Mexico buoyant storage assessment project
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is a member of a U.S. Department of Energy-funded partnership headed by the University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology that is working to assess the feasibility of offshore geologic carbon dioxide (CO2) storage in the Gulf of Mexico. The role of the USGS is to assess the buoyant geologic CO2 storage resource of the western half of the offshore Gulf ofAuthorsSean T. BrennanCarbon dioxide mineralization feasibility in the United States
Geologic carbon dioxide (CO2) storage is one of many methods for stabilizing the increasing concentration of CO2 in the Earth’s atmosphere. The injection of CO2 in deep subsurface sedimentary reservoirs is the most commonly discussed method; however, the potential for CO2 leakage can create long-term stability concerns. This report discusses the feasibility of an alternative form of geologic CO2 sAuthorsMadalyn S. Blondes, Matthew D. Merrill, Steven T. Anderson, Christina A. DeVeraSimulating the evolution of fluid underpressures in the Great Plains, by incorporation of tectonic uplift and tilting, with a groundwater flow model
Underpressures (subhydrostatic heads) in the Paleozoic units underlying the Great Plains of North America are a consequence of Cenozoic uplift of the area. Based on tectonostratigraphic data, we have developed a cumulative uplift history with superimposed periods of deposition and erosion for the Great Plains for the period from 40 Ma to the present. Uplift, deposition, and erosion on an 800 km geAuthorsAmjad M. J. Umari, Philip H. Nelson, Gary D. LecainEstimating the potential costs of brine production to expand the pressure-limited CO2 storage capacity of the Mount Simon Sandstone
The conventional wisdom is that widespread deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) is likely necessary to be able to satisfy baseload electricity demand, to maintain diversity in the energy mix, and to achieve mitigation of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at lowest cost (IPCC, 2014). If national-scale deployment of CCS is needed in the United States, it may be possible to store only a smallAuthorsSteven T. Anderson, Hossein JahediesfanjaniFederal lands greenhouse emissions and sequestration in the United States—Estimates for 2005–14
In January 2016, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior tasked the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) with producing a publicly available and annually updated database of estimated greenhouse gas emissions associated with the extraction and use (predominantly some form of combustion) of fossil fuels from Federal lands. In response, the USGS has produced estimates of the greenhouse gas emi
AuthorsMatthew D. Merrill, Benjamin M. Sleeter, Philip A. Freeman, Jinxun Liu, Peter D. Warwick, Bradley C. ReedEstimating the pressure-limited CO2 injection and storage capacity of the United States saline formations: Effect of the presence of hydrocarbon reservoirs
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) national assessment of carbon dioxide (CO2) storage capacity evaluated 192 saline Storage Assessment Units (SAUs) in 33 U.S. onshore sedimentary basins that may be utilized for CO2 storage (see USGS Circular 1386). Similar to many other available models, volumetric analysis was utilized to estimate the initial CO2injection and storage capacity of these SAUs basedAuthorsHossein Jahediesfanjani, Peter D. Warwick, Steven T. AndersonEconomics, helium, and the U.S. Federal Helium Reserve: Summary and outlook
In 2017, disruptions in the global supply of helium reminded consumers, distributors, and policy makers that the global helium supply chain lacks flexibility, and that attempts to increase production from the U.S. Federal Helium Reserve (the FHR) may not be able to compensate for the loss of one of the few major producers in the world. Issues with U.S. and global markets for helium include inelastAuthorsSteven T. AndersonUsing mercury injection pressure analyses to estimate sealing capacity of the Tuscaloosa marine shale in Mississippi, USA: Implications for carbon dioxide sequestration
This work used mercury injection capillary pressure (MICP) analyses of the Tuscaloosa Group in Mississippi, including the Tuscaloosa marine shale (TMS), to assess their efficacy and sealing capacity for geologic carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration. Tuscaloosa Group porosity and permeability from MICP were evaluated to calculate CO2 column height retention. TMS and Lower Tuscaloosa shale samples havAuthorsCeleste D. Lohr, Paul C. Hackley - Web Tools
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