The objective of this research task is to conduct a national assessment of recoverable oil related to CO2 injection. The amount of CO2 stored (utilized) during the hydrocarbon recovery process will also be evaluated.
Geologic Carbon Sequestration Topics
- Assessment Methodologies
- National Carbon Dioxide Storage Assessment Results
- Select Energy Resources Program Carbon Dioxide Publications
- Global Carbon Dioxide Storage Resource Assessments
- Project Staff
- Geologic Carbon Sequestration Project Overview Handout
- Helium Concentrations in United States Wells
Utilization of CO2 for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in existing or depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs can increase the U.S. hydrocarbon recoverable resource volume and prevent wasteful CO2 release to the atmosphere.
The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA, Public Law 110-140) of 2007 authorized the USGS to conduct a national assessment of geologic storage resources and to evaluate the national technically recoverable hydrocarbon resources resulting from CO2 injection and related storage (CO2-EOR).
The USGS recently completed the national CO2 storage assessment (see U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Resources Assessment Team, 2013); however, an evaluation of recoverable hydrocarbons (oil) related to CO2 injection was delayed to allow the USGS time to build a comprehensive CO2-EOR database and to develop an assessment methodology to evaluate the recovery potential for oil related to CO2 injection.
The USGS CO2-EOR assessment will build upon previous technical/economic evaluations conducted by industry, government, and academic organizations; however, the USGS assessment will be of the total technically recoverable oil resources, and will not include a minimum economic cutoff.
Previous assessments of CO2-EOR recoverable resources have included economic constraints and vary widely with some estimates of over 100 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil. The national resource of technically recoverable oil resulting from CO2 injection on a non-economic basis is unknown.
Slideshows Associated with Project Member Talks:
- Enhanced Oil Recovery and Residual Oil Zone Studies at the U.S. Geological Survey [.pdf] [2.0 MB]
- Overview of USGS Carbon Sequestration - Geologic Research and Assessments Project [.pdf] [2.1 MB]
- A Probabilistic Assessment Methodology for Carbon Dioxide Enhanced Oil Recovery and Associated Carbon Dioxide Retention [.pdf] [.67 MB]
- A Database and Probabilistic Assessment Methodology for Carbon Dioxide Enhanced Oil Recovery and Associated Carbon Dioxide Retention in the United States [.pdf] [1.7 MB]
- Enhanced Oil Recovery and CO2 Resource Studies at the U.S. Geological Survey [.pdf] [1.2 MB]
- Development Philosophy of an Assessment Methodology for Hydrocarbon Recovery Potential Using CO2-EOR Associated with Carbon Sequestration [.pdf] [.57 MB]
- U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Resource Assessment of the United States - 2012 Project Update [.pdf] [3.9 MB]
Below are other science projects associated with this project task.
Utilization of Carbon and other Energy Gases - Geologic Research and Assessments
Economics of Energy Transitions
Geologic Energy Storage
Assessing Emissions from Active and Abandoned Coal Mines
Induced Seismicity Associated with Carbon Dioxide Geologic Storage
Geologic Carbon Dioxide and Energy-related Storage, Gas Resources, and Utilization
National assessment of carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery and associated carbon dioxide retention resources - data release
Below are publications associated with this project task.
A residual oil zone (ROZ) assessment methodology with application to the central basin platform (Permian Basin, USA) for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and long-term geologic CO2 storage
Assessing global geologic carbon dioxide storage resources
National assessment of carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery and associated carbon dioxide retention resources — Summary
National assessment of carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery and associated carbon dioxide retention resources — Results
Decision analysis and CO2–Enhanced oil recovery development strategies
Methodology for estimating the prospective CO2 storage resource of residual oil zones at the national and regional scale
A probabilistic assessment methodology for carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery and associated carbon dioxide retention
Estimating market conditions for potential entry of new sources of anthropogenic CO2 for EOR in the Permian Basin
A fuzzy logic approach for estimating recovery factors of miscible CO2-EOR projects in the United States
An ANCOVA model for porosity and its uncertainty for oil reservoirs based on TORIS dataset
Carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery and residual oil zone studies at the U.S. Geological Survey
Zone identification and oil saturation prediction in a waterflooded field: Residual oil zone, East Seminole Field, Texas, Permian Basin
Below are other data and tools associated with this project task.
Below are news stories associated with this project task.
Below are FAQ associated with this project task.
How does carbon get into the atmosphere?
Atmospheric carbon dioxide comes from two primary sources—natural and human activities. Natural sources of carbon dioxide include most animals, which exhale carbon dioxide as a waste product. Human activities that lead to carbon dioxide emissions come primarily from energy production, including burning coal, oil, or natural gas.Learn more: Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (EPA)
Has the USGS made any Biologic Carbon Sequestration assessments?
The USGS is congressionally mandated (2007 Energy Independence and Security Act) to conduct a comprehensive national assessment of storage and flux (flow) of carbon and the fluxes of other greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide) in ecosystems. At this writing, reports have been completed for Alaska, the Eastern U.S., the Great Plains, and the Western U.S. Learn more: Land Change Science...
How much carbon dioxide does the United States and the World emit each year from energy sources?
The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that in 2019, the United States emitted 5,130 million metric tons of energy-related carbon dioxide, while the global emissions of energy-related carbon dioxide totaled 33,621.5 million metric tons.
Which area is the best for geologic carbon sequestration?
It is difficult to characterize one area as “the best” for carbon sequestration because the answer depends on the question: best for what? However, the area of the assessment with the most storage potential for carbon dioxide is the Coastal Plains region, which includes coastal basins from Texas to Georgia. That region accounts for 2,000 metric gigatons, or 65 percent, of the storage potential...
How much carbon dioxide can the United States store via geologic sequestration?
In 2013, the USGS released the first-ever comprehensive, nation-wide assessment of geologic carbon sequestration, which estimates a mean storage potential of 3,000 metric gigatons of carbon dioxide. The assessment is the first geologically-based, probabilistic assessment, with a range of 2,400 to 3,700 metric gigatons of potential carbon dioxide storage. In addition, the assessment is for the...
What’s the difference between geologic and biologic carbon sequestration?
Geologic carbon sequestration is the process of storing carbon dioxide (CO2) in underground geologic formations. The CO2 is usually pressurized until it becomes a liquid, and then it is injected into porous rock formations in geologic basins. This method of carbon storage is also sometimes a part of enhanced oil recovery, otherwise known as tertiary recovery, because it is typically used later in...
What is carbon sequestration?
Carbon dioxide is the most commonly produced greenhouse gas. Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide. It is one method of reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere with the goal of reducing global climate change. The USGS is conducting assessments on two major types of carbon sequestration: geologic and biologic.
Below are partners associated with this project task.
- Overview
The objective of this research task is to conduct a national assessment of recoverable oil related to CO2 injection. The amount of CO2 stored (utilized) during the hydrocarbon recovery process will also be evaluated.
Geologic Carbon Sequestration Topics- Assessment Methodologies
- National Carbon Dioxide Storage Assessment Results
- Select Energy Resources Program Carbon Dioxide Publications
- Global Carbon Dioxide Storage Resource Assessments
- Project Staff
- Geologic Carbon Sequestration Project Overview Handout
- Helium Concentrations in United States Wells
Utilization of CO2 for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in existing or depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs can increase the U.S. hydrocarbon recoverable resource volume and prevent wasteful CO2 release to the atmosphere.
The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA, Public Law 110-140) of 2007 authorized the USGS to conduct a national assessment of geologic storage resources and to evaluate the national technically recoverable hydrocarbon resources resulting from CO2 injection and related storage (CO2-EOR).
The USGS recently completed the national CO2 storage assessment (see U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Resources Assessment Team, 2013); however, an evaluation of recoverable hydrocarbons (oil) related to CO2 injection was delayed to allow the USGS time to build a comprehensive CO2-EOR database and to develop an assessment methodology to evaluate the recovery potential for oil related to CO2 injection.
The USGS CO2-EOR assessment will build upon previous technical/economic evaluations conducted by industry, government, and academic organizations; however, the USGS assessment will be of the total technically recoverable oil resources, and will not include a minimum economic cutoff.
Previous assessments of CO2-EOR recoverable resources have included economic constraints and vary widely with some estimates of over 100 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil. The national resource of technically recoverable oil resulting from CO2 injection on a non-economic basis is unknown.
Slideshows Associated with Project Member Talks:
- Enhanced Oil Recovery and Residual Oil Zone Studies at the U.S. Geological Survey [.pdf] [2.0 MB]
- Overview of USGS Carbon Sequestration - Geologic Research and Assessments Project [.pdf] [2.1 MB]
- A Probabilistic Assessment Methodology for Carbon Dioxide Enhanced Oil Recovery and Associated Carbon Dioxide Retention [.pdf] [.67 MB]
- A Database and Probabilistic Assessment Methodology for Carbon Dioxide Enhanced Oil Recovery and Associated Carbon Dioxide Retention in the United States [.pdf] [1.7 MB]
- Enhanced Oil Recovery and CO2 Resource Studies at the U.S. Geological Survey [.pdf] [1.2 MB]
- Development Philosophy of an Assessment Methodology for Hydrocarbon Recovery Potential Using CO2-EOR Associated with Carbon Sequestration [.pdf] [.57 MB]
- U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Resource Assessment of the United States - 2012 Project Update [.pdf] [3.9 MB]
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project task.
Utilization of Carbon and other Energy Gases - Geologic Research and Assessments
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is utilized by industry to enhance oil recovery. Subsurface CO2 storage could significantly impact reduction of CO2 emissions to the atmosphere, but the economics and potential risks associated with the practice must be understood before implementing extensive programs or regulations. Utilization of other energy-related gases such as helium (He), if separated and concentrated...Economics of Energy Transitions
This task conducts research to characterize or evaluate the economics of developing technologies or markets in geologic resources. Such research can analyze the relative risks, costs, and benefits from the utilization and not just the extraction of underground resource. Economic analysis builds upon the geologic resource assessment work by other tasks in the Utilization of Carbon and other Energy...Geologic Energy Storage
The United States (U.S.) domestic energy supply increasingly relies on natural gas and renewable sources; however, their efficient use is limited by supply and demand constraints. For example, a) in summer, natural gas production may outpace home heating fuel demand and b) in daytime, wind and solar electricity production may outpace industrial power requirements. Storing rather than dumping...Assessing Emissions from Active and Abandoned Coal Mines
The gas emission zone liberates and accumulates significant amounts of coal mine methane as a by-product of active mining. In most active mines, coal mine methane is controlled by wellbores, called gob gas ventholes. Despite the presence of these wellbores, it is not possible to capture all of the methane generated within the gas emission zone. As a consequence, a large amount of gas migrates into...Induced Seismicity Associated with Carbon Dioxide Geologic Storage
As a national science agency, the USGS is responsible for assessing hazards from earthquakes throughout the United States. The USGS studies induced seismicity across the spectrum of energy issues: carbon sequestration, geothermal energy, and conventional and unconventional oil and gas. In the central and eastern United States, earthquakes induced by fluid injection activities contribute...Geologic Carbon Dioxide and Energy-related Storage, Gas Resources, and Utilization
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... - Data
National assessment of carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery and associated carbon dioxide retention resources - data release
In 2020, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed a probabilistic assessment of the volume of technically recoverable oil resources available if current carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR) technologies were applied in amenable oil reservoirs underlying the onshore and State waters area of the conterminous United States. The assessment also includes estimates of the magnitude of CO2 s - Multimedia
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project task.
Filter Total Items: 22A residual oil zone (ROZ) assessment methodology with application to the central basin platform (Permian Basin, USA) for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and long-term geologic CO2 storage
Residual oil zones (ROZ) form due to various geologic conditions and are located below the oil/water contact (OWC) of main pay zones (MPZ). Since ROZs usually contain immobile oil, they have not typically been considered commercially attractive for development by conventional primary recovery methods used in the initial phases of oil production. However, during the last decade some operators of thAuthorsC. Özgen Karacan, Sean T. Brennan, Marc L. Buursink, Philip A. Freeman, Celeste D. Lohr, Matthew D. Merrill, Ricardo A. Olea, Peter D. WarwickAssessing global geologic carbon dioxide storage resources
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM), the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme (IEAGHG), and the Clean Energy Ministerial Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage Initiative (CEM-CCUS Initiative), plans to work with partner nations to assess geologic carbon dioxide (CO2) storage resources gloAuthorsSean T. Brennan, Peter D. Warwick, Anhar Karimjee, Adam Y. Wong, Timothy Dixon, James Craig, Juho LipponenNational assessment of carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery and associated carbon dioxide retention resources — Summary
IntroductionIn 2020, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed a probabilistic assessment of the volume of technically recoverable oil resources that might be produced by using current carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR) technologies in amenable conventional oil reservoirs underlying the onshore and State waters areas of the conterminous United States. The assessment also includes estAuthorsPeter D. Warwick, Emil D. Attanasi, Madalyn S. Blondes, Sean T. Brennan, Marc L. Buursink, Steven M. Cahan, Colin A. Doolan, Philip A. Freeman, C. Özgen Karacan, Celeste D. Lohr, Matthew D. Merrill, Ricardo A. Olea, Jenna L. Shelton, Ernie R. Slucher, Brian A. VarelaNational assessment of carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery and associated carbon dioxide retention resources — Results
In 2020, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed a probabilistic assessment of the volume of technically recoverable oil resources available if current carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR) technologies were applied to amenable oil reservoirs underlying the onshore and State waters areas of the conterminous United States. The assessment also includes estimates of the mass of CO2 thatAuthorsPeter D. Warwick, Emil D. Attanasi, Madalyn S. Blondes, Sean T. Brennan, Marc L. Buursink, Steven M. Cahan, Colin A. Doolan, Philip A. Freeman, C. Özgen Karacan, Celeste D. Lohr, Matthew D. Merrill, Ricardo A. Olea, Jenna L. Shelton, Ernie R. Slucher, Brian A. VarelaDecision analysis and CO2–Enhanced oil recovery development strategies
This paper analyzes the relationship between actual reservoir conditions and predicted measures of performance of carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery (CO2–EOR) programs. It then shows how CO2–EOR operators might maximize the value of their projects by approaching implementation using a “flexible selective” pattern development strategy, where the CO2–EOR program patterns are selectively developedAuthorsE. D. Attanasi, Philip A. FreemanMethodology for estimating the prospective CO2 storage resource of residual oil zones at the national and regional scale
Residual oil zones (ROZs) are increasingly gaining interest as potential reservoirs for carbon dioxide (CO2) storage. Here, we present a national- and regional-scale methodology for estimating prospective CO2 storage resources in residual oil zones. This methodology uses a volumetric equation that accounts for CO2 storage as a free phase in pore space and as a dissolved phase in oil and does not aAuthorsSean Sanguinito, Harpreet Singh, Evgeniy M. Myshakin, Angela L. Goodman, Robert M. Dilmore, Timothy C. Grant, David Morgan, Grant Bromhal, Peter D. Warwick, Sean T. Brennan, Philip A. Freeman, C. Özgen Karacan, Charles Gorecki, Wesley Peck, Matthew Burton-Kelly, Neil Dotzenrod, Scott Frailey, Rajesh PawarA probabilistic assessment methodology for carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery and associated carbon dioxide retention
The U.S. Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 authorized the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a national assessment of the potential volume of hydrocarbons recoverable by injection of carbon dioxide (CO2) into known oil reservoirs with historical production. The implementation of CO2 enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR) techniques could increase the U.S. recoverable hydrocarbon resourceAuthorsPeter D. Warwick, Emil D. Attanasi, Ricardo A. Olea, Madalyn S. Blondes, Philip A. Freeman, Sean T. Brennan, Matthew D. Merrill, Mahendra K. Verma, C. Özgen Karacan, Jenna L. Shelton, Celeste D. Lohr, Hossein Jahediesfanjani, Jacqueline N. RouechéEstimating 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. CahanA fuzzy logic approach for estimating recovery factors of miscible CO2-EOR projects in the United States
"Recovery factor (RF) is one of the most fundamental parameters that define engineering and economical success of any operational phase in oil and gas production. The effectiveness of the operation, e.g. CO2-EOR (enhanced oil recovery with carbon dioxide injection), is usually defined by multiplying the resultant recovery factor by the original oil in place. Moreover, investment decisions for suchAuthorsC. Özgen KaracanAn ANCOVA model for porosity and its uncertainty for oil reservoirs based on TORIS dataset
Porosity is one of the most important parameters to assess in-place oil or gas in reservoirs, and to evaluate recovery from enhanced production operations. Since it is relatively well-established to determine porosity using different laboratory and field methods, its value is usually determined at many locations across a reservoir as part of the common practice to capture reservoir heterogeneity aAuthorsC. Özgen KaracanCarbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery and residual oil zone studies at the U.S. Geological Survey
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is preparing a national resource assessment of the potential hydrocarbons recoverable after injection of carbon dioxide (CO2) into conventional oil reservoirs in the United States. The implementation of CO2-enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR) techniques can increase hydrocarbon production, and lead to incidental retention of CO2 in reservoir pore space allowing long-tAuthorsPeter D. Warwick, Emil D. Attanasi, Madalyn S. Blondes, Sean T. Brennan, Marc L. Buursink, Colin A. Doolan, Philip A. Freeman, Hossein Jahediesfanjani, C. Özgen Karacan, Celeste D. Lohr, Matthew D. Merrill, Ricardo A. Olea, Jacqueline N. Roueché, Jenna L. Shelton, Ernie Slucher, Brian A. Varela, Mahendra K. VermaZone identification and oil saturation prediction in a waterflooded field: Residual oil zone, East Seminole Field, Texas, Permian Basin
Recently, the miscible CO2-EOR tertiary process used in the main pay zone (MP) of suitable reservoirs has broadened to include exploitation of the underlying residual oil zone (ROZ) where a significant amount of oil may remain. The objective of this study is to identify the ROZ and to assess the remaining oil in a brownfield ROZ by using core data and conventional well logs with probabilistic andAuthorsJacqueline Roueche, C. Özgen Karacan - Web Tools
Below are other data and tools associated with this project task.
- News
Below are news stories associated with this project task.
- FAQ
Below are FAQ associated with this project task.
How does carbon get into the atmosphere?
Atmospheric carbon dioxide comes from two primary sources—natural and human activities. Natural sources of carbon dioxide include most animals, which exhale carbon dioxide as a waste product. Human activities that lead to carbon dioxide emissions come primarily from energy production, including burning coal, oil, or natural gas.Learn more: Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (EPA)
Has the USGS made any Biologic Carbon Sequestration assessments?
The USGS is congressionally mandated (2007 Energy Independence and Security Act) to conduct a comprehensive national assessment of storage and flux (flow) of carbon and the fluxes of other greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide) in ecosystems. At this writing, reports have been completed for Alaska, the Eastern U.S., the Great Plains, and the Western U.S. Learn more: Land Change Science...
How much carbon dioxide does the United States and the World emit each year from energy sources?
The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that in 2019, the United States emitted 5,130 million metric tons of energy-related carbon dioxide, while the global emissions of energy-related carbon dioxide totaled 33,621.5 million metric tons.
Which area is the best for geologic carbon sequestration?
It is difficult to characterize one area as “the best” for carbon sequestration because the answer depends on the question: best for what? However, the area of the assessment with the most storage potential for carbon dioxide is the Coastal Plains region, which includes coastal basins from Texas to Georgia. That region accounts for 2,000 metric gigatons, or 65 percent, of the storage potential...
How much carbon dioxide can the United States store via geologic sequestration?
In 2013, the USGS released the first-ever comprehensive, nation-wide assessment of geologic carbon sequestration, which estimates a mean storage potential of 3,000 metric gigatons of carbon dioxide. The assessment is the first geologically-based, probabilistic assessment, with a range of 2,400 to 3,700 metric gigatons of potential carbon dioxide storage. In addition, the assessment is for the...
What’s the difference between geologic and biologic carbon sequestration?
Geologic carbon sequestration is the process of storing carbon dioxide (CO2) in underground geologic formations. The CO2 is usually pressurized until it becomes a liquid, and then it is injected into porous rock formations in geologic basins. This method of carbon storage is also sometimes a part of enhanced oil recovery, otherwise known as tertiary recovery, because it is typically used later in...
What is carbon sequestration?
Carbon dioxide is the most commonly produced greenhouse gas. Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide. It is one method of reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere with the goal of reducing global climate change. The USGS is conducting assessments on two major types of carbon sequestration: geologic and biologic.
- Partners
Below are partners associated with this project task.