Storage research
The CO2CRC Storage research projects comprise both fundamental and applied areas of research. The prime focus of the research is the selection of storage sites, their adequate characterisation with respect to storage capacity, and an understanding of the physical and chemical processes which will take place during and after injection. In addition, suitable monitoring technologies need to be developed, and the potential risks and uncertainties need to be recognised and understood. All these aspects are presently being researched through the Storage of CO2program.
Over the past year significant achievements have been made in many areas of the Storage of CO2 program. During the year, several substantial research projects were completed. These include the Victorian Basin Assessment project, the Browse Basin and Perth Basin projects and several commercial-in-confidence projects. Many researchers participated in the applied research work during the drilling and geological assessment stages of the CO2CRC Otway Project.
The high-quality research generated through the Storage of CO2 program has been presented both nationally and internationally through conference presentations and refereed journal papers during the past year.
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The CO2CRC storage research team works within a number of skill or discipline groups, each of which are performing specific research actiivities. These groups contribute significantly to other research activities within the centre and draw upon the skills of other researchers within the CO2CRC team as necessary.
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Regional Geology - through which we develop and apply appropriate technologies to assess a range of geological sites that have the potential to be suitable for long-term storage of carbon dioxide.
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Reservoir/Seal Characterisation - used in assessing the sedimentological and stratigraphic heterogeneity of reservoirs and seals and their hydrodynamic flow systems, and to determine the impact of these on the geological storage of carbon dioxide.
- Reservoir/seal characterisation and stratigraphy
- Reservoir/seal characterisation and
stratigraphy - support to regional studies
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Geomechanics/Petrophysics - through which research related to geomechanical aspects of carbon dioxide storage is applied to site-specific studies.
- The Iona gas storage facility – an analogue for CO2 storage
- Reservoir stress path/Interpretation of fault systems
- A study of cap rock integrity for CO2 storage projects
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Hydrodynamics/Geochemistry - used in improving understanding of carbon dioxide behaviour in the sub-surface over time and the implications for geological storage of carbon dioxide by investigating natural accumulations of carbon dioxide-water-rock-biota interactions.
- Investigation of offshore natural analogues for CO2 geosequestration
- Investigation of onshore natural analogues for CO2 geosequestration
- Investigation of CO2 migration in natural analogues via soil gas measurements
- Fluid-rock interaction geochemical modelling
- Saline aquifers and seals
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Reservoir Modelling - underpinning the development and application of tools that predict the fate of carbon dioxide injected into deep saline formations.
- Short and long term reservoir modelling
- Short and long term reservoir modelling support for regional studies
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Geophysics - giving the capacity to monitor the processes of carbon dioxide containment within the sub-surface, near surface, and in the atmosphere.
- Continuous seismic imaging
- Elastic response of CO2 saturated sandstones under confining and pore pressure conditions
- Atmospheric technology development
- Atmospheric monitoring
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CO2 storage in coal systems - allowing the Centre to establish the carbon dioxide storage potential in suitable coal seams and in associated inter-seam, overburden and underburden sediments, as well as the potential arising from using carbon dioxide for enhancing recovery of coal-bed methane.
- Coal storage research
- Gas flow pathways in coal seams
- Coal system CO2 interaction
- Coal microstructure
- Coal storage economics
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Risk assessment - focused on assessment of carbon dioxide storage risks, particularly in identifying and characterising storage sites of suitable quality with adequate prospects for long-term reservoir performance and containment.
