Time-lapse imaging of CO2 migration within near-surface sediments during a controlled sub-seabed release experiment
Time-lapse imaging of CO2 migration within near-surface sediments during a controlled sub-seabed release experiment
The ability to detect and monitor any escape of carbon dioxide (CO2) from sub-seafloor CO2 storage reservoirs is essential for public acceptance of carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a climate change mitigation strategy. Here, we use repeated high-resolution seismic reflection surveys acquired using a chirp profiler mounted on an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), to image CO2 gas released into shallow sub-surface sediments above a potential CCS storage site at 120 m water depth in the North Sea. Observations of temporal changes in seismic reflectivity, attenuation, unit thickness and the bulk permeability of sediment were used to develop a four-stage model of the evolution of gas migration in shallow marine sediments: Proto-migration, Immature Migration, Mature Migration, and Pathway Closure. Bubble flow was initially enabled through the propagation of stable fractures but, over time, transitioned to dynamic fractures with an associated step change in permeability. Once the gas injection rate exceeded the rate at which gas could escape the coarser sediments overlying the injection point, gas began to pool along a grain size boundary. This enhanced understanding of the migration of free gas in near-surface sediments will help improve methods of detection and quantification of gas in subsurface marine sediments.
CO injection, Carbon capture and storage, Fracture propagation, Gas migration, Time lapse seismic imaging
Roche, Ben
08938cb1-4901-4f45-ba9a-aba53ed4ef7f
Bull, Jonathan
974037fd-544b-458f-98cc-ce8eca89e3c8
Marin Moreno, Hector
e466cafd-bd5c-47a1-8522-e6938e7086a4
Leighton, Timothy
3e5262ce-1d7d-42eb-b013-fcc5c286bbae
Falcon-Suarez, Ismal H.
109926b5-467d-43fe-86df-c6faa4dd3ee8
Tholen, Madeline
fdacc9a2-563d-49d1-8054-113aea8cf62e
White, Paul
2dd2477b-5aa9-42e2-9d19-0806d994eaba
Provenzano, Giuseppe
0da03494-44a8-4536-8833-6cd4feb75882
Lichtschlag, Anna
be1568d9-cc63-4f85-bd38-a93dfd7e245f
Li, Jianghui
9c589194-00fa-4d42-abaf-53a32789cc5e
Faggetter, Michael, John
3aa02272-6072-4748-96ec-2e9c28362daf
July 2021
Roche, Ben
08938cb1-4901-4f45-ba9a-aba53ed4ef7f
Bull, Jonathan
974037fd-544b-458f-98cc-ce8eca89e3c8
Marin Moreno, Hector
e466cafd-bd5c-47a1-8522-e6938e7086a4
Leighton, Timothy
3e5262ce-1d7d-42eb-b013-fcc5c286bbae
Falcon-Suarez, Ismal H.
109926b5-467d-43fe-86df-c6faa4dd3ee8
Tholen, Madeline
fdacc9a2-563d-49d1-8054-113aea8cf62e
White, Paul
2dd2477b-5aa9-42e2-9d19-0806d994eaba
Provenzano, Giuseppe
0da03494-44a8-4536-8833-6cd4feb75882
Lichtschlag, Anna
be1568d9-cc63-4f85-bd38-a93dfd7e245f
Li, Jianghui
9c589194-00fa-4d42-abaf-53a32789cc5e
Faggetter, Michael, John
3aa02272-6072-4748-96ec-2e9c28362daf
Roche, Ben, Bull, Jonathan, Marin Moreno, Hector, Leighton, Timothy, Falcon-Suarez, Ismal H., Tholen, Madeline, White, Paul, Provenzano, Giuseppe, Lichtschlag, Anna, Li, Jianghui and Faggetter, Michael, John
(2021)
Time-lapse imaging of CO2 migration within near-surface sediments during a controlled sub-seabed release experiment.
International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 109, [103363].
(doi:10.1016/j.ijggc.2021.103363).
Abstract
The ability to detect and monitor any escape of carbon dioxide (CO2) from sub-seafloor CO2 storage reservoirs is essential for public acceptance of carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a climate change mitigation strategy. Here, we use repeated high-resolution seismic reflection surveys acquired using a chirp profiler mounted on an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), to image CO2 gas released into shallow sub-surface sediments above a potential CCS storage site at 120 m water depth in the North Sea. Observations of temporal changes in seismic reflectivity, attenuation, unit thickness and the bulk permeability of sediment were used to develop a four-stage model of the evolution of gas migration in shallow marine sediments: Proto-migration, Immature Migration, Mature Migration, and Pathway Closure. Bubble flow was initially enabled through the propagation of stable fractures but, over time, transitioned to dynamic fractures with an associated step change in permeability. Once the gas injection rate exceeded the rate at which gas could escape the coarser sediments overlying the injection point, gas began to pool along a grain size boundary. This enhanced understanding of the migration of free gas in near-surface sediments will help improve methods of detection and quantification of gas in subsurface marine sediments.
This record has no associated files available for download.
More information
e-pub ahead of print date: July 2021
Published date: July 2021
Keywords:
CO injection, Carbon capture and storage, Fracture propagation, Gas migration, Time lapse seismic imaging
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 449572
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/449572
ISSN: 1750-5836
PURE UUID: 74d7235a-fe21-4b77-a88f-c8d0e7c1e63b
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 08 Jun 2021 16:31
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 04:19
Export record
Altmetrics
Contributors
Author:
Ben Roche
Author:
Hector Marin Moreno
Author:
Ismal H. Falcon-Suarez
Author:
Madeline Tholen
Author:
Giuseppe Provenzano
Author:
Anna Lichtschlag
Author:
Michael, John Faggetter
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics