Print this pageCO2/Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) and Geological Carbon Storage (Gcs) Potential: Middle Devonian, Richfield Member, (Lucas Formation, Detroit River Group), Michigan Basin, Usa
As mitigation of point source, industrial scale, greenhouse gas emissions becomes more critical the merits of geological CO2 sequestration in large volume, deep, saline formations are gaining credibility. Deep saline reservoir storage of CO2 has no direct by-products of value to offset the cost, but in conjunction with CO2/EOR is much more economically viable. The Middle Devonian Richfield Member (Lucas Formation, Detroit River Group) is an important oil producer in the Michigan Basin. The research goal was to characterize the CO2/EOR and saline reservoir CO2 sequestration potential of the Richfield. The Richfield Member consists mostly of dolomitized, intertidal to supratidal wackestone to packstone, minor grainstone, and alternating layers of anhydrite. The most common reservoir type is a classic high porosity-low permeability (15%-30% Ø and 5-25 md), peritidal, microbe laminated, dolomicrite. Reservoir quality is facies controlled within the basin and oil production is further constrained by location on anticline structures. Research methods included the evaluation of individual well and field production data and the reservoir quality characteristics of wells on and off oil producing structures. Core analysis, well log data, thin sections and porosity/permeability plots were produced and examined to construct detailed petrophysical profiles. In addition to the analysis of individual oil producing wells and fields, petrophysical properties in key wells across the Michigan Basin aided in constraining the regional CO2 sequestration potential of the Richfield Member. Generalized calculations estimate the Richfield Member to still contain sufficient residual oil in reservoirs around the basin. Historical monthly well production data available from the State of Michigan shows that initial oil and gas production from the Richfield began in 1939 with cumulative production from over thirty fields in excess of 78 Mbbls. OOIP calculations estimate there was originally 525 Mbbls of oil in the Richfield. Water flooding in four fields has shown estimated recovery percentages in the range of 9-21% of original oil in place. With the higher efficiency of CO2/EOR, recovery percentages are estimated to be 15-30% (78-157 Mbbls). Due to the production characteristics and reservoir petrophysical properties, dual CO2/EOR and saline reservoir geologic carbon storage in the Richfield Member has great potential in the Michigan basin.
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90090©2009 AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition, Denver, Colorado, June 7-10, 2009