Utilizing Midwest’s Subsurface for Effective Mitigation of Greenhouse Gases, Produced Waters Disposal, and Enhancing Oil/Gas Production

Neeraj Gupta, Mark Moody, William Rike, and Evan Zeller
Battelle, Columbus, Ohio, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

The last decade has seen revolutionary changes in the utilization of subsurface space and resources due to emphasis on use of pore-space for oilfield brine disposal, CO2 storage for greenhouse gas mitigation, CO2 utilization for enhanced oil recovery (EOR), and shale gas extraction from unconventional reservoirs. Such multi-purpose utilization of strata in the geologic column is sometimes occurring in the same area. For example, in northern Michigan, CO2 produced as impurity in Antrim Shale has been used for CO2 EOR in Niagaran Reefs and for testing of CO2 storage in the Bass Island Dolomite zones, produced brine is injected into multiple intermediate zones, and exploration is underway for deep shale gas zones. Similar scenarios may evolve in northern Appalachian, especially in eastern Ohio, due to a growth in unconventional Utica Shale production, need for disposal of brines and flowback waters, possibility of CO2 utilization in depleted oilfields like the East Canton Oil Fields, and possible CO2 storage in deep saline formations in the Cambrian layers. This presentation will summarize Battelle’s recent work in characterization of multiple zones in Eastern Ohio, which has a goal of identifying and quantifying geologic injection capacity and assessment of options for EOR. Synergistic characterization strategies that leverage ongoing drilling and testing will be presented. For example, exploration for CO2 sequestration horizons through flowmeter logging is being done in brine disposal wells in eastern Ohio. In addition, the regional seismic lines that are being acquired for shale gas exploration are also being used to determine geologic continuity of potential CO2 injection zones. Data from several such wells and its implication for fluid injection or CO2 storage wells will be presented.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90154©2012 AAPG Eastern Section Meeting, Cleveland, Ohio, 22-26 September 2012