Petrophysical Characterization of the Kerbel Sandstone in Central Ohio for CO2 Storage Potential

Abstract

Deep saline formations are of interest in eastern Ohio for CO2 storage. Little is known of these formations due to the lack of oil and gas development, wireline data, and core data. Battelle conducted a regional geologic characterization of Ohio to assess the CO2 storage feasibility for Cambrian-Ordovician age formations, including the Kerbel sandstone. Limited existing data showed high porosity and permeabilities in the Kerbel sandstone making it a prime candidate for CO2 storage in Ohio.

The Kerbel sandstone was first proposed as a new formation by Janssens in 1973 as a replacement or lateral equivalent to the Cambrian-aged Maynardville and Franconia-Dresbach formations due to the different lithologies. It was originally interpreted as a delta deposit and later considered a barrier island (Banjade, 2011). The Kerbel sandstone occurs in central Ohio and pinches out under the Knox dolomite/Copper Ridge dolomite in eastern and western Ohio (Janssens, 1973). The full extent has been interpreted to end in southern Ohio (Janssens, 1973) and central Ohio (Baranoski, 2012).

Detailed petrophysical analysis was conducted on 155 wells which penetrated the Kerbel sandstone in central Ohio. Gamma ray, neutron porosity, and bulk density wireline logs were the most dominant data available with fewer than 40 wells having more advanced logs such as photoelectric index, resistivity, and acoustic logs. Core data were available for six wells and used to calibrate and interpret logs. The greatest CO2 storage resource was interpreted to be in north-central Ohio where the porosities were highest and the net thickness was greatest. The lithology became more dolomitic and mudstone in southern Ohio which correlates with a decrease in porosity and net thickness.

This work was supported by Ohio Coal Development Office Grant/Agreement OOE-CDO-D-13-22, and the Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (DOE-NETL Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-05NT42589)

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90258 © 2016 AAPG Eastern Section Meeting, Lexington, Kentucky, September 25-27, 2016