--> ABSTRACT: Reservoir Characterization for CO2 injection at a National Carbon Storage Test Center, Teapot Dome, Wyoming, by Nummedal, Dag, S. Julio Friedmann, Peigui Yin, Quingsheng Zhang, Mark Milliken, Vicki Stamp; #90026 (2004)

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Nummedal, Dag1, S. Julio Friedmann2, Peigui Yin1, Quingsheng Zhang1, Mark Milliken3, Vicki Stamp4 
(1) University of Wyoming, P.O. Box 4068 Laramie, WY 
(2) University of Maryland, College Park, MD 
(3) Critique, Inc, Casper, WY 
(4) Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center, Casper, WY

ABSTRACT: Reservoir Characterization for CO2 injection at a National Carbon Storage Test Center, Teapot Dome, Wyoming

Geological storage of anthropogenic point source CO2 is an increasingly important strategy for mitigation of greenhouse-gas emissions. Successful deployment of this technology will require accurate models of subsurface connectivity and reservoir heterogeneity. These factors will affect injectivity as well as mineral storage potential, engineering requirements, drilling strategies, and leakage risk. Both EOR and saline aquifer targets require this depth of characterization; however, few commercial EOR projects have attempted to track reservoir CO2 in detail, and very few saline aquifers tests with CO2 exist. 
We have begun this characterization at Teapot Dome (Naval Petroleum Reserve 3), recently designated as a national geological carbon storage test center. Within the field, nine intervals have historic production, ranging from eolian and shallow-marine Pennsylvanian/Permian Tensleep Sandstone to the paralic and fluvial sandstones of the Cretaceous Shannon and Muddy Sandstones. Other potential injection targets include saline aquifers including the shelfal Missisipian Madison Limestone. The field has over 100 years of production history including water floods, a 2000 vintage 3D seismic data, an exhaustive core and log library including over 600 wells, recent production data from water floods, and outcrop & subsurface studies of both key reservoir formations and fracture systems. The range of reservoir compositions, settings, geometries, fracture patterns and densities, and injectivities provides an outstanding opportunity to understand the porosity, permeability, connectivities, and effectiveness for CO2 storage of a large number of reservoirs within the Western interior. The reservoir characterization, in anticipation of large-scale injection (>500 tons CO2/day), will lay the foundation for reservoir modeling and drilling schemes to be used in the injection development.

 

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90026©2004 AAPG Annual Meeting, Dallas, Texas, April 18-21, 2004.