--> Abstract: Geologic CO<SUB>2</SUB> Sequestration Characterization of America’s “Engine Room”, by Lawrence H. Wickstrom, Gerald Baum, Stephen F. Greb, Neeraj Gupta, John A. Harper, William Harrison, Michael E. Hohn, and John A. Rupp; #90039 (2005)

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Geologic CO2 Sequestration Characterization of America’s “Engine Room”

Lawrence H. Wickstrom1, Gerald Baum2, Stephen F. Greb3, Neeraj Gupta4, John A. Harper5, William Harrison6, Michael E. Hohn7, and John A. Rupp8
1 Ohio Geological Survey, Columbus, OH
2 Maryland Geological Survey, Baltimore, MD
3 Kentucky Geological Survey, Lexington, KY
4 Battelle, Columbus, OH
5 Pennsylvania Geological Survey, Pittsburgh,
6 Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI
7 West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, Morgantown, WV
8 Indiana Geological Survey, Bloomington, IN

Attaining goals for reduction of greenhouse gases, while meeting the growing demand for fossil-fuel generated electricity, is dependent on rapid development of carbon-sequestration technologies. The Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (MRCSP) has been created to assess the technical, economic, and social merits of carbon sequestration. The MRCSP (one of seven regional centers formed under U.S. Department of Energy funding) brings together industrial and governmental partners from Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. This diverse area represents 16% of the U.S. population and GNP, nearly 22% of the nation's electricity generation, and 77% of electricity in the region is produced from coal-fired plants. The industrial and power-generating point sources in the region produce about 715 million tons of CO2 annually.

The region is geologically diverse, including 3 major sedimentary basins, intervening arches, a coastal plain, and a fold and thrust belt. Such a range in depositional environments provides many sequestration opportunities and challenges. Huge potential for sequestering CO2 in deep saline aquifers, deep unmineable coals and organic shales, and depleted oil and gas reservoirs exists within many settings of this region. This region also has several prolific petroleum-producing areas, but has never had a ready source of CO2 for enhanced recovery. If flue-gas separation technologies advance sufficiently to make economical sources of CO2 widely available, CO2 enhanced recovery may revitalize many reservoirs of the region. Examples of this region's geologic characterization, CO2 sequestration capacity, and enhanced recovery opportunities will be presented.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90039©2005 AAPG Calgary, Alberta, June 16-19, 2005