A Primer on CO2 Capture and Geological Storage (CCS)

William D. Gunter and Ken BrownAlberta Research Council

Outline• Context• The Science around CCS• Key Components• Storage Options• Provincial, National and International Potential• Economic Analysis• Current Projects• Monitoring tools• National and International Organizations• Looking Ahead• Questions and Answers

Setting the Context

CanadaCanada’’s Climate Change s Climate Change Challenge: The GapChallenge: The Gap

500

550

600

650

700

750

800

850

900

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

Kyoto Target (6% below 1990) 2010 emissions: 571 Mt

Business as Usual (BAU) 2010 emissions: 808 Mt or 1990 plus 33%

1990 emissions 607 Mt

Mt o

f CO

2eq

uiva

lent 2000 emissions

726 Mt or 1990 plus 19%

ProjectedActual

The Gap = 240 Mt

Addressing Climate Change

Energy EfficiencyFuel Switching

Carbon Management

Carbon Management

Capture & Storage Sequestration

Geological Ocean UsefulProducts Ocean Biomass

Agriculture Forests

Making the Energy Transition from Combustion to Zero Emissions

2005 Year 2050+Year 20252012

Fossil Fuel:Combustion with Emission Control

Fossil FuelEnergy Conversion

Fossil Fuel:Energy

Conversion

Renewable Sources

Business as Usual Fossil FuelsRenewablesZero Emission Fossil Fuels

Kyoto 1

Innovation in Energy & the Environment

• The Environmental Revolution: GHG emission constraints require new approaches

• Carbon Management is a new field of research in the Environmental Revolution

• CO2 Capture and Geological Storage (CCS) is an important area of Carbon Management

• CCS offers an opportunity for Innovation step changes

Key Components of a CO2Capture and Storage System

What is Carbon Capture & Storage?

CO2 Source CO2 Capture

CO2 Storage CO2 Transport

Hydrocarbon Recovery

CCS

The prize for Canada

CO2 Storage Options

Sedimentary Basins, Fossil Fuels, Greenhouse Gases, and Geological

Storage: A Serendipitous Association• Fossil fuels (oil, gas, and coal) are found in

sedimentary basins.• The fluid fossil fuels are transported to traps

through aquifers.• During conversion of the fuels to energy,

greenhouse gases are created.• Extraction of the fossil fuels have created new

storage space (in the subsurface) which can be used for geological storage of greenhouse gases.

Coal Mine

Gas Reservoir

Coalbed Methane

Reservoir

Coal Mine

Oil Reservoir

Gas Reservoir

Saline Aquifer

CO2 pipeline

natural gas pipeline

oil pipeline

Geologic Storage of CO2• Storage in geologic formations

over geologic time• Options include: oil reservoirs,

coalbed methane reservoirs, depleted oil and gas reservoirs and deep saline aquifers

• Injection into oil reservoirs and coalbed methane reservoirs produces oil and gas revenues which can offset costs

• Afford the time to continue to use fossil fuels until renewables are developed

• CO2 for re-pressurization of gas caps

Coalbed Methane

Reservoir

Coal Mine

Oil Reservoir

Gas Reservoir

Saline Aquifer

CO2 pipeline

Natural gas pipeline

Oil pipeline

Provincial, National and International Potential

Fossil Fuel Supply

• Oil

• Gas

• Coal

Alberta’s oil sands reserve is huge- full development will take many

decades

141.932.5Remaining established

1.22.7Cum. production

143.035.2Initial est. reserve

1,517.2113.2Initial in-place

In-situMineableBillion barrelsAEUB as of Dec.31, 2002

Alberta’s Coal: Status• Resource: Huge

– Ultimate Potential: 620 billion tonnes (~ 1860 barrels oil equivalent)

– Remaining Reserves (2000): 34 billion tonnes– Production (2003): 29.3 million tonnes

• Alberta’s coal reserves70% of Canada’s50% of coal produced in Canada 8 Major mines (May 2004)

• 80% used in electricity generation• Sub-bituminous (low S, clean burning)

• 20% exported • Metallurgical

Future Driver in Western Canada

Canada’s Kyoto emissions target is future driver for:

(i) CO2 storage (ii) manufacture of H2 for oil sands upgrading by gasification

in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin

Suitability of WCSB for CO2

Fort McMurray

Sample of Initial Stages of a CO2 Backbone Concept

Source: CANiCAP, 2005

CO2 storage needs CO2 supply- 4 CO2 supply hubs in Alberta

• Fort McMurray• Fort Saskatchewan• Red Deer/Joffre• Wabamun, west of Edmonton

Source: Bob Mitchell

CO2 Backbone

• More manifold than pipeline –– No necessary direction of flow– Input CO2 from Emission Hubs– Lateral lines to take CO2 to customers’ sites

• Maybe spots for truck or train loading– Maybe postage stamp toll for input rather than

distance-based toll– Attract new industry to locate along it

Backbone – Pressure-Balance System By:• Excess volume (injected > sales) then inject in

this order:1) temporarily store in salt caverns;2) temporarily store in depleted oil/gas pools;3) permanently store for research

(at an injection rate appropriate for the research); 4) permanent storage in the deep saline aquifer, &5) if absolutely necessary, vent to the atmosphere –

safety valve onlyBackbone makes $15/T for 3 & 4 – Backstop for

Gov’t commitment -- Not offshore creditsVented CO2,(i.e. 5) allocated back to oversuppliers

Large Scale Deployment of CC&S Possible in North America

J.J. Dooley, Battelle, Pacific Northwest Lab (2005)

Alberta’s CO2 Storage Capacity in the Alberta Sedimentary Basin

0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000

Megatonnes CO2 Equivalent

Alberta Power Plants

Alberta GHG

Deep Saline Aquifers

Coalbed Methane Resource

Depleted Oil and Gas Reservoirs

CO2 EORCO2 Sinks (total capacity)

CO2 Sources (annual)

?

?

Capacity for CO2 Sequestration in Depleted Oil Reservoirs in Alberta

o 8118 single-drive oil pools in Albertao 193 primary recovery oil poolso 387 water flood oil poolso 53 solvent flood oil poolso 12 gas flood oil poolso 365 commingled and multi-mechanism pools

(2001 Reserves Database)

Ultimate theoretical CO2 sequestrationcapacity upon depletion: 1,090 Mt CO2

Stefan Bachu

Capacity for CO2 Sequestration in Enhanced Oil Recovery in Alberta

o 9128 oil pools in Alberta 2001 Reserves Database)

o 4371 oil pools meet screening criteria for CO2-flood EOR

o Estimated CO2 capacity at 100% PV

o Estimated incremental recovered oil at 100% PV

690 Mt

304 x 106m3

Stefan Bachu

Enhanced DepletedOil Recovery Oil Reservoirs

• Production technology is mature• Focus on monitoring and maximizing CO2

uptake• Value added• Commercial projects

1. Weyburn, Saskatchewan (Encana)2. Joffre Viking (Penn West)

Enhanced Oil Recovery (CO2 Miscible Flooding)

CO2Injection for Enhanced Oil Recovery

00

1010

2020

3030

4040

5050

19551955 19651965 19751975 19851985 19951995 20052005 20152015 20252025

Mbbl/dMbbl/d

Incremental Miscible Flood ProductionIncremental Miscible Flood Production

Base Base WaterfloodWaterflood ProductionProduction

Incremental Horizontal ProductionIncremental Horizontal ProductionIncremental Vertical ProductionIncremental Vertical Production

Prod

uctio

n (b

bl/d

ay)

47

Generalized Reservoir ModelWeyburn Field, Saskatchewan

SW NEJurassicJurassic

MississippianMississippian

MidaleMidale EvaporiteEvaporiteTransition ZoneTransition Zone

MarlyMarly

VuggyVuggyIntershoalIntershoal

VuggyVuggy ShoalShoal

FrobisherFrobisher

(V2)(V2)(V4)(V4)(V6)(V6)

OGB '00OGB '00

(V1)(V1)

(M3)(M3)

(M1)(M1)

(DOL)(DOL)(LS)(LS)

Reservoir Mineral DissolutionCa2+ in produced fluids

Pre-injection 12 months 31 months

Calcite and dolomite dissolution increases the Ca2+ and Mg2+

concentrations in produced fluids.

CaCO3 + H2O + CO2 Ca2+ + 2HCO3-

Mineral DissolutionTotal Alkalinity [HCO3

-] of produced fluids

Pre-injection 12 months 31 months

Mineral dissolution increases the [HCO3-].

CaCO3 + H2O + CO2 Ca2+ + 2HCO3-

Depleted Gas Reservoirs

• Storage technology is mature

• Nothing required at this time

• Currently used to store Natural Gas

Capacity for CO2 Sequestration in Depleted Gas Reservoirs in Alberta

• 28,337 non-associated gas pools• 2,309 associated gas pools

(2001 Reserves Database)

Ultimate theoretical CO2 sequestration capacity upon depletion 13,560 Mt CO2

Stefan Bachu

77198

Number

3720Total 318037033Gas52210552Oil

Storage Capacity (Mt CO2)

Eligible Pools1Total Identified

Pools

Type of Reservoirs

Storage Capacity (Mt CO2)

Province

1Manitoba

79Saskatchewan

780Northeast BC

2812Alberta

•Basin suitable for sequestration in short to medium term (next 3 decades)

•Capable of accepting all CO2 from major point sources in WCSB

•Additional advantage of enhanced oil and gas recovery

Source: Stefan Bachu-AEUB/AERI/NRCan

1Pools with capacity greater than 1Mt CO2 and at a depth range of 900-3500 m

Identified CO2 Sink Capacity in WCSB

Enhanced Coalbed Methane

CH4 CH4CH4

Enhanced Coalbed Methane

• Technology is immature• Requires technical demonstration and

basic research• Value added• Demonstration Projects

– Fenn-Big Valley, Alberta– CSEMP, Alberta (Suncor)

Process of Gas Transport inCoalbed Methane Reservoirs

1. Fluid Production from Natural Fractures

2. Gas Desorptionfrom Cleat surfaces

3. Molecular Diffusion through the coal matrix

Face CleatButt Cleat

New Technology Development Increases Storage Capacity

Forecast Full-Field Development Production

Numerical Modelling - 5-Spot PatternCO2/N2 Content

N2 Injection

1/4 of 5-Spot Pattern

After 1 year After 3 years After 5 years After 7 years

1

0

Constant Injection Rate

CO2 Injection

Generalized flow diagram of anaerobic decomposition of organic matter and

generation of methane.Hydrolytic, fermentative bacteria

Syntrophic acetogenic bacteria Methanogenic

bacteria

COMPLEX POLYMERS

(cellulose, polysaccharides, proteins)

MONOMERS(fatty acids, sugars,

amino acids, NH3, HS-, CO2, acetate, H2)

ACETATE, H2O, H2, CO2CH4

ACETATE FERMENTATION CARBONATE REDUCTIONCH3COO- + H+ → CH4 + CO2 CO2 + 4H2 → CH4 + 2H2O

Biogenic Methane Production and CO2Sequestration

• Microbial-directed conversion of CO2 to methane.– Either by indigenous or introduced microorganisms.

• “Closed-loop” fossil fuel system.– Sustainable methane economy with near zero net

CO2 emissions.

CO2

CO2

CH4

CH4

CH4

Coalbed DisplaceMicrobial ConversionH2

Aquifers• Injection technology is mature on a small scale• Huge capacity if counting hydrodynamic

trapping in addition to geological trapping• Ubiquitous• Need database for hydrology, capacities,

locations, stability and ranking• Treat oil and gas as related to aquifers• Commercial Projects

– Acid gas disposal, Western Canada

CO2 Injection into Aquifers

Acid Gas Injection Sites in the Alberta BasinAcid Gas Injection Sites in the Alberta Basin

Acid Gas Injection Projects

Security of Storage

• Trapping mechanisms

Subsurface CO2 Storage MechanismsSubsurface CO2 Storage Mechanisms

Migration trapMigration trapSeparate PhaseDissolved in oilDissolved in waterAdsorbed to coalPrecipitated as

Separate PhaseDissolved in oilDissolved in waterAdsorbed to coalPrecipitated as

Stratigraphic trapStructural trapStratigraphic trapStructural trap

Well Scale (cm to m)Well Scale (cm to m) Reservoir Scale (km)Reservoir Scale (km) Basin Scale (100’s km)Basin Scale (100’s km)

Scale IncreasingScale Increasing

GeochemicalTraps

GeochemicalTraps

GeologicalTraps

GeologicalTraps

HydrodynamicTraps

HydrodynamicTraps

a minerala mineralRelative perm effects

Traps for Geological Storage

Representative Cross Section of the Alberta BasinRepresentative Cross Section of the Alberta Basin

Capacity for dissolved CO2 in the Viking Aquifer, Alberta BasinCapacity for dissolved CO2 in the Viking Aquifer, Alberta BasinTotal capacity: 200 Gt Capacity in the suitable region: 106 GtTotal capacity: 200 Gt Capacity in the suitable region: 106 Gt

Storage SecurityStorage Security

Opportunities for Geological Storage

of CO2 in Sedimentary Basins• Depleted Oil Reservoirs Enhanced Oil Recovery

(EOR)

• Depleted Coalbed Methane (CBM) Reservoir Enhanced CBM

• Depleted Gas Reservoirs Enhanced Gas Recovery (EGR)

• Aquifers

Monitoring Tools & Application

Short Circuits

Short Circuit

Short Circuits

Source: Heidug, Shell

Planning Monitoring Program• definition of project conditions• prediction of mechanisms that control

behavior• technical questions to be answered• purpose of monitoring• parameters to be monitored• magnitude of change expected in

parameters• select instrumentation / monitoring systems• instrument / monitoring locations

Monitoring Provides:

• Safety from early warning signals• Security & Liability• Reservoir management tools• Long term activity• Carbon management – to verify and certify

emission trading credits

Operational Monitoring• Represents the basic level

of monitoring required by a company and/or regulatory agency

• Guide 65 application procedures includes monitoring

• Also by well classification: Guide 51– Hydraulic isolation– Annular pressure– Injectivity– Formation pressure

XX

XXXX

XX

XX

XX

XX

XX

XXXX

Verification Monitoring• Builds on the operational monitoring programs

with a focus on measurement and verification of geological storage objectives

• Intensity of verification monitoring (Low, Medium and High) based on risk/performance criteria.

• For example:– a deep injection horizon (saline aquifer) planned for low volume

injection would not require observations wellsor

– a shallow injection horizon planned for high volume injection would require multiple observation wells and detailed sampling

LOW

HIGH

Environmental Monitoring• Represents critical monitoring stage • This stage invoked when verification

monitoring indicates high probability of CO2 seepage into biosphere.

• Environmental monitoring stage implemented when system response deviates significantly from expected behavior (CO2 migrating or leaking in unexpected & unexplainable manner)

Phases of MonitoringOperational

Aquifer

Aquitard

Environmental

Aquifer

Aquitard

Verification

Aquifer

Aquitard

Aquifer

Aquitard

Horizontal &Lateral Migration

Leakage

Migration: Movement of CO2 within injected horizon (within geosphere)Leakage: Movement of CO2 beyond injected horizon through bounding seals (within geosphere)Seepage: Movement of CO2 into biosphere (through wellbores or into potable water horizons)

Seepage

Low RiskLow Risk High RiskHigh Risk

CO2 Storage

Geological Storage of CO2

Baseline & Monitoring Survey

Monitoring Periods

• Baseline• During injection/production ( for 10 years)• At beginning of storage period during

pressure equilibration (for 100 years) • Long term (form 100 to 1000 + years)

Monitoring Frequency (MF)

0.1 1000100101

Baseline InjectionLong Term Storage

PressureEquilibration

Ris

k of

Lea

kage

0.1

Time Years

MF (years) = 2x (where x = 0,1,2 ….)

1

Monitoring Techniques

3D-Seismic

Tilt Meter

3D-SeismicPassive SeismicX-Well SeiemicTilt MeterPressureInjected TracersInsitu TracersLogs

3D-SeismicPassive SeismicX-Well SeismicTilt MeterPressureInjected TracersInsitu TracersLogsInjection Rates

3D-SeismicPassive SeismicX-Well SeismicTilt MeterPressure

Insitu TracersLogs

3D-SeismicTilt Meter

3D-SeismicTilt MeterPressureInsitu TracersLogsPassive Seismic

3D-SeismicTilt MeterPressureInsitu TracersLogsPassive Seismic

3D-SeismicTilt MeterPressureInsitu TracersLogsPassive Seismic

Aircraft

Insitu Tracers

AircraftSoil GasInsitu Tracers

AircraftSoil GasInsitu Tracers

AircraftSoil GasInsitu Tracers

Time Years

Baseline InjectionLong Term Storage

PressureEquilibration

Mon

itori

ng D

epth

Res

ervo

irSu

bsur

face

Surf

ace

0.1 1000100101

*Assumes wellbores are abandoned after 100 years

Project Risk Level• Guidance on the establishment of a risk

level for a given project will be provided• Likely based on volumes injected versus

reservoir pore volume (~ crude measure of region of influence) and depth of injection horizon

• Will also likely include other components of safety or risk assessment (environmentally sensitive area, near highly populated area, etc.)

Framework for Monitoring Plan• CO2 injection into coals, depleted oil/gas reservoirs

and saline aquifers• Establish low, medium and high risk project

classifications• Establish operational, verification and environmental

monitoring levels• Establish a suite of monitoring technologies for each

stage of monitoring• Establish frequency of monitoring based on temporal

risk• Effective and economic framework for existing and

anticipated regulations

Staging Storage Opportunities

Source: Bob Mitchell

Capture&

Economic Analysis

CCS steps offer Innovation OpportunitiesPower Plant

Flue Gas (N2 + CO2)

Separation Compression Pipelining

Injection ofPure CO2

Geological Formations

$ 8 - 10/t

$ 2 - 8/t

$ 0.7 – 4/tPer 100 km

SystemIntegration?

$ 30 - 50/t

Security & Added Value ?

CO2 Capture Technology Options

Coal

Air Combustion

Post-combustion capture

GasificationCO

Shift

Pre-combustion capture

Energy/Power

Oxyfuel Combustion

ASU

CO2 Capture

Oxy-fuel combustion

Energy/ Power

Flue Gas;

>80% CO2

CO2 Capture

Flue Gas;

10-14% CO2

CO2 Capture>40% CO2

Syn-

gas

Energy/ Power

H2

O2

O2

Source: CETC, NRCan, 2005

CO2 storage needs CO2 supply- 4 CO2 supply hubs in Alberta

• Fort McMurray – Oil Sands Hub• Fort Saskatchewan – Multi-Industry Hub• Red Deer/Joffre – Petrochemical Hub• Wabamun, west of Edmonton – Electricity

Generation Hub

Source: CANiCAP, 2005

Developmental Stages of an Oil Sands Emission

Hub

Source: CANiCAP, 2005

Staging a Multi-Industry Emission Hub

Source: CANiCAP, 2005

Developmental Stages of a Petrochemical Emission Hub

Source: CANiCAP, 2005

Developmental Stages of a Electricity Emission Hub

Source: CANiCAP, 2005

Alberta/CAN: CO2 Sources & Needs• Total CO2 Emissions ∼180,000

tpd (excluding Transportation)whereof ∼134,000 tpd from Coal Fired Power Plants

• High-purity CO2 Sources ∼10,600 tpd– Fertilizer Plants– EO Plants– Natural Gas Straddle Plants– Oil sands

• 3 major oil pools estimated to need ∼11,500 tpd of CO2 for EOR

• A springboard to a CO2pipeline?

Source: Enbridge

Current CCS Activities

International Activities• International Organizations

– Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change• Special Report on CO2 Capture and Storage released in 2005

– Framework Convention on Climate Change• CDM office: CO2-EOR project moving through CDM registration process

– Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum• Collaboration on policy and technical issues (e.g. storage potential,

capture technologies, measurement, monitoring and verification technologies

• 21 member nations http://www.cslforum.org/– International Energy Agency / GHG Programme

• Provide a central source of information on CO2 Capture and Storage Research, Development and Demonstration (R, D & D);

• Promote awareness of the extent of R, D & D that is now underway; • Facilitate co-operation between projects

– Carbon Capture Project (CCP)• Public/private partnership to develop new breakthrough technologies to

reduce the cost of CO2 separation, capture, transportation and storage from fossil fuel streams by 50% for existing energy facilities and 75% for new energy facilities.

– Other initiatives led by EU nations, Australia

Canada/US Mechanisms• US

– Regional Partnerships• Alberta and Saskatchewan engaged in Plains Regional Partnership• BC engaged in West Coast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership

– FutureGen• $1 billion industry/government partnership to design, build and operate a 275

megawatt coal gasification-based nearly emission-free, electricity and hydrogen production plant

• Canada– International Test Centre for CO2 Capture

• Perform R,D&D in select niche areas where Canada has natural advantages over other nations and develop technologies for use and export

– CANMET Energy Technology Centre• Oxy-fuel combustion, coal gasification, looping combustion

– Canadian Clean Power Coalition• Research, develop and demonstrate commercially viable clean coal

technology• Build a full-scale coal-fired demonstration plant by 2012

– Canada CO2 Capture and Storage Technology Roadmap

By - Stefan Bachu, AGS

Moving Innovation Forward

• Since step changes are required in innovation, government has to establish the environment that attracts innovation in CCS

• Just spending money on research does not necessarily result in commercialization

• Technology adoption can be facilitated by availability of incentives / penalties

Alberta Positioning• Strong market signals for enhanced resource recovery

and waste minimization• Gasification technologies can allow province to utilize its

plentiful coal, coke and bitumen resources– Alternative to natural gas for hydrogen and electricity– CO2-capture ready facilities

• Geological storage pilots helping prove enhanced recovery integrated with storage, monitoring technologies, economics, risk assessment techniques, ensure public acceptability

• CO2 “backbone” pipeline– Link CO2 sources to EOR/ECBM sites

• Integrated systems– Creation of industrial hubs/plexes for CO2 source-sink matching

What is needed to accelerate the commercialization of CCS Innovation?• Innovation in capture systems for CO2 (see

CANiCAP report, and roadmaps on CCS, Oil Sands & Clean Coal)

• Innovation in geological storage systems (see CANiSTORE report and CCS roadmap)

• A CO2 backbone pipeline (see CANiCAP)• Market signals that place value on CO2 storage• Reports and Roadmaps are available from the web

site: www.co2network.gc.ca