Energy Technologies: How They Work and Their Induced Seismicity Potential - Induced Seismicity Potential in Energy Technologies - page 79

BOX 3.9
Carbon Dioxide Sequestration in the Illinois Basin:
The Midwest Geological Sequestration Consortium Project at Decatur, Illinois
The Midwest Geological Sequestration Consortium (MGSC) is one of seven regional partnerships
with funding from the DOE to test methods for geological storage of CO 2 . The MGSC in collaboration with
Archer Daniels Midland Company, Schlumberger Carbon Services, Trimeric Corporation, and supporting
subcontractors has initiated the Illinois Basin-Decatur Project (IBDP), which has begun the injection of 1 mil-
lion metric tonnes (~1.1 million tons) of supercritical CO 2 over a 3-year period into a saline reservoir that
has not had previous fluid extraction at a site near Decatur, Illinois (Figures 1 and 2).
The target reservoir is the Mt. Simon Sandstone, which lies at a depth of approximately 7,000 feet.
Injection of CO 2 began in fall 2011 at an initial rate of 1,000 metric tonnes/day. An active seismic surface
survey completed in January 2010 prior to the start of injection and a seismic monitoring well are part
of the efforts to both monitor the distribution of CO 2 and assess the seismicity risk during injection. The
objectives of the baseline survey were to check for faulting, assess reservoir heterogeneity, map reservoir
properties, develop data for the mechanical Earth model, and record a baseline for future CO 2 distribution
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Figure 1 Location of IBDP. SOURCE: Illinois State Geological Survey.