Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
tions. Knowledge and understanding of these safeguards by all concerned are of
great importance. Further information is outlined under the final section in this
chapter, Best Practices.
Carbon Capture and Storage
F
indings
1.
The only long-term (~14 years) commercial CO
2
sequestration project in the world
at the Sleipner field off the shore of Norway is of a small scale relative to commer-
cial projects proposed in the United States. Extensive seismic monitoring at this
offshore site has not indicated any significant induced seismicity.
2.
Proposed injection volumes of liquid CO
2
in large-scale sequestration projects
(> 1 million metric tonnes per year) are much larger than those associated with
the other energy technologies currently being considered. There is no experience
with fluid injection at these large scales and little data on seismicity associated with
CO
2
pilot projects. If the reservoirs behave in a similar manner to oil and gas fields,
these large volumes have the potential to increase the pore pressure over vast areas.
Relative to other technologies, such large affected areas may have the potential to
increase both the number and the magnitude of seismic events.
3.
CO
2
has the potential to react with the host/adjacent rock and cause mineral pre-
cipitation or dissolution. The effects of these reactions on potential seismic events
are not understood.
g
aps
1.
The short- and long-term effects of supercritical CO
2
in influencing rock strength
and rock slip strength are not well understood.
2.
The potential earthquake magnitudes that can be induced by the injection volumes
being proposed for CCS are not known.
3.
The complexities of hydrochemical-mechanical effects on CO
2
injection and stor-
age are not thoroughly understood.
p
roposed
a
ctions
Because of the lack of experience with large-scale fluid injection for CCS, continued
research supported by the federal government is needed on the potential for induced seis-
micity in large-scale CCS projects. Some specific research recommendations are outlined
in Box 7.1. As part of a continued research effort, collaboration between federal agencies
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