Energy Technologies: How They Work and Their Induced Seismicity Potential - Induced Seismicity Potential in Energy Technologies - page 60

Production Well

Injection Well

Drive
Water

Drive
Water

CO 2 CO 2 Water CO 2 CO 2 Miscible

Zone

Miscible
Zone

Oil
Bank

Injected CO 2
encounters trapped oil

CO 2 and
oil mix

Oil expands and moves
toward producing well

FIGURE 3.10 Enhanced oil recovery through CO 2 injection. SOURCE: NETL (2010).

EOR as of 2007 (Meyer, 2007). Current records from the Railroad Commission of Texas
indicate that more than 9,400 wells are permitted in Texas alone for CO 2 injection for
EOR. 6 Among the many thousands of wells used for EOR in the United States, the com-
mittee did not find any documented instances of felt induced seismicity in the published
literature or from experts in the field with whom the committee communicated during
the study.

6 See www.rrc.state.tx.us/data/wells/fluids.php.