YP Lunch & Learn: Diana Hegazy, The Impact of Modeling Depositional Environments on Above Ground Considerations for CCS Projects

Abstract

Subsurface modeling for Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) is central to a project’s design, permitting, and monitoring. Visualized CO2 plume extents resulting from subsurface simulations are often used in the determination of mineral rights, landowner interactions, and pre-existing wellbore integrity considerations. Two key geological features affecting plume size and shape include porosity distributions and permeability anisotropies, which are influenced by paleo-environmental controls on depositional orientations. Study results show how those environmental controls can preferentially direct injected CO2 along depositionally derived permeability pathways, creating dominant plume orientations, and ultimately demonstrating how depositionally controlled plume shapes influence above-ground considerations for CCS projects.