Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
Dynamic Group and Subsurface Consultants (SCA) have joined together to launch an ambitious project to screen potential carbon storage sites offshore Texas and Louisiana. The project will deliver a geologic and commercial ranking of potential carbon storage sites in the federal waters of Texas and Louisiana. Dynamic has been conducting detailed structural and stratigraphic interpretation of regional 3D seismic within 50 miles of the coastline (see map on fig 1). Economic and engineering criteria will be incorporated to rank potential sites on size and cost of storage.
Fig 1:CCS AOI (shown in yellow) defined by: 50 miles from shore and currently available 3D: 15,855 miles2 (41,064 km2)
Why CCS screening Study?
Over the last few years we have seen an unprecedented rise in response to the climate crisis by investigation of the potential for Carbon Storage in sites across the world. Multiple government and academic studies have indicated that Texas and Louisiana are both optimally positioned for CCS, both with respect to emissions and geology. The Colombia Center on Global Energy Policy (2021) concluded that the "Gulf coast regions of Texas and Louisiana could host multiple hubs that could accelerate decarbonization and improve competitiveness on a national basis". One of the conclusions of a decade long study by Texas Bureau of Economic Studies was that most of the existing oil and gas fields are too small to be commercially viable for CCS and that identifying the largest sealed pore volume will be key to high grading potential sites. Currently most studies in the region are well based with only a limited access to 3D seismic data in the state waters. This limits the ability to regionally map saline aquifers and existing oil and gas reservoirs.
The Dynamic/SCA study was designed to address growing industry demand to understand the storage potential and key engineering and economic parameters that will constrain the ranking of the potential sites. It incorporates continuous 3D seismic coverage out to 50 miles from the coastline of Texas and Louisiana, thereby providing seismic and well-based analysis. It maps both the largest existing fields and large unconstrained aquifers.
Highlights of Dynamic/SCA CCS Screening Project:
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Detailed structural and Stratigraphic interpretation of regional 3D seismic volumes within 50 miles of Texas and Louisiana coastline as shown in Fig 1. Interpretation and data are both part of immediate deliverables.
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Ten major flooding surfaces identified within 4000'-12,000' target interval and tied to public domain well biostratigraphy. Figures 2 through 5 shows examples of our seismic interpretation and mapping from Texas and Louisiana.
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Project maps and reports will identify largest sealed pore volumes in existing fields and unconstrained aquifers.
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The engineering screening study will determine key sensitivities to lowest cost storage per mt of CO2. Analog projects, reservoir characterization, pressure and phase behavior, capex and open, regulatory and fiscal considerations are some of the guidelines being considered
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The final phase will integrate the identified largest pore volumes with engineering sensitivities to assess the most commercially viable targets.
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Project participation by companies are ongoing. Immediate delivery of first phase deliverables (3D depth converted data and interpretation).
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Project contact:
Robert Pascoe: rp@dyngp.com
Susan Howes: showes@scacompanies.com
Fig 2: Example from Texas: Intra Middle Miocene Depth Structure
Fig 3: An example from Texas showing intra miocene interpretation.
Fig 4: Example from Louisiana: Intra Upper Miocene Depth Structure
Image courtesy of Eliis
Fig 5: Seismic data example from Louisiana showing intra miocene interpretation
