Sensitivity thresholds of groundwater parameters for detecting CO2 leakage at a geologic carbon sequestration site
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-20, 13:41authored byPeter Berger, Wimmer, B, Iranmanesh, A
Geologic carbon sequestration (GCS) projects in the USA are required to monitor groundwater quality for geochemical changes above the injection area that may be a result of CO2 or brine leakage from the storage reservoir. Should CO2 migrate into the groundwater around the compliance wells monitoring the shallower hydrologic units, each compliance parameter could react differently depending on its sensitivity to CO2. Statistically determined limits (SDLs) for detection of CO2 leakage into groundwater were calculated using background water quality data from the Illinois Basin Decatur Project (IBDP) sequestration site and prediction and tolerance intervals for specific compliance parameters. If the parameter concentrations varied outside of these ranges during the injection and post injection periods of a GCS project, then additional actions would be required to determine the reason for the changes in groundwater concentrations. Geochemical modeling can simulate the amount of CO2 needed to alter water quality parameters a statistically significant amount. This information can then inform GCS operators and regulators as to which compliance parameters are relevant (sensitive) to CO2 leakage for a given setting. For the system studied in here, Fe, Ca, K, Mg, CO2, and pH were sensitive to CO2 addition while Al, Cl, Na, and Si were not.
History
Publication title
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Volume
191
Issue
11
Article number
685
Number
685
Pagination
1-9
ISSN
0167-6369
Department/School
School of Natural Sciences
Publisher
Kluwer Academic Publ
Place of publication
Van Godewijckstraat 30, Dordrecht, Netherlands, 3311 Gz
Rights statement
Copyright 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland
Repository Status
Restricted
Socio-economic Objectives
Climate change mitigation strategies; Management of greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation