Characterization of the Wymark CO2 Reservoir: A Natural Analog to Long-Term CO2 Storage at Weyburn
Natural accumulations of CO{sub 2} occur in the Duperow and other Devonian strata on the western flank of the Williston Basin in lithologies very similar to those into which anthropogenic CO{sub 2} is being injected as part of an EOR program in the Weyburn-Midale pool. Previous workers have established the stratgraphic and petrographic similarities between the Duperow and Midale beds (Lake and Whittaker, 2004 and 2006). As the CO{sub 2} accumulations in the Devonian strata may be as old as 50 Ma, this similarity provides confidence in the efficacy of long-term geologic sequestration of CO{sub 2} in the Midale-Weyburn pool. Here we attempt to extend this comparison with whole rock and mineral chemistry using the same sample suite used by Lake and Whittaker. We provide XRD, XRF, and electron microprobe analysis of major constituent minerals along with extensive backscattered electron and x-ray imaging to identify trace phases and silicate minerals. LPNORM analysis is used to quantify modal concentrations of minerals species. Samples from depth intervals where CO{sub 2} has been observed are compared to those where CO{sub 2} was absent, with no systematic differences in mineral composition observed. Gas accumulation can be correlated with sample porosity. In particular gas-bearing samples from the Eastend region are more porous than the overlying gas-free samples. Silicate minerals are rare in the Duperow carbonates, never exceeding 3 wt%. As such, mineral trapping is precluded in these lithologies. The geochemical data presented here will be used for comparison with a similar geochemical-mineralogical study of the Midale (Durocher et al., 2003) in a subsequent report.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 1016980
- Report Number(s):
- LLNL-TR-463138; TRN: US201113%%365
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Natural CO2 accumulations in the western Williston Basin: A mineralogical analog for CO2 injection at the Weyburn site
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