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Title: U.S. DOE NETL methodology for estimating the prospective CO2 storage resource of shales at the national and regional scale

Journal Article · · International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control
ORCiD logo [1];  [1];  [2];  [2];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [1];  [3];  [4];  [4];  [1]
  1. National Energy Technology Lab. (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, (United States)
  2. National Energy Technology Lab. (NETL), Morgantown, WV (United States)
  3. Illinois State Geological Survey, Champaign, IL (United States)
  4. Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States). Energy & Environmental Research Center
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While the majority of shale formations will serve as reservoir seals for stored anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrocarbon-bearing shale formations may be potential geologic sinks after depletion through primary production. Here in this paper we present the United States-Department of Energy-National Energy Technology Laboratory (US-DOE-NETL) methodology for screening-level assessment of prospective CO2 storage resources in shale using a volumetric equation. Volumetric resource estimates are produced from the bulk volume, porosity, and sorptivity of the shale and storage efficiency factors based on formation-scale properties and petrophysical limitations on fluid transport. Prospective shale formations require: (1) prior hydrocarbon production using horizontal drilling and stimulation via staged, high-volume hydraulic fracturing, (2) depths sufficient to maintain CO2 in a supercritical state, generally >800 m, and (3) an overlying seal. The US-DOE-NETL methodology accounts for storage of CO2 in shale as a free fluid phase within fractures and matrix pores and as an sorbed phase on organic matter and clays. Uncertainties include but are not limited to poorly-constrained geologic variability in formation thickness, porosity, existing fluid content, organic richness, and mineralogy. Knowledge of how these parameters may be linked to depositional environments, facies, and diagenetic history of the shale will improve the understanding of pore-to-reservoir scale behavior, and provide improved estimates of prospective CO2 storage.

Research Organization:
National Energy Technology Lab. (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, and Morgantown, WV (United States). In-house Research
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
1275480
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1325371
Report Number(s):
NETL-PUB-20182; PII: S1750583616302109
Journal Information:
International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, Vol. 51, Issue C; ISSN 1750-5836
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 61 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
Carbon Sequestration
storage resource
shale
carbon dioxide