Surface CO2 leakage during the first shallow subsurface CO2release experiment

Journal Article · Sat Sep 15 04:00:00 EDT 2007 · Geophysical Research Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2007GL032047· OSTI ID:932799

Lewicki, J L; Oldenburg, C; Dobeck, L; Spangler, L

A new field facility was used to study CO2 migrationprocesses and test techniques to detect and quantify potential CO2leakage from geologic storage sites. For 10 days starting 9 July 2007,and for seven days starting 5 August 2007, 0.1 and 0.3 t CO2 d-1,respectively, were released from a ~;100-m long, sub-water table (~;2.5-mdepth) horizontal well. The spatio-temporal evolution of leakage wasmapped through repeated grid measurements of soil CO2 flux (FCO2). Thesurface leakage onset, approach to steady state, and post-release declinematched model predictions closely. Modeling suggested that minimal CO2was taken up by groundwater through dissolution, and CO2 spread out ontop of the water table. FCO2 spatial patterns were related to well designand soil physical properties. Estimates of total CO2 discharge along withsoil respiration and leakage discharge highlight the influence ofbackground CO2 flux variations on detection of CO2 leakagesignals.

• Research Organization: Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley NationalLaboratory, Berkeley, CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 932799
• Report Number(s): LBNL--63528; BnR: 600301020
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Vol. 34; ISSN GPRLAJ; ISSN 0094-8276
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
DESIGN
DETECTION
DISSOLUTION
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RESPIRATION
SIMULATION
SOILS
STORAGE
WATER TABLES