Carbon Storage in Fold‐and‐Thrust Belts: An Overlooked Gigatonne Storage Opportunity

Koehn, Lars W.; Conley, Ethan W.; Andrade, Isabella; Prince, Philip S.; Pollyea, Ryan M.

doi:10.1002/ghg.2365

Title: Carbon Storage in Fold‐and‐Thrust Belts: An Overlooked Gigatonne Storage Opportunity

Journal Article · Mon Jul 21 00:00:00 UTC 2025 · Greenhouse Gases: Science and Technology

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ghg.2365 · OSTI ID:3015672

^[1];

^[1]; Andrade, Isabella ^[1]; Prince, Philip S. ^[1];

^[1]

Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Blacksburg, VA (United States)

This study presents numerical investigations of the trapping characteristics of fold-and-thrust belt structures, defining three carbon capture and storage (CCS) play types that could be used to store commercial volumes (millions of tonnes) of CO₂. Specifically, we present simulations of CO₂ storage in three fold-and-thrust belt models comprising a thrust-ramp, duplex, and thrust-fold geometry. To constrain these play types in realistic geology, each model is based on a study site, including a novel investigation of a greenfield saline reservoir in Virginia, USA, being considered for commercial carbon storage and two well-characterized petroleum fields: the Wilburton field in Oklahoma, USA, and the Incahuasi field in Bolivia. Our results provide insight into several key parameters, such as the long-term security of injected CO₂ in these geologies and injection strategies for maximizing storage efficiency while reducing pressure-related risk. These results improve the understanding of CCS in fold-and-thrust belt storage sites globally by describing general storage parameters that may be applied to site-specific projects. We find that thrust-ramp geometries may securely trap CO₂ through solubility and hydrodynamic trapping under suitable reservoir conditions, duplex structures may store some quantities of CO₂ but are pressure-constrained, and that thrust-ramp structures may store large quantities of CO₂ by maximizing fetch volume, which simultaneously lowers geomechanical risk by reducing pressure buildup along zones of weakness.

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Research Organization:: Southern States Energy Board, Peachtree Corners, GA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: Southern States Energy Board; USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: FE0031830

OSTI ID:: 3015672

Report Number(s):: DOESSEBWP01

Journal Information:: Greenhouse Gases: Science and Technology, Journal Name: Greenhouse Gases: Science and Technology Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 15; ISSN 2152-3878

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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42 ENGINEERING
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Title: Carbon Storage in Fold‐and‐Thrust Belts: An Overlooked Gigatonne Storage Opportunity

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