CO2 Migration in the Overburden: Rates, Pathways and Barriers to Fluid Flow

13 Pages Posted: 4 Apr 2019 Last revised: 4 May 2019

See all articles by Maxine Akhurst

Maxine Akhurst

British Geological Survey

Andy Chadwick

British Geological Survey

Joana Gafeira

British Geological Survey

Sarah Hannis

British Geological Survey

David Jones

British Geological Survey

Karen Kirk

British Geological Survey

Emrys Phillips

British Geological Survey

Margaret Stewart

British Geological Survey

Jim White

British Geological Survey

John Williams

British Geological Survey

Abstract

Large-scale geological heterogeneities and their potential to enhance fluid flow or hinder migration in the subsurface are reviewed. Evidence for flow or fluid containment by faults and fractures, fluid flow features, submarine mass movement deposits, buried tunnel valleys, hydrofractures and glacitectonic features is presented. Wellbore-related flow paths and well integrity studies are summarised; the risk of wellbore leakage may be best understood by simulations of predicted long-term behaviour of well barriers. Rates of fluid flux at natural seepage sites and controlled experimental releases of carbon dioxide (CO2) are compiled and compared, and lessons learnt for monitoring of CO2 storage sites identified. The overburden sequences to five operational or planned CO2 storage sites are compared and those characteristics in common that promote subsurface containment of fluids are highlighted.

Keywords: CO2 migration, flux rates, overburden, CO2 storage, GHGT-14

Suggested Citation

Akhurst, Maxine and Chadwick, Andy and Gafeira, Joana and Hannis, Sarah and Jones, David and Kirk, Karen and Phillips, Emrys and Stewart, Margaret and White, Jim and Williams, John, CO2 Migration in the Overburden: Rates, Pathways and Barriers to Fluid Flow. 14th Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies Conference Melbourne 21-26 October 2018 (GHGT-14) , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3365574 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3365574

Maxine Akhurst (Contact Author)

British Geological Survey ( email )

Edinburgh
United Kingdom

Andy Chadwick

British Geological Survey

Nottingham
United Kingdom

Joana Gafeira

British Geological Survey

Nottingham
United Kingdom

Sarah Hannis

British Geological Survey

Nottingham
United Kingdom

David Jones

British Geological Survey

Nottingham
United Kingdom

Karen Kirk

British Geological Survey ( email )

Nottingham
United Kingdom
01159363013 (Phone)

Emrys Phillips

British Geological Survey

Nottingham
United Kingdom

Margaret Stewart

British Geological Survey

Nottingham
United Kingdom

Jim White

British Geological Survey

Nottingham
United Kingdom

John Williams

British Geological Survey

Nottingham
United Kingdom

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