IEA GHG Weyburn CO2 monitoring and storage project summary report 2000-2004

The Weyburn CO{sub 2} Monitoring and Storage Project is a multi-million dollar Canadian research project launched in July 2000 to determine the feasibility of geological storage of carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) at EnCana's enhanced oil recovery project at its Weyburn Unit in Saskatchewan. This book reviews the operating status of the project and provides a new understanding of the geological storage of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide. The project aims to predict and verify the ability of an oil reservoir to securely and economically store CO{sub 2}. Various mechanisms for geological storage were examined along with the degree to which CO{sub 2} can be permanently stored in geological formations. The Weyburn field has been subjected to waterflooding since 1964 and extensive use of horizontal wells since 1991. The first phase of the CO{sub 2} enhanced oil recovery scheme began in September 2000 in 18 inverted 9-spot patterns. The flood will be expanded over the next 15 years to a total of 75 patterns. A total of 20 million tonnes of CO{sub 2} is expected to be injected into the reservoir over the life of the project. The CO{sub 2} is a purchased by-product from the Dakota Gasification Company's synthetic fuel plant in Beulah, North Dakota. The carbon dioxide is transported via a 320 km pipeline to Weyburn. The project has been monitored and evaluated since its launch. This study involved an assessment of geochemical reactions from the action of CO{sub 2} on reservoir rock and the impact that it might have on geomechanical integrity and CO{sub 2} sequestration. A geoscience model of the storage medium was developed to identify potential migration pathways for CO{sub 2}. Risk assessments were conducted to predict long-term fate of CO{sub 2} within the storage sites. An economic model was also developed to define the limits of economic storage during and after enhanced oil recovery operations. refs., tabs., figs.