A seismic-based CO2-sequestration regional assessment of the Miocene section, northern Gulf of Mexico, Texas and Louisiana

Abstract

Relying primarily on 3D-seismic data, an assessment of the major structural elements of the Miocene section, northern Gulf of Mexico (Texas and Louisiana), was initiated to identify prospective subsurface areas for permanent geologic storage of anthropogenic CO2. Identifying and mapping fault planes and key stratigraphic surfaces in the seismic data helped identify several areas that may be suitable for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects of scale. Prospective sites that included proximity to anthropogenic sources of CO2, RMS amplitude intervals that indicate confining zones that greatly retard vertical migration of buoyant CO2, and structural closures were ranked on a regional scale. Local site (Site 1) assessment used hydrocarbon-based and volumetric-based methods to estimate the amount of CO2 that can be safely injected into a prospective site’s permanent storage reservoirs.