An integrated geological and GIS-based method to assess caprock risk in mature basins proposed for carbon capture and storage

Abstract

Subsurface injection of carbon dioxide (CO2) is a technique to enhance oil recovery and so the economic value of depleting fields. It complements carbon capture and storage, which is a key technology to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. In this work, an integrated method developed by the British Geological Survey and Cardiff University uses high-resolution 3D seismic and borehole data from the Jæren High to analyse potential seal breaches and fluid flow paths in a frontier area of the North Sea, ultimately assessing the risk of a possible carbon capture and storage site. We integrate the spatial analysis of subsurface fluid flow features with borehole and geochemical data to model the burial and thermal history of potential storage sites, estimating the timing of fluid expulsion. On seismic data, fluid pipes connect reservoir intervals of different ages. Spatial analysis reveals clustering of fluid flow features above strata grounded onto deep reservoirs intervals. Our integrated method shows that gas matured from Dinantian coal and migrated up-dip during the Triassic-Jurassic into the lower sandstone reservoir of the Rotliegend Group. The containing seal rock was breached once sufficiently large volumes of gas generated high overpressures in the reservoir. Some of these fluid flow features may still be active conduits, as indicated by bright amplitude anomalies within the pipes. This study shows how integrated analyses may enhance our understanding of fluid-flow pathways, de-risking prospective sites for carbon capture and storage. The method proposed in this work is particularly important to assess the suitability of area with trapped gas pockets and understand tertiary migration in areas proposed for geological storage of CO2.