CO2 Storage Capacity Evaluation in Deep Saline Aquifers for an Industrial Pilot Selection. Methodology and Results of the France Nord Project

Abstract

Abstract France Nord project is a Joint Industry Project that has grouped 4 public research institutes (BRGM, IFPEN, INERIS and Eifer) and 7 industrial partners (Total, GDF SUEZ, Storengy, EDF, Air Liquide, Lafarge and Vallourec) from 2008 to 2012. The first step of the France Nord project was to identify in the deep saline aquifers of the Paris Basin a geological site providing a storage capacity of at least 200 Mt of CO 2 during 40 years of injection. This level of capacity is considered as appropriate for a project of industrial size. In parallel, a review of the CO 2 emitters in Northern France was performed and potential CO 2 transportation solutions were reviewed. The second step was to implement a CCS pilot in a CO 2 storage target identified previously. An R&D program has also been implemented, reviewing key elements of the CCS chain. Five potential CO 2 storage targets were analyzed in detail, following a regional geological assessment, a geological modeling and dynamical flow simulations. However, on the basis of available data, it was not possible during the project to identify a CO 2 storage site with the target capacity of 200 Mt of CO 2 . As a consequence, the demonstration pilot was not implemented. These results are discussed and compared to past CO 2 storage assessments of the Paris Basin that provided much higher estimations of the saline aquifer CO 2 storage capacity of the basin.