Insights into interconnections between the shallow and deep systems from a natural CO2 reservoir near Springerville, Arizona

Abstract

If carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration into deep geologic reservoirs is to be accepted by the public and environmental regulators, the possibility of upward leakage into shallow groundwater should be acknowledged and those processes well-understood. Studies of natural CO2 reservoirs and their connection (or lack thereof) with the shallow subsurface is one way to explore these issues. A natural reservoir near Springerville, Arizona has leaked CO2 to the surface along a fault zone for thousands of years, creating large travertine deposits. In recent times, the CO2 leak rates have declined significantly yet the shallow aquifer is still highly enriched in CO2. In this study, using water level data and simulations we demonstrate that the fault zone likely provides hydrologic communication between the shallow aquifer and the deeper reservoir. It is reasonable to assume, therefore, that the source of the CO2 in wells completed within the fault zone is the deeper CO2 reservoir. We present water chemistry data to demonstrate the geochemical impact of this CO2 on shallow groundwater quality. Interestingly, arsenic concentrations are elevated, but other trace metals concentrations are not. Arsenic and chloride concentrations co-vary, suggesting perhaps an external source of both elements rather than an in situ release of As due to CO2 attack on shallow aquifer sediments. Observations at this site demonstrate that hydraulic communications between shallow and deep layers and upward CO2 migration does not preclude long-term viability of a substantial CO2 reservoir at depth. We present multi-phase flow simulations to illustrate possible mechanisms trapping the CO2 at depth. Collectively, these analyses show that some degree of upward CO2 leakage may not be necessarily incompatible with the overarching goals of sequestering CO2 and protecting shallow groundwater.