Interpretation of Above Zone and Storage Zone Pressure Responses to Carbon Dioxide Injection in the 2016 CO2CRC Field Test

Abstract

The measurement of pressure in a permeable zone overlying a CO2 injection zone has been tested as a useful technique for monitoring CO2 plume evolution and detecting potential leakage. From Nov 2015 to April 2016 15,000 t of CO2-rich gas were injected at the CO2CRC Otway site in Victoria, Australia, and pressure was monitored with multiple gauges both in-zone and above-zone. The pressure response to injection has been analysed by numerical methods, and it is demonstrated that the above-zone pressure response can be explained by pressure diffusion through the intervening layers.