Near-Surface Monitoring Technologies for Geologic Carbon Storage

Abstract

Summary To ensure safe and effective geologic carbon storage operations for greenhouse gas emission reductions, properly monitoring carbon storage sites throughout a project lifecycle is an indispensable and important task. Over the past 20 years, international companies, governments, and research institutes have carried out various research on carbon storage monitoring technologies, and the acquired research knowledge and experiences have led to the publication of best practice manuals, standards, and guidelines, as well as international databases. First, we introduce important international standards and databases associated with geologic carbon storage monitoring and then give an overview of various near-surface monitoring technologies applied to storage sites. Finally, we provide an update on the near-surface monitoring technologies developed in ITRI, with a focus on fiber-optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) monitoring technology. Preliminary results of two field tests, one at the Meilun campus of National Dong Hwa University and the other at a monitoring well in a potential geothermal area in Wanli District, are shown to illustrate the possible use of DAS in the near-surface environment in Taiwan.