Offshore CO2 Storage Resource Assessment of the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

Research programs recognize the need to further develop offshore storage resources for successful global deployment of CCUS. The inner continental shelf of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico is especially prospective because it has abundant available geologic data accumulated from decades of hydrocarbon exploration near many large point sources of industrial CO2. An ongoing study on the upper Texas coast to Vermilion Bay (western Louisiana) assesses prospective geologic storage resources for the approximately 8,000 square mile study area. The study, encompassing state and federal waters, utilizes 1) existing rock samples (e.g., whole cores), 2) well logs, and other data from existing or P&A wells and 3) available 2D, a convention regional 3D and a high resolution 3D seismic surveys to assess storage resources (e.g., faults, reservoir and seal units, etc.). The study utilizes the available geologic data resources to 1) assess the CO2 storage capacity of depleted oil and natural gas reservoirs, and 2) assess the ability of saline formations in the region to safely and permanently store nationally-significant amounts of anthropogenic CO2. The study also seeks to identify at least one specific site with potential to store at least 30 million metric tons of CO2 that could be further considered in the future for a commercial or integrated demonstration project.