Using Vegetation near CO2 Mediated Enhanced Oil Recovery (CO2-EOR) Activities for Monitoring Potential Emissions and Ecological Effects

Xiongwen Chen,Kathleen A Roberts

doi:10.3390/c1010095

Xiongwen Chen, Kathleen A Roberts

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/c1010095

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Abstract

CO2 mediated enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR) may lead to methods of CO2 reduction in the atmosphere through carbon capture and storage (CCS); therefore, monitoring and verification methods are needed to ensure that CO2-EOR and CCS activities are environmentally safe and effective. This study explored vegetation growth rate to determine potential ecological effects of emissions from CO2-EOR activities. Plant relative growth rates (RGR) from plots within an oilfield and reference areas, before and after CO2 breakthrough were used to assess CO2-EOR activities impact surrounding vegetation. The trend for both areas was the decrease in RGR ratio during the study time; however, the decrease in RGR ratio was significantly less in the oilfield area compared to the reference area overall and by subcategories of pine, tree and shrub. Based on data from plant plots, RGR decreased in the reference and oilfield areas except one plot, which increased in RGR. Within the oilfield and reference areas, several species decreased significantly in RGR, but American olive increased in RGR. Vegetation monitoring could provide parameters related to the modeling potential effects of emissions on local ecosystems (species, groups and community) and serve as a necessary component to the monitoring and verification of CO2-EOR and CCS projects. The challenge and limitations of vegetation monitoring were also discussed.

Highlights

One of the many considerations at the national and international levels is the maintenance of a steady supply of energy while being mindful of the potential environmental impact
Conifers were present in each area, planted loblolly occurred in the oilfield area and longleaf pine occurred in the reference area
By comparing the monthly relative growth rate (RGR) of vegetation plots located in an area used for CO2 mediated enhanced oil recovery (CO2-enhanced oil recovery (EOR)) and vegetation plots located in a reference area, we observed that one vegetation plot located in the oil field area increased in monthly RGR where remaining plots were generally categorized by decreased monthly

Summary

Introduction

One of the many considerations at the national and international levels is the maintenance of a steady supply of energy while being mindful of the potential environmental impact. Eighty-three percent of the USA fossil fuel energy consumption for 2010 was in the forms of petroleum (37%), natural gas (25%). Oil fields can age over time and the expense of production rises to a point of unprofitability. After independent well pumping and field wide water flooding methods have been used, up to 75% of the original oil remains in place [2]. Innovative methods have to be developed for continuously supplying energy. Recent advances in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods have been used to produce oil previously considered cost prohibitive [3,4,5]

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