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Monitoring Injected CO2 Using Earthquake Waves Measured by Downhole Fibre-Optic Sensors: CO2CRC Otway Stage 3 Case
Pavel Shashkin1, Boris Gurevich1, Sinem Yavuz1
1Centre for Exploration Geophysics, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, Australia.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|October 27, 2022
Summary
Monitoring carbon dioxide (CO2) plume migration using fiber-optic cables and passive seismic data offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional methods. This technique detects changes in seismic wave amplitudes, indicating CO2 presence and potential leakage.
Area of Science:
- Geophysics
- Reservoir Engineering
- Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
Background:
- Effective monitoring of carbon dioxide (CO2) in subsurface reservoirs is crucial for containment verification and leakage detection.
- Traditional time-lapse wireline logging for monitoring formation changes requires costly well interventions.
- Fiber-optic cables, permanently installed in wells, can function as distributed seismic receivers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of using downhole fiber-optic arrays as seismic receivers for detecting CO2 presence behind casing.
- To test the application of passive seismic recording, specifically regional earthquakes, for monitoring CO2 injection.
- To analyze seismic P-wave amplitude changes as an indicator of CO2 saturation and reservoir property alterations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized downhole fiber-optic arrays to record seismic data from regional earthquakes over a two-year period, encompassing CO2 injection.
- Analyzed P-wave amplitudes from recorded seismic events to identify anomalies.
- Correlated seismic amplitude anomalies with CO2 injection phases to assess changes in elastic properties.
Main Results:
- A consistent seismic amplitude anomaly was observed at the CO2 injection level after the commencement of injection.
- The detected anomaly correlates with changes in reservoir elastic properties attributed to CO2 saturation.
- Significant variability in seismic amplitudes between different earthquake events necessitates the analysis of multiple events to distinguish true anomalies from noise.
Conclusions:
- Passive seismic recording using downhole fiber-optic arrays is a viable and cost-effective method for monitoring CO2 injection and detecting potential leakage.
- This technique provides valuable insights into CO2 plume behavior and reservoir integrity without requiring well intervention.
- The widespread availability of seismic events, even in tectonically quiet regions, supports the global applicability of this monitoring approach.
