Geophysical Modelling for CO₂ Storage, Monitoring and Appraisal Meeting – An ECR’S Account

This blog was written by Kazeem Rabiu, an Early Career Researchers at Loughborough University that was granted funding by the UKCCSRC’s ECR Meeting Fund to attend the Geophysical Modelling for CO₂ Storage, Monitoring and Apprasal Meeting. 

Geophysical Modelling for CO₂ Storage, Monitoring and Appraisal meeting organised by UKCCSRC took place at the University of Leeds between 2nd-3rd November 2015. About 30 researchers from various institutions and industries throughout the UK (Loughborough University, University of Edinburg, Cranfield University, University of Sheffield, UKCCRC, Statoil ASA, University of Cambridge, National Oceanic Centre, Southampton, Imperial College, Heriot-Watt University, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of Bristol, British Geological Survey and the host institution, University of Leeds) were present in the meeting. The meeting kicked off with the dinner on 2nd November, 2015.

On 3rd November, 2015, the meeting started with the introduction by Lisa Roach. Jonny Rutqvist from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory gave lecture on modelling fault reactivity, induced seismicity, and leakage during underground CO₂ injection. The lecture was well explained and some questions were entertained. Andrew Cavanagh from Statoil was the second speaker; his topic is 20 Years and 20 Mt: Statoil storage experience. It was an interesting topic. Some of the storage experience from Sleipner and Snohvit Statoil were well explained. 

After the tea and coffee break, passive seismic monitoring for CO₂ storage sites was discussed by Anna Stork of the University of Bristol. Thereafter, Giorgos Papageorgiou from University of Edinburgh gave lecture on the advances in rock physics modelling and improved estimation of CO₂ saturation. Doug Angus from the host University, University of Leeds discussed assessing the uncertainty of time-lapse seismic response due to geo-mechanical deformation.

Afternoon session started by Quentin Fisher from the University of Leeds who talked about coupled flow, geomechanical and geophysical modelling: Software tools and research gaps were discussed. Following this there was a discussion by Jim White from BGS who shed more light on the monitoring, mapping and modelling of thin layers of injected CO₂. The lecture session was concluded by Adriana Paluszny from Imperial College, London / EPSRC CONTAIN project who describe the numerical modelling of fracture growth and caprock integrity during CO₂ injection. 

Finally, poster session and networking by Early Career Researchers started. The topics of the posters were:

• How thick is a thin layer? Monitoring CO₂ injection at the Sleipner Field
• Seismic plume evolution in a heterogeneous sandstone reservoir: role and impact of patchy CO₂ saturation
• Geoelectrical characterization of silica sand porous structure with the injection of CO₂ 
• Induced seismicity simulation in a rock sample.

The assessors assessed the posters and asked some questions about the posters.  Laurence Cowton, a PhD student from the University of Cambridge got the price for the best poster “How thick is a thin layer? Monitoring CO₂ injection at the Sleipner Field”. Feedbacks were sent to all poster presenters after the meeting which was very helpful.