Carbon Capture, Utilization & Storage (CCUS)
GeoContainment™ Evaluation
For Subsurface or Geologic Carbon Sequestration Projects
GeoContainment™ for Geological Carbon Storage
In the pursuit of reducing global climate change, carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) have emerged as vital priorities worldwide. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is the efficient process of securely storing carbon dioxide (CO2) in underground geologic formations. Through pressurization, CO2 transforms into a liquid state, ready for injection into porous rock formations, depleted oil and gas reservoirs, saline aquifers, or bedded rock salt caverns. The success of CCUS is dependent on the reliable containment of injected CO2 within the designated storage site.
To ensure effective CO2 containment, the caprock’s seal potential is crucial. The rock layers overlying the storage formation must exhibit strength, integrity, and continuity to avoid seepage or migration of the stored carbon. BGES specializes in a comprehensive suite of services that streamline AER Directive 51 application and ensure the safety and efficiency of CCUS operations. Trust our expertise to facilitate your carbon capture and storage initiatives while adhering to regulatory requirements and industry best practices.
Site Screening & Selection
BGES delivers comprehensive services for carbon storage site screening, selection, and geomodelling. Potential sites, such as depleted gas fields or saline aquifers, are identified in the screening phase. The selection process involves evaluating storage capacity by assessing reservoir porosity, permeability, and seal integrity, while also identifying leakage pathways and subsurface proximity to other activities. Surface factors like rights-of-way and land proximity are also assessed. Feasibility analyses estimate the CO2 storage capacity of formations, and static geological models are developed to serve as the basis for subsequent modelling and evaluations.
Core Preservation and Management
Once the core samples arrive at our geotechnical lab, BGES ensures diligent preservation and management to maintain their integrity. We handle the cores with extreme care, immediately placing them in a controlled environment to preserve the original rock properties. This crucial step ensures that subsequent testing reflects the true characteristics of the storage formation and caprocks in-situ. After safe transport to our lab in Calgary, the cores undergo further processing and detailed analysis by our experienced technical professionals, ensuring high-quality results and reliable data.
Geotechnical Lab Testing
Triaxial tests are critical for generating rock strength data, key to assessing caprock integrity in carbon storage projects. BGES employs proprietary methods for handling and testing caprock samples to ensure accurate results. Alongside triaxial tests, permeability testing evaluates the caprock’s ability to restrict CO₂ flow, predicting potential fluid migration. Capillary breakthrough tests are equally important for determining the caprock’s ability to prevent CO₂ intrusion, offering vital insights into containment effectiveness. This suite of tests ensures safe and efficient carbon storage by thoroughly evaluating caprock integrity.
Hydrogeology Analysis
Groundwater is a critical aspect of CCUS operations, particularly in understanding the fluid’s hydrochemistry and properties, which play a critical role in flow modeling. Characteristics of groundwater, such as its flow, composition, and interaction with reservoir fluids, impact the overall dynamics of the carbon storage. BGES offers comprehensive hydrogeology services, focusing on the characterization, assessment, and modeling of groundwater sources and movement within the storage system.
Injectivity Tests
Injectivity testing is essential in selecting suitable carbon storage sites by confirming the ability to inject CO₂ at the desired rate into the formation. This test provides in-situ permeability data beyond the near-wellbore region, offering insights into the storage formation’s relative permeability, heterogeneities (such as layering or fractures), and other critical characteristics. When multiple wells or intervals are tested, the injectivity test can detect vertical and horizontal communication between layers. BGES conducts detailed injectivity tests and offers comprehensive data analysis, delivering reliable interpretations to assessment overall suitability for carbon storage.
Mini-Frac / DFIT
Mini-fracs (or DFITs) are widely used for carbon storage projects to indirectly measure the minimum in-situ stress of a formation, a key factor in determining safe injection pressure and caprock integrity. BGES employs a comprehensive approach to DFITs, using diagnostic tools to estimate critical parameters such as in-situ stress, reservoir permeability, and pore pressure. The results help define the maximum operating pressure (MOP) and generate inputs for geomechanical modeling, ensuring the integrity of the storage formation and caprock. Our expert analysis delivers reliable, consistent results to support safe and efficient carbon storage operations.
Subsurface Modelling
BGES offers a complete suite of subsurface modeling solutions for geological carbon storage, ensuring safe and environmentally responsible operations. This includes geological models that depict the storage unit, primary seal, and surrounding geological layers. Reservoir flow and transport models predict CO₂ movement and assess storage capacity, while geochemical models evaluate chemical reactivity and CO₂ behavior. Geomechanical models identify areas where pressure changes could compromise seals, assess seismicity risks, and detect potential issues early. Together, these models provide a precise, integrated approach for effective carbon storage management.
Legacy Well Integrity Assesssment
With over 23 years of experience in wireline services, BGES specializes in legacy well integrity logging and evaluations for CCUS applications. Our expertise includes comprehensive assessments using casing inspection logs, cement bond logs, and advanced multi-temperature profiling to ensure the integrity of legacy wells. Trust BGES to deliver high-quality, reliable results in even the most challenging environments, as we remain committed to supporting the long-term success of CCUS projects.