Brian Hitchon (Editor)
2009
392 pp. /18 colour photographs/ 221 colour line diagrams/28 b/w line diagrams/ 31 tables
(hardcover)
ISBN 978-0-9680844-5-8
This book summarizes the essential results of a monitoring pilot study in which CO2 was injected into the Upper Cretaceous Cardium Formation at the Pembina Field, Alberta, Canada.
The study was part of a major effort by the Alberta Government to answer the call to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, specifically CO2 in this case. The Pembina Field was chosen from several fields for the pilot study and the injection of CO2 was combined with enhanced oil recovery (EOR).
Penn West Petroleum Ltd. is the operator of the part of the field in which the study took place. Staff involved came from the Alberta Research Council, the Alberta Geological Survey, the University of Alberta, and the University of Calgary. The project ran from 2004 to 2008, and cost about $4.25 million.
The book outlines five major aspects of the study, two being assessments of the Cardium Formation at the regional scale and the local scale. The detailed geology, lithology, mineralogy, hydrogeology, rock properties, and wellbore integrity are described, as well as selected properties of the fluids present.
Models were used extensively in matching the pre-injection situation, monitoring the behaviour of CO2 in the reservoir, and predicting future events after cessation of injection. Geological, geochemical, and reservoir flow models were applied to determine changes in the reservoir due to CO2 injection. The impact of the CO2 injection process in both the deep and shallow environment was also evaluated.
During the study a variety of new or modified methods of evaluating conditions were tried. These are summarized in a separate chapter.
The final chapter outlines the essential features of the study in terms of (1) the capacity of the Pembina Cardium reservoir to hold the injected CO2, (2) the ability of the reservoir to contain the CO2 safely, and (3) monitoring considerations.
Click here for Table of Contents(PDF)
Click here to see a modified version of the final Summary Chapter