Carbon Dioxide Sequestration in Geological Media—State of the Science
Over the past 20 years, the concept of storing or permanently storing carbon dioxide in geological media has gained increasing attention as part of the important technology option of carbon capture and storage within a portfolio of options aimed at reducing anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases to the earth’s atmosphere.
Research programs focusing on the establishment of field demonstration projects are being implemented worldwide to investigate the safety, feasibility, and permanence of carbon dioxide geological sequestration.
AAPG Studies 59 presents a compilation of state of the science contributions from the international research community on the topic of carbon dioxide sequestration in geological media, also called geosequestration. This book is structured into eight parts, and, among other topics, provides an overview of the current status and challenges of the science, regional assessment studies of carbon dioxide geological sequestration potential, and a discussion of the economics and regulatory aspects of carbon dioxide sequestration.
Assessment of CO2 Sequestration and Enhanced Coalbed Methane Potential in Unminable Coal Seams of the Illinois Basin
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Published:January 01, 2009
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CiteCitation
Maria Mastalerz, John Rupp, Agnieszka Drobniak, Satya Harpalani, Andrew Anderson, Chris Korose, Scott Frailey, David Morse, 2009. "Assessment of CO2 Sequestration and Enhanced Coalbed Methane Potential in Unminable Coal Seams of the Illinois Basin", Carbon Dioxide Sequestration in Geological Media—State of the Science, M. Grobe, J. C. Pashin, R. L. Dodge
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Abstract
The Illinois Basin (Indiana, Illinois, and western Kentucky) holds substantial Pennsylvanian coal resources of high volatile bituminous rank, but much of this resource is considered to be too deep or too thin for economic mining. Sequestration of CO2 within the unminable parts of these coalbeds is one of the geological options considered for future isolation of CO2. The remaining coal resource in the basin is newly estimated for this study at 413 billion t (455 billion tons) of which 142 billion t (157 billion tons) (or 34.5%) meets the minable criteria of being less than 305 m (1000 ft) deep and greater than 1.1 m (3.5 ft) thick. Thus, 271 billion t (298 billion tons) are potentially available as a CO2 sequestration reservoir. The estimated CO2 storage capacity of the unminable coals in the Illinois Basin is 3.63 billion t (4 billion tons). In addition to storing CO2, these coals are also targets for enhanced coalbed methane production, with an estimated volume of 6.68 tcf (189 billion m3) of recoverable methane. For the coals studied, the adsorption capacities for CO2 are three to six times greater than for methane (CH4). Experiments demonstrate that swelling and shrinkage of the Illinois Basin coals after injection of CO2 are considerable, indicating the possibility of permeability damage following CO2 injection. Key parameters that influence gas adsorption capacities were mapped for the Danville, Hymera, Herrin, Springfield, Survant, Colchester, and Seelyville coal members, including thickness, depth, elevation, moisture and ash, vitrinite reflectance, and temperature and pressure.
- adsorption
- carbon dioxide
- carbon sequestration
- Carboniferous
- coal
- coal seams
- coalbed methane
- Danville Coal Member
- enhanced recovery
- gas injection
- gas storage
- Herrin Coal Member
- Illinois
- Illinois Basin
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- lithostratigraphy
- Middle Pennsylvanian
- natural gas
- Paleozoic
- Pennsylvanian
- petroleum
- pressure
- reservoir rocks
- sedimentary rocks
- Springfield Coal Member
- strain
- temperature
- United States
- vitrinite reflectance
- volume
- waste disposal
- Hymera Coal Member
- Seelyville Coal Member
- Survant Coal Member
- Colchester Coal Member