Update on the FrioBrine Pilot:
15 months after
injection

Susan D. Hovorka
Bureau of Economic Geology
Jackson School Of Geosciences
The University of Texas at Austin
Karen Cohen
DOE NETL Project Manager

Presented at RITEInternational Workshop,Tokyo, February 2006
International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Frio Brine Pilot Research Team•
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Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School, The University of Texas atAustin: Susan Hovorka, Mark Holtz, Shinichi Sakurai, Seay Nance, Joseph Yeh,Paul Knox, Khaled Faoud, Jeff Paine
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, (Geo-Seq): Larry Myer, Tom Daley, BarryFreifeld, Rob Trautz, Christine Doughty, Sally Benson, Karsten Pruess, Curt
Oldenburg, Jennifer Lewicki, Ernie Majer, Mike Hoversten, Mac Kennedy, PaulCookSchlumberger: T. S. Ramakrishna, Nadja Mueller, Austin Boyd, Mike Wilt
Oak Ridge National Lab: Dave Cole, Tommy Phelps, David Riestberg
Lawrence Livermore National Lab: Kevin Knauss, Jim Johnson
Alberta Research Council: Bill Gunter, John Robinson, Bernice Kadatz
Texas American Resources: Don Charbula, David Hargiss
Sandia Technologies: Dan Collins, “Spud” Miller, David Freeman; Phil Papadeas
BP: Charles Christopher, Mike Chambers
SEQURE – National Energy Technology Lab: Curt White, Rod Diehl, GrantBromhall, Brian Stratizar, Art Wells
Paulsson Geophysical – Bjorn Paulsson
University of West Virginia: Henry Rausch
USGS: Yousif Kharaka, Bill Evans, Evangelos Kakauros, Jim Thorsen
Praxair: Joe Shine, Dan Dalton
Australian CO2CRC (CSIRO): Kevin Dodds, Don Sherlock
Core Labs: Paul Martin and others

International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Frio Experiment: Monitoring CO2 Storage inBrine-Bearing Formations
Project Goal: Early success in a high-permeability, high-volume
sandstone representative of a broad area that is an ultimate target
for large-volume sequestration.
•Demonstrate that CO2 can be injected into a brine formation without
adverse health, safety, or environmental effects•Determine the subsurface distribution of injected CO2 using diverse
monitoring technologies•Demonstrate validity of conceptual and numerical models•Develop experience necessary for success of large-scale CO2
injection experiments

International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Frio Experiment: Status of Results
1600 metric tons CO2 was introduced into well-characterized
relatively homogenous high permeability sandstone systemcharacteristic of the Gulf Coast region of the US and monitored
before, during, and after injection•Vigorous public/industry outreach - favorable response•Saturation and transport properties measured horizontally,vertically, and through time using multiple tools•Improved model conceptual and numerical inputs•Make results available to US and international field projects,
compare results•Frio 2 injection is planned for May 2006

International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Site Search
Locating a high-permeability, high-volume sandstone
representative of a broad area that is an ultimate target for largevolume sequestration

Site

Power plants
Refineries
Sedimentary cover> 6km
Sources: USGS, IEA Source database
International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Regional Geologic Setting –Cross Section
Pilot site

20 milesModified from Galloway and others, 1982
International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Frio Brine Pilot Site
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Injectioninterval•••

Oil production
International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Injection interval: 24-m-thick,mineralogically complex
Oligocene reworked fluvial
sandstone, porosity 24%,
Permeability 2.5 Darcys
Steeply dipping 18 degrees
7m perforated zone
Seals − numerous thickshales, small fault block
Depth 1,500 m
Brine-rock system, nohydrocarbons
150 bar, 53 degrees C,
supercritical CO2

Reservoir Model
Fault planes
Porosity

Observation well
Injection well

Monitoring
injection andmonitoring
International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Evolution of Frio Project – Role of Modeling
Year
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Quarter
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1
Activities
Complete Phase I Feasibility StudyGEO-SEQ - organize research team1Optimal site selection study
Propose field study
2$12
Site characterization- existing data
101522
Predictive modeling/Refine experiment
3 4, 5 6 7
Modify experiment design
Model refinement
8,911,12,13
NEPA permit preparation
Injection permit preparation
Modeling to support permits
16 17
Site preparation, workover
New injection well drilled
Basin line data collected
Predictive modeling with improved data
18,19, 20, 23
Injection
Post-injection measurements
Calibration of models
21 24 25 ? ?
Closure?

International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

How Modeling and Monitoring Demonstrate
Permanence
Residual gas saturation of 5%•

Modeling has identified
variables which appear tocontrol CO2 injection andpost injection migration.
• Measurements made over ashort time frame and small
Residual gas saturation of 30%
distance confirm the correct
value for these variables• Better conceptualized andcalibrated models will now
be used to develop larger
scale longer time frame
injections
TOUGH2 simulations
C. Doughty LBNL
International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Observation Well
Injection Well
Closely spaced
measurements
in time and spaceInternational Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06
International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Monitoring at Frio Pilot
Gaswells

Aquifer wells (4)Access tubes, gas sampling

Downhole
P&T
Wireline
logging
Tracers

Determine the subsurface
distribution of injected CO2 using
diverse monitoring technologies

Downhole samplingU-tubeGas lift
Radial VSP
Cross wellSeismic,
EMInternational Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Figure4

Pressure response:
A powerful and lowcost measurementof reservoir properties

Day 1-10

Day 1-10
Sally Benson
International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Wireline logging observation well to measurechanges in CO2 saturation – match to modelDay 4

Day 10Day 29

Day 66

Day 142

PorosityPerforations

Frio “C” sandstone

SealInternational Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Shinichi Sakurai BEG and Schlumberger

How Modeling and Monitoring Demonstrate
Permanence
Residual gas saturation of 5%•

Modeling has identified
variables which appear tocontrol CO2 injection andpost injection migration.
• Measurements made over ashort time frame and small
Residual gas saturation of 30%
distance confirm the correct
value for these variables• Better conceptualized andcalibrated models will now
be used to develop larger
scale longer time frame
injections
TOUGH2 simulations
C. Doughty LBNL
International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Wireline logging to measurechanges in CO2 saturation – match to modelDay 10Day 66

Frio“C” sandPorosity
Quantitative,
High resolution
Low cost

Perforations

Injection EndDay 142

International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Shinichi Sakurai BEG and Schlumberger

New tool to do thejob:
LBNL U-tube
instrument tocollect highfrequency,
high quality twophase samples

Tommy Phelps
Dave Ristenburg
Oak Ridge National Lab
Seay Nance
BEG
International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06
International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Tracer BreakthroughTracer Breakthrough Curves

SF6 C/Cmax
Krypton C/Cmax
PFT C/Cmax

10.8
2nd Tracer BreakthroughC/Cmax

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
3rd Tracer Breakthrough-0.2
10/10/2004

10/11/2004

10/12/2004

10/13/2004

Barry Freifeld, LBNL; Tommy Phelps ORNL
International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

6.9

3500

6.7

3000
pH

6.5

2500

HCO3EC

2000

pH

6.3
6.1

1500

CO2arrival

5.91000

5.7500

Breakthrough
5.5Alkalinity HCO3 (mg/L); EC (x10 mS/cm)

Fluid Chemistry: alkalinity and pH ofbrine from Observation Well During
CO2 Injection

00123Time (days)

International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Y. Kharaka, USGS; H. S. Nance, BEG

Mobilization of Metals
1200

20Fe injection CFe observation C1000

Fe observation B

16Fe (mg/L)

Mn observation C

12

Mn observation B

600

8400

4200
06/04

08/04 10/5/04

10/6/04

BreakthroughInternational Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

10/7/04

04 12/04

2/05

4/05

Mn (mg/L)

Mn injection C800

Azimuthal Array of Vertical SeismicProfiles

International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Plume Size Measured with VSP vs.
modeled plume size

Tom Daley and Christine Doughty LBNL
International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

CO2 Saturation Observed with Cross-wellSeismic Tomography vs. Modeled

Tom Daley and Christine Doughty LBNL

International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Saturation from Cross Well Seismic Tomography

International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Mike Hoversten

Subsurface Monitoring Above Injection
Zones• Close toperturbation• Quiescent relative
to the surface• High signal tonoise ratio

AtmosphereBiosphere
Vadose zone & soil
Aquifer and USDW

Seal
Monitoring Zone
Seal
CO2 plume

International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Evidence of upward leakage?
From saturation logs: No

Using BH corrected sigma
RST 1 Sept 04

No change=no leakage
B sandRST 5 Dec 04

RST 6 Feb 05

Injection zone
C sandInternational Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Perturbations• Sonic signal “bubbling”• Tracer and geochemicalchange
1200

20Fe injection C
Fe observation C1000

16Fe observation B

Fe (mg/L)

Mn observation C

12Mn observation B600

8400

420006/04

08/04 10/5/04

International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

10/6/04

10/7/04

04 12/04

2/05

4/05

Mn (mg/L)

Mn injection C800

Surface Monitoring: No
Clear Signal

Water well sampling

Gas well sampling
International Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06

Soil gas samplingConclusions•••••

CO2 introduced into well-characterized relatively homogenous
high permeability sandstone system
Vigorous public/industry outreach favorable response
Saturation and transport properties measured horizontally,
vertically, and through time using multiple tools
Improved model conceptual and numerical inputs
Make results available to other field projects
Thank YouInternational Workshop on CO２ Geological Storage , Japan ‘06