Office of Research and Development

National Program for Drinking Water Research 

Dr. Audrey D. Levine, P.E.National Program Director

Geologic Sequestration Res

Progress Update

Geologic Sequestration ResearcSAB teleconference16 August 2010
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ORD’s Geologic Sequestration s Geologic Sequestration Research Program Research Program

 Approach and timeline Approach and timeline Research Priorities Research Priorities Overview of research projects Overview of research projects

• Field• Laboratory• Modeling

 Highlights of projects Highlights of projects
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Geologic Sequestration Resear

Geologic Sequestration Resear

Program Overview Program Overview

 Scope

• Research priorities defined in collaboration with OW, OAR, Regions• Primary focus on research support for new UIC rule and its implementation

 Project development

• Research proposals

 Cross-ORD solicitation (FY 07) STAR solicitation (FY 09)

• Peer review of proposals and technical advisory group• Coordinate among researchers and with other groups• Integrate into Drinking Water Research Program

 Resources

• Projects initiated between FY 07- FY 10• Total Resources to date: $11M (includes FTE)

 Intramural: 5 projects ($4.74M) Extramural: 7 STAR grants ($6.26 M)

• Current projects will be completed FY 11-14 (contingent on resources)
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Key Water Issues Relevant to Key Water Issues Relevant to 

Geologic Sequestration Geologic Sequestration

 Endangerment of Underground Endangerment of Underground 

Sources of Drinking Water (USDWs) Sources of Drinking Water (USDWs)

 Leaks of injected fluid or displaced Leaks of injected fluid or displaced 

brines into other formations or the brines into other formations or the surface through fractures, faults, or surface through fractures, faults, or well penetrations well penetrations

 Release of metals or hydrocarbons into Release of metals or hydrocarbons into 

drinking water due to geochemical or drinking water due to geochemical or biogeochemical changes (acidification) biogeochemical changes (acidification)

 Alteration of water quality resulting Alteration of water quality resulting 

from pressure perturbations from pressure perturbations associated with injection associated with injection
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Research Priorities Research Priorities

 Potential ecological and health impacts associated with changes in water quality associated with injected and mobilized contaminants Development of cost-effective monitoring schemes to track plume migration and detect leaks Methods to predict and verify capacity, injectivity, and effectiveness of storage in subsurface environments

 Characterization & management of risks associated with plume migration and pressure increases in the subsurface Tools to identify artificial penetrations (usually wells) in the proximity of GS injection sites Maintenance & assessment of mechanical 

integrity of injection and existing wells due to long-term exposure to injected fluids
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Current Scope of ORD Current Scope of ORD’s Research A

s Research A

 Potential ecological and health impacts associated with changes in water quality associated with injected & mobilized contaminants Development of cost Development of cost

-effective effective monitoring monitoring schemes schemes to track plume migration & detect to track plume migration & detect leaks

 Methods to Methods to predict and verify predict and verify capacity, capacity, injectivity, & effectiveness of storage in injectivity, & effectiveness of storage in subsurface environments subsurface environments

 Characterization & management of risks Characterization & management of risks associated with plume migration & pressure associated with plume migration & pressure increases in the subsurface increases in the subsurface Tools to identify artificial penetrations (usually wells) in the proximity of GS injection sites Maintenance & assessment of mechanical 

integrity of injection & existing wells due to long-term exposure to injected fluids
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Monitoring schemes to track plu

Monitoring schemes to track plu

migration & detect leaks migration & detect leaks

 Development of Leak, Purge, and Gas Development of Leak, Purge, and Gas Permeability Testing Methods to Enable Permeability Testing Methods to Enable Collection of Representative Soil Collection of Representative Soil

-Gas Samples Gas Samples and Evaluation of Gas Le and Evaluation of Gas Leakage into the Vadose akage into the Vadose Zone from Geological Sequestration of CO Zone from Geological Sequestration of CO

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D. DiGiulio (PI), R. Wilkin, K. Hargrove, K. Jewell, and R. Neill (NRMRL)

 Protecting Drinking Water by Reducing Protecting Drinking Water by Reducing Uncertainties Associated with Geologic Carbon Uncertainties Associated with Geologic Carbon Sequestration in Deep Saline Aquifers Sequestration in Deep Saline Aquifers 

STAR: W.R. Roy, S.M. Benson, P. Berger, I.G. Krapac, Y. F. Lin, E. Mehnert, S.V. Panno, R. ChittaranjanU of Illinois, Stanford, U of Hawaii

 Expert

-Based Development of a Standard in Based Development of a Standard in CO2 Sequestration Monitoring Technology CO2 Sequestration Monitoring Technology 

STAR: J-P. Nicot, S.D. HovorkaUT Austin
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Soil-Gas Sampling Gas Sampling

- Purge volume- Flow rate- Gas permeability testing- Leak testing- Low permeability sampling

Probe Installation

Passive

Extraction Issues An

Active

•Temporal and Spat•Application for leak •Relationship to gromonitoring paramet

Sample Collection 

and Analysis

- Dedicated probes- Direct push/hammer- Other methods
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Methods to predict and veri Methods to predict and verify capacity, injec

fy capacity, injec

effectiveness of storage in subsurface enviro

effectiveness of storage in subsurface enviro

 Area of Review modeling and mapping associated with CO2 deep injection for the purpose of geologic sequestration

S. R. Kraemer, J. Babendreier (NERL), D. DiGuilio (NRMRL), K. Bandilla (National Research Council Fellow) M.Celia (Princeton U) J. Birkholzer, Q. Zhou (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) R. Truesdale (NWPP-RTI International) M. Tonkin (S.S. Papadopolus & Associates)

 A Hierarchical Modeling Framework for A Hierarchical Modeling Framework for Geological Storage of Carbon Geological Storage of Carbon 

STAR: M. Celia, Princeton
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Monte Carlo simulator for cluster supercomputer (>300 PCs) Example of Model Architect

Example of Model Architect
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11

7km

Mapping of Critical Press

Mapping of Critical Press

hypothetical 1 MMt/yr CO hypothetical 1 MMt/yr CO2 injection, 

injection, 
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Characterization and Management o

Characterization and Management o

Geochemical Studies Geochemical Studies 

 Geochemical Impacts to Groundwater from Geological Geochemical Impacts to Groundwater from Geological Carbon Sequestration Carbon Sequestration 

R. T. Wilkin (PI), D. C. DiGiulio, (NRMRL) R. T. Wilkin (PI), D. C. DiGiulio, (NRMRL) S. Choi (National Rese S. Choi (National Research Council Fellow), arch Council Fellow), J. Apps, J. Birkholzer, N. Spyc J. Apps, J. Birkholzer, N. Spycher (Lawrence Berkeley National her (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory), J. Hakala (Nationa Laboratory), J. Hakala (National Energy Technology Laboratory) l Energy Technology Laboratory)

 Understanding and Managing Risks Posed by Brines Understanding and Managing Risks Posed by Brines Containing Dissolved Carbon Dioxide Containing Dissolved Carbon Dioxide 

STAR: R.W. Falta, S.M. Benson, L.M. Murdoch, Clemson U, Stanford

 Aquifer Risk Assessment Framework (ARAF) Aquifer Risk Assessment Framework (ARAF) 

STAR: B.J. McPherson, M.D. Deo, R. Goel, S. Ramesh , D.Kip U of Utah

 Risk

-Based Decision Making for Assessing Potential Based Decision Making for Assessing Potential Impacts of Geologic CO2 Sequestration on Drinking Impacts of Geologic CO2 Sequestration on Drinking

-

Water Sources Water Sources 

STAR: J. McCray, J.Kaszuba, John , R. Maxwell, A. Sitchler, Colorado School of Mines, U of Wyoming
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Context for Geochemical Investiga

Context for Geochemical Investiga

• Injectsupercr• LeakaT,P traj• Impacincreaspressur

H2S on 

pH decrease: CO2(g) + H2O = H2CO3 = HCO3- + H+Trace metal reactions

SolubilizationPrecipitation/sorptionBiogeochemical interactions with aquifer matrixOxidation/reduction
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Geochemical Models to support field 

Geochemical Models to support fiel

laboratory investigations laboratory investigations • Reaction Path Models/Surface Complexation Reaction Path Models/Surface Complexation Models

• Review/Comparison of Thermodynamic Data: Review/Comparison of Thermodynamic Data: MinteqA2, Phreeq MinteqA2, Phreeq-C, EQ3/6, other C, EQ3/6, other

• Identify data gaps, uncertainties; Update Identify data gaps, uncertainties; Update with current data with current data• Construction of Phase Diagrams Construction of Phase Diagrams• Key Elements: As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Key Elements: As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Sb, Se, Tl, U Sb, Se, Tl, U 

Thioarsenites As(III)-S

Thioarsenates As(V)-S
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Metal Solubility System: Me Metal Solubility System: Me-CO2-

Lead Cadmium
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Characterization and Management o

Characterization and Management o

Biogeochemical Studies Biogeochemical Studies 

 Phylogenetic and Functional Molecular Diversity of Phylogenetic and Functional Molecular Diversity of Subsurface Communities Exposed to Different Subsurface Communities Exposed to Different CO2 Concentrations Concentrations 

J. Santo Domingo (NRMRL), N. Ashbolt (NERL) R. A. Sanford ,Wen-Tso Liu (University of Illinois ), T. Hazen, G. Andersen (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab-DOE)

 Diagnostic Monitoring of Biogeochemical Diagnostic Monitoring of Biogeochemical Interactions of a Shallow Interactions of a Shallow Aquifer in Response to a Aquifer in Response to a CO2 Leak, 

STAR: D.S. Goldberg, David S. , J.M. Matter, G. O'Mullan, M., Stute, T.TakahashiColombia University
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Groundwater Molecular Ecolo

Groundwater Molecular Ecolo

Send out for Send out for 

Sequencing

Extract and purify Extract and purify genomic DNA from genomic DNA from groundwater sites groundwater sites

Annotatio

Annotatio

Gene and 

Gene and 

In silico In silico Comparative Comparative 

Genomics Genomics

Group- and 

an

specific specificassay deve

assay dev

• Methods for collecting and processing ground water, biofilm, and sediment samples• Statistical basis for identifying index organisms/gene markers.
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Cloning & Sequencing

Extract and purify DNA from groundwater and sediments

Sediment Sediment 

Community

Suspended Suspended 

Community

DIVERSITY ANALYSES

Assay Development Host Specific & Functional Markers

PCR Bacterial orAchaeal 16S rRNA Genes

PCR primerstargetingconserved regions

Predictive Models Functional DynamicsField Application

Lawrence B

Microbial populationfingerprint

Microarray

T-RFLP

Phylogenetic & Function Specific Genes

RT-PCR

PCR

QPCR HOPE

•Assess the identity, diversity, and functional potential of prokaryotic micrcommunities (bacteria and archaea) in subsurface environments exposed to CO2 levels 

• Compare attached and planktonic bacterial populations • Identify temporal changes in groundwater microbial community structure

•Progress to date:

>10,000 bacterial and archaeal 16S rDNA sequenceskey populations: sulfate- and iron-reducers
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Tools to identify artificial penetr

Tools to identify artificial penetr

 Development of Methods to Evaluate Gas Intrusion Development of Methods to Evaluate Gas Intrusion 

into Buildings from Geological Sequestration of into Buildings from Geological Sequestration of CO

2 Using Natural and Anthropogenic Analogues. Using Natural and Anthropogenic Analogues. 

D. DiGiulio (PI), R. Wilkin, K. Hargrove, K. Jewell, T. Lankford (NRMRL)

• Integrated air-water-soil monitoring

• Evidence of gas intrusion using real-time data from 

soil-gas probes and radon mitigation systems

• Parallel water quality data using ground-water 

monitoring wells to identify 

• Geochemical reactions that lead to elevated 

CO

2 and depressed O

2 in soil gas

• Subsurface and meteorological factors that 

affect gas intrusion into homes 

• Develop and test measures to eliminate or reduce 

intrusion of oxygen displacing soil-gases (N

2 and CO

2) 

during heavy precipitation events.
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 Research Program is addressing hi Research Program is addressing high priority research ne

gh priority research ne

integrated laboratory, fiel integrated laboratory, field, and modeling approaches d, and modeling approaches

 Strong collaboration across ORD, Strong collaboration across ORD, across EPA, and with ex

across EPA, and with ex

partners partners

 Active Program Office and Regional Active Program Office and Regional involvement in resear

 involvement in resea

(priority areas, peer reviews, feedback on study plans, co (priority areas, peer reviews, feedback on study plans, co

seminars, workshops) seminars, workshops)

 Anticipated products Anticipated products

• Models that can be used for siting, permitting, design of monitoring 

 Regional monitoring tools for decision-makers Web-based interactive models

• Geochemical models that can be used to identify and manage risks

• Incorporation of biogeochemical concepts into design of monitoring • Monitoring tools, Field data, Technical support

 Publications to-date

• Wilkin, R.T. and D.C. DiGiulio (2010). Geochemical impacts to ground

geologic carbon sequestration: Controls on pH and inorganic carbon concentrations from reaction path and kinetic modeling. Environme

and Technology, v. 44, p. 4821-4827

Summary Summary
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Additional Information Additional Information

ORD’s Research Programs and Laboratories s Research Programs and Laboratories

http://www.epa.gov/ORD http://www.epa.gov/ORD

STAR Grants STAR Grants

http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncer_abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/res

http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncer_abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/res

ay/rpt/abs/rfa_id/504 ay/rpt/abs/rfa_id/504

Contact info: Contact info:Dr. Audrey D. Levine Dr. Audrey D. LevineLevine.Audrey@epa.gov Levine.Audrey@epa.gov202-564-1070