CO₂ geological storage into a lateral aquifer of an offshore gas field in the South China Sea: storage safety and project design

Abstract

The DF1-1 gas field, located in the western South China Sea, contains a high concentration of CO_2, thus there is great concern about the need to reduce the CO₂ emissions. Many options have been considered in recent years to dispose of the CO₂ separated from the natural gas stream on the Hainan Island. In this study, the feasibility of CO₂ storage in the lateral saline aquifer of the DF1-1 gas field is assessed, including aquifer selection and geological assessment, CO₂ migration and storage safety, project design, and economic analysis. Six offshore aquifers have been investigated for CO₂ geological storage. The lateral aquifer of the DF1-1 gas field has been selected as the best target for CO₂ injection and storage because of its proven sealing ability, and the large storage capacity of the combined aquifer and hydrocarbon reservoir geological structure. The separated CO₂ will be dehydrated on the Hainan Island and transported by a long-distance subsea pipeline in supercritical or liquid state to the central platform of the DF1-1 gas field for pressure adjustment. The CO₂ will then be injected into the lateral aquifer via a subsea well-head through a horizontal well. Reservoir simulations suggest that the injected CO₂ will migrate slowly upwards in the aquifer without disturbing the natural gas production. The scoping economic analysis shows that the unit storage cost of the project is approximately US$26‒31/ton CO₂ with the subsea pipeline as the main contributor to capital expenditure (CAPEX), and the dehydration system as the main factor of operating expenditure (OPEX).

Keywords

DF1-1 gas field / CO₂ storage / lateral saline aquifer / storage safety / project design

Liang Zhang is a Lecturer in the School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (CUP). He earned his BSc and PhD degrees in Petroleum Engineering from CUP in 2006 and 2011, respectively. His research interests focus on CO₂ resource utilization, CO₂ geological storage, gas injection for IOR, and unconventional oil and gas development. Email address: [e-mail]

Dexiang Li is a first year PhD student in the School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (CUP). He earned his BSc degree (2011) in petroleum engineering from CUP. His research fields include CO₂ geological storage and solutions for CO₂ leakage risk, etc. Email address: [e-mail]

Justin Ezekiel is an MSc student in the School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (CUP). He earned his BSc degree (2009) in Petroleum Geosciences from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria. His research interests focus on reservoir characterization, oil & gas field development, gas injection for IOR, etc. Email address: [e-mail]

Weidong Zhang is a Professor in the School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (CUP). He earned his BSc and PhD degrees in Oil and Gas Welling Drilling Engineering in 1990 and 2010, respectively. His research interests include CO₂ storage mechanisms, natural gas hydration, coalbed methane, rock mechanics, and engineering. Email address: [e-mail]

Honggang Mi is a senior engineer in the Exploration and Development Division, Zhanjiang Branch Company of CNOOC. He has more than 10 years working experience on reservoir engineering. Email address: [e-mail]

Shaoran Ren is a professor and Taishan Scholar in the School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (CUP). He earned his BSc and MSc degrees (1982 and 1985) in petroleum engineering from CUP, and his PhD degree (1993) in chemical engineering from the Imperial College, London, England. He worked for Bath University and Heriot-Watt University in the UK for over 10 years before joining UPC in 2005. His research interests cover gas/air injection for IOR, CO₂ EOR & Storage, gas hydrates, and oilfield flow assurance. Email address: [e-mail]

References

[1] Al-Hashami A, Ren S R, Tohidi B (2005). CO₂ Injection for Enhanced Gas Recovery and Geo-Storage: Reservoir Simulation and Economics. SPE paper 94129, the 14th Europec Biennial Conference held in Madrid, Spain, 13–16 June

[2] Arts R, Eiken O, Chadwick A, Zweigel P, van der Meer L, Zinszner B (2004). Monitoring of CO₂ injected at Sleipner using time-lapse seismic data. Energy, 29(9–10): 1383–1392

[3] Chadwick A, Arts R, Bernstone C, May F, Thibeau S, Zweigel P (2008). Best Practice for the Storage of CO₂ in Saline Aquifers- Observations and guidelines from the SACS and CO₂STORE projects. UK, Nottingham: British Geological Survey Occasional Publication

[4] CMG (2008). GEM Users’ Guide, Version 2008. Canada: Computer Modelling Group Ltd.

[5] Dai J X, Hu G Y, Ni Y Y, Li J, Luo X, Yang C, Hu A P, Zhou Q H (2009). Natural gas accumulation in eastern China. Energy Exploration & Exploitation, 27(4): 225–259

[6] Duan Z H, Sun R (2003). An improved model calculating CO₂ solubility in pure water and aqueous NaCl solutions from 273 to 533 K and from 0 to 2000 bar. Chem Geol, 193(3‒4): 257–271

[7] Duan Z H, Sun R, Zhu C, Chou I M (2006). An improved model for the calculation of CO₂ solubility in aqueous solutions containing Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl^-, and SO42−. Mar Chem, 98(2‒4): 131–139

[8] Franklin M Orr Jr (2004). Storage of carbon dioxide in geologic formations. J Pet Technol, 56(9): 90–97

[9] Holtz M H (2002). Residual Gas Saturation to Aquifer Influx: A Calculation Method for 3-D Computer Reservoir Model Construction. SPE paper 75502, SPE Gas Technology Symposium, 30 April‒2 May, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

[10] Huang B J, Xiao X M, Dong W L (2002). Multiphase natural gas migration and accumulation and its relationship to diapir structures in the DF1-1 gas field, South China Sea. Mar Pet Geol, 19(7): 861–872

[11] Huang B J, Xiao X M, Li X X (2003). Geochemistry and origins of natural gases in the Yinggehai and Qiongdongnan basins, offshore South China Sea. Org Geochem, 34(7): 1009–1025

[12] Hughes T J, Honari A, Graham B F, Chauhan A S, Johns M L, May E F (2012). CO₂ sequestration for enhanced gas recovery: new measurements of supercritical CO₂-CH₄ dispersion in porous media and a review of recent research. Int J Greenh Gas Control, 9: 457–468

[13] Kumar A, Noh M H, Ozah R C, Pope G A, Bryant S L, Sepehrnoori K, Lake L W (2005). Reservoir simulation of CO₂ storage in deep saline aquifers. SPE J, 10(3): 336–348

[14] Leamon G (2011). Site selection – Gorgon carbon dioxide injection project. CCS in CDM Workshop, Abu Dhabi, 7–8 September

[15] Li L, Zhao N, Wei W, Sun Y H (2011). A review of research progress on CO₂ capture, storage, and utilization in Chinese Academy of Sciences. Fuel, 108: 112–130

[16] Liu Q Z (2005). Economics of Petroleum Technology. Dongying: China Petroleum University Press (in Chinese)

[17] Lokhorst A, Wildenborg T (2005). Introduction on CO₂ geological storage- classification of storage options. Oil Gas Sci Technol, 60(3): 513–515

[18] Maldal T, Tappel I M (2004). CO₂ underground storage for Snøhvit gas field development. Energy, 29(9‒10): 1403–1411

[19] Metz B, Davidson O, de Coninck H, Loos M, Meyer L (2005). IPCC Special Report on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage. New York: Cambridge University Press

[20] Oldenburg C M, Lewicki J L, Hepple R P (2003). Near-surface monitoring strategies for geologic Carbon dioxide storage verification. Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, USA

[21] Oldenburg C M, Stevens S H, Benson S M (2004). Economic feasibility of carbon sequestration with enhanced gas recovery (CSEGR). Energy, 29(9‒10): 1413–1422

[22] Preston C, Monea M, Jazrawi W, Brown K, Whittaker S, White D, Law D, Chalaturnyk R, Rostron B (2005). IEA GHG Weyburn CO₂ Monitoring and Storage Project. Fuel Process Technol, 86(14‒15): 1547–1568

[23] Ren S R, Ren B, Li Y Z, Zhang L, Kang W L, Liu Y C, Chen G L, Zhang H (2012). Monitoring techniques of CO₂ geological and its application analysis. Journal of China University of Petroleum, 36(1): 106–111 (In Chinese with English abstract)

[24] Ren S R, Wang R H (2005). Disposal schemes of associated CO₂ in offshore gas fields China. Internal project report, Zhanjiang Branch Company, CNOOC (In Chinese)

[25] Ren S R, Wang R H, Zhang L (2008). CCS survey and geological storage scheme of associated CO₂ in the DF1-1 gas field. Program report supported by Zhanjiang Branch Company of CNOOC under contract No. Z2007SLZJ-FN0295 (In Chinese)

[26] Ren S R, Zhang L, Zhang L (2010). Geological storage of CO₂: overseas demonstration projects and its implications to China. Journal of China University of Petroleum, 34(1): 93–98 (in Chinese with English abstract)

[27] Rutqvist J, Vasco D W, Myer L (2010). Coupled reservoir-geomechanical analysis of CO₂ injection and ground deformations at In Salah, Algeria. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 4(2): 225–230

[28] Shi J Q, Sinayuc C, Durucan S, Korre A (2012). Assessment of carbon dioxide plume behavior within the storage reservoir and the lower caprock around the KB-502 injection well at In Salah. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 7: 115–126

[29] Van der Meer L G H, Kreft E, Geel C (2005). K12-B: A test site for CO₂ storage and enhanced gas recovery. SPE paper 94128, SPE Europec/EAGE Annual Conference, Madrid, Spain, 13–16 June

[30] Winthaegen P, Arts R, Schroot B (2005). Monitoring subsurface CO₂ storage. Oil & Gas Science and Technology-Revue d’IFP Energies nouvelles, 60(3): 573–582

[31] Zhang L, Ren S R, Ren B, Zhang W D, Guo Q, Zhang L (2011). Assessment of CO₂ storage capacity in oil reservoirs associated with large lateral/underlying aquifers: case studies from China. Int J Greenh Gas Control, 5(4): 1016–1021

[32] Zhang L, Ren S R, Wang R H, Yi P, Mi H G, Li J T (2010b). Estimation of CO₂ storage capacity in saline aquifers in the west of South China Sea. Rock and Soil Mechanics, 31(4): 1238–1242 (In Chinese with English abstract)

[33] Zhang L, Ren S R, Zhang Y, Mi H G, Ma Y X (2010a). CO₂ storage in saline aquifers: Design of a demonstration project to dispose CO₂ associated with natural gas fields in South China Sea. SPE paper 133975, Canadian Unconventional Resources & International Petroleum Conference, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 19–21 October

[34] Zhang L, Niu B L, Ren S R, Zhang Y, Yi P, Mi H G, Ma Y X (2010c). Assessment of CO₂ Storage in DF1-1 Gas Field South China Sea for a CCS Demonstration. Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology, 49(8): 9–14

[35] Zhang L, Huang H D, Wang Y Q, Ren B, Ren S R, Chen G L, Zhang H (2014). CO₂ storage safety and leakage monitoring in CCS Project of Jilin Oilfield China. Greenhouse Gases: Science and Technology, 4(4): 425–439

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge thanks to CNOOC for permission to publish this paper. This study is also jointly supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 27R1202007A), Qingdao Basic Research Program for Young Scholars (No. 13-1-4-254-jch), and Shandong Natural Science Foundation (Nos. ZR2013EEQ032 and ZR2011EEM027). We are grateful to all staff involved in this project, and also wish to thank the journal associate editor and the reviewers whose constructive comments improved the paper greatly.

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg