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Geologic Sequestration Field Validations Tests

Qty of CO₂
Injected/
Stored

Title: Rosetta-Calpine Saline Formation CO2 Storage Pilot

Investigate CO2 storage in saline reservoirs underlying the Thornton Gas Reservoir, near Rio Vista, California. Pending possible revisions from more detailed simulations, the project will drill the injection and observation wells 50 m (160 ft) apart and inject 2,000 tonnes of CO2. With this well spacing and quantity of CO2, breakthrough is assured and geophysical monitoring approaches should be sufficiently sensitive. The project will demonstrate the safety and feasibility of CO2 storage in saline formations in the northern half of California 's vast Central Valley ; obtain site specific information to improve capacity estimation, risk assessment, and monitoring technology; and gain experience with regulatory, permitting, and public outreach issues associated with this type of CO2 storage.

Title:   Rosetta-Calpine Gas Reservoir CO2 Storage Pilot

Investigate CO2 storage in the depleted Thornton Gas Reservoir, near Rio Vista, California, and the feasibility of enhanced gas recovery in the area's depleting gas fields. Pending possible revisions from more detailed simulations, WESTCARB plans to drill the injection and observation wells 50 m (160 ft) apart and inject 2,000 tonnes of CO2. With this well spacing and quantity of CO2, breakthrough is assured and geophysical monitoring approaches should be sufficiently sensitive. The project will test the feasibility and safety of CO2 storage in largely depleted gas fields in Northern California; test the feasibility of Enhanced Gas Recovery associated with the early stages of a CO2 storage project in a depleting gas field; demonstrate and test methods for monitoring CO2 storage/enhanced recovery projects in gas fields; and gain experience with regulatory, permitting, and public outreach issues associated with CO2 storage in depleted gas formations and CO2 use in production operations in California.
 

Title:   Northern Arizona Saline Formation CO2 Storage Pilot ( Salt River Project)

Drill a single well to evaluate formation properties, test the feasibility of CO2 injection, and monitor subsurface movement of the CO2 in a saline formation in the vicinity of a coal-fired power plant operated by Salt River Project (SRP) in northeast Arizona . Such plants represent major regional point sources; two large plants--Navajo and Coronado--emitted about 38 million tons of CO2 in 2002. The project will demonstrate the safety and feasibility of CO2 storage in saline formations in the vast Colorado Plateau region in Arizona; demonstrate and test methods for monitoring CO2 storage projects in consolidated sandstones, shale, and carbonate fields; obtain site-specific information to improve capacity estimation, risk assessment, and monitoring technology; and gain experience with regulatory, permitting, and public outreach issues associated with this type of CO2 storage.
 

Title:   Kimberlina Saline Formation and Oil Field CO2 Storage Investigation

Conduct an in-depth assessment of the storage potential for San Joaquin Valley sediments underlying the Clean Energy Systems prototype 5-MW oxygen-fired “rocket engine” power plant at Kimberlina , California . This site offers the potential for revenue generation from enhanced oil recovery to offset the cost of CO2 storage. The project will develop a detailed geological model for assessing the storage options in depleting oil fields near the Kimberlina power plant and in the underlying saline formations, and will develop a plan for a CO2 injection pilot test that could provide the basis for an integrated demonstration that combines a unique power generation and CO2 capture technology with geologic storage.

Title:   Centralia Geologic Formation CO2 Storage Investigation

Conduct an in-depth assessment of the storage potential for geologic formations (including unmineable coal beds) near TransAlta's 1,400-MW coal-fired power plant in Centralia , Washington . This site offers the potential for revenue generation from enhanced coal-bed methane recovery to offset the cost of CO2 storage. The project will evaluate the potential CO2 injectivity and storage potential of deep Puget Sound coal seams and saline formations near the Centralia plant; develop a concept and preliminary plan for a pilot test; and scale-up results to refine our highly preliminary regional estimate of 2.8 Gt of storage potential. The project will also identify engineering techniques needed to achieve large-scale geologic sequestration in the greater Puget Sound area.
 

Terrestrial Sequestration Field Validations Tests

Title:  Shasta County (CA) Terrestrial Sequestration Pilot

This project consists of three key elements: (1) Validation of forest growth potential for rangelands; (2) Change in forest conservation management; and (3) Fuels management to reduce risk of uncharacteristically severe wildfire and prevent emissions.

To validate the forest growth potential for rangelands, re-establish native forests on once-forested lands now used for grazing (which are representative of lands available for afforestation in the region). Partners will select the species, site preparation, and planting techniques to maximize survival on land classes representative of non-forested land available across the region.

For the forest conservation management component, Pacific Forest Trust and Bascom Pacific LLC will work to restore and maintain rare and high-quality early and late seral forest habitats, such as riparian areas, mountain meadows, montane hardwood habitats, and ponderosa mixed conifer forests.

This project consists of two key elements: (1) Fuels management to reduce risk of uncharacteristically severe wildfire and prevent emissions; and (2) Validation of forest growth potential for rangelands.

For the fuels management component, test fuel management activities across ownership types and forest types so that available models and results can be evaluated for each management class and be used to build consensus behind methods for setting baselines and conducting measurement and monitoring activities to verify results. The USDA Forest Service will participate in monitoring and verification work and will provide relevant data.

To evaluate the forest growth potential of rangelands, analyze “plantations” of fast-growing trees, such as hybrid poplars, on suitable agriculture or grazing land to be harvested on a 10-year rotation. Hybrid poplars offer the potential to sequester >100 t C/ha in 10 years. Sale of carbon credits from the conversion of agriculture or grazing land, and from the displacement of fossil fuels, would provide new sources of revenue for landowners considering land conversion. Data from existing stands established on similar lands with similar climate conditions will be used to verify carbon accumulation rates and to determine land conversion and maintenance costs. Seek interested landowners to establish trial plots.

West Coast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership Contacts: