Recovery Act: Characterization of the Triassic Newark Basin of New York & New Jersey for Geologic Storage of Carbon Dioxide

email

print

Producing a three-dimensional model framework surrounding the stratigraphic test well site can provide the basis for early estimates of CO2 storage capacity.

Project Description

Sandia Technologies, LLC (Sandia), in partnership with Conrad Geoscience Corporation, Schlumberger Carbon Services, Columbia University, Rutgers University, the New York State Museum, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, examined the potential for large-scale, permanent storage of CO₂ in deep strata of the Newark Rift Basin (NRB). The NRB underlies a heavily industrialized region comprising parts of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The primary focus of this project was to examine and prove the suitability of these Triassic to Cambrian formations for geologic storage of CO₂. The project included the analysis of existing hydrologic, geologic, and oil and gas well data; development of a Geographic Information System (GIS) database; geologic and conceptual modeling; and drilling and completing a characterization well. Drilling a stratigraphic test well to near-geologic basement (approximately 8,000 feet total depth) provided Sandia with formation water samples, native formation pressures, and estimates of formation porosity, permeability, grain and bulk density, lithology, and mineralogy. A second characterization well was drilled in conjunction with Columbia University, and a 2-D seismic survey was completed to further characterize the basin.

Project Benefits

The overall effort provides greater insight into the potential for geologic formations across the United States to safely and permanently store CO₂. The information furthers the DOE effort to refine a national assessment of CO₂ storage capacity in deep geologic formations. Specifically, this project contributes to a more precise and thorough understanding of the geologic storage opportunities in the NRB, sink-source matching, and refined storage capacity estimate. The data gathered as part of this research effort is being shared with the Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (RCSP) Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership’s (MRCSP), integrated into the National Carbon Sequestration Database and Geographic Information System (NATCARB), and utilized for the Carbon Sequestration Atlas of the United States and Canada.

Presentations, Papers, and Publications

Contact Information