Energy Transition
Energy Transition | Carbon Capture, Storage and Utilisation
The Geoscience of CCS Using Virtual 3D Outcrop Analogues and Virtual Core
Business impact: This course will equip geoscientists and petroleum engineers to explore for the most valuable CCS opportunities and define their value more effectively, leveraging applicable best practices from hydrocarbon industry, as well as key lessons learned and pitfalls from CCS projects around the world. Participants will learn to make the observations required to evaluate storage resource leads, including risks, opportunities, and uncertainties.
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is an effective technology for the reduction of CO2 emissions. This course takes a very practical approach, where key geoscience concepts impacting the success of a CCS project are introduced and explained. Subsequently, the understanding of these concepts is deepened during virtual, interactive, outcrop and core studies, where students observe the key elements of these concepts themselves. For these virtual exercises, excellent CCS project outcrop analogues are used as well as core from real CCS projects. The value of geological observations to CCS projects is illustrated with real examples from various CCS projects around the world that each have a valuable lesson to teach us.
Key topics include value drivers, evaluation practices, similarities and differences with oil and gas exploration and production, as well as key lessons learned from industry experience so far.
Schedule
Duration and Training Method
This is a virtual classroom course comprising a mixture of lectures, virtual 3D outcrop analogue sessions, exercises, virtual core viewing, and discussion. The interactive environment for outcrop analogue sessions and core viewing is provided through the 3D interactive collaboration tool Stratbox from Imaged Reality.
Course Overview
Learning Outcomes
Participants will learn to:
- Articulate the case for CCS.
- Assemble the key CCS concepts and value drivers.
- Effectively explore for CCS opportunities.
- Formulate the key geological observations to define and evaluate a storage resource.
- Apply relevant hydrocarbon industry insight while assessing key differences.
- Appraise CCS best practices and pitfalls using real examples.
Course Content
Session 01: Introduction and Reservoir
- Introduction to the Geology of CCS
- CCS versus Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production
- CO2 Behavior in the Subsurface
- Project Summary: The Sleipner example
- Reservoir Geology for Storage Resources
- Virtual 3D Reservoir Outcrop Analogue and Core Viewing
- Reservoir and the Joule Thomson effect
- Reservoir Heterogeneity, Drainage and Trapping
Session 02: Sealing, Exploration, and Evaluation
- Exploring for Carbon Storage Sites
- Project Summary: The In Salah example
- Sealing Mechanisms
- Capillarity Theory for CCS
- Types of Sealing Rock and Containment Risk
- Virtual 3D Seal Outcrop Analogue
- Evaluation of Carbon Storage Opportunities
- Storage Resource Management System
Session 03: Faulting and Value Drivers
- Project Summary: The Snøhvit example
- Fault Geology
- Fault Seal Prediction
- Virtual 3D Fault Outcrop Analogue
- CCS Value Drivers
- Lessons Learnt from Real CO2 Storage Projects
- Carbon Storage in Practice
Who Should Attend and Prerequisites
This course is designed for geoscientists and petroleum engineers interested in using their skills for CCS and its effective subsurface evaluation.
Instructors
Tip Meckel
Background
Dr. Timothy “Tip” Meckel is senior research scientist and geologist at the Gulf Coast Carbon Center, Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin, USA. He focuses on geologic characterization, structural geology, monitoring design, and pressure evolution for carbon dioxide (CO2) injections.
He is involved with several large-scale field demonstration projects for carbon storage, funded through DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory and he co-directed research program for the SECARB demonstration project in Cranfield, Mississippi.
Currently, he leads the research initiative to identify offshore sequestration potential in the Gulf of Mexico with focus on capacity assessment and seismic monitoring technologies.
Affiliations and Accreditation
PhD The University of Texas at Austin – Geology
MS University of Montana – Geology
BA Colby college – Geology
Courses Taught
N586: The Geoscience of CCS Using Virtual 3D Outcrop Analogues and Virtual Core
Jurriaan Reijs
Background
Dr. Jurriaan Reijs is currently managing director and principal consultant at Energility Geoconsulting, a company he founded to focus on carbon storage and geothermal training, advice and project development.
Prior to his career as consultant, he worked as 23 years at Shell in positions such as Principal Regional Geologist, Exploration Team Leader and Exploration Manager. He has experience in world-wide hydrocarbon exploration and geology and worked over 50 basins while based from the Netherlands, Egypt, Australia and USA. His last role in Shell was Regional Exploration Advisor where he was responsible for the technical assurance of exploration activities in South America, Africa & Middle East, including leadership and coaching of less experienced staff.
He believes the subsurface will play a large role in the transition to a sustainable future energy system and his current research interests focuses on carbon storage, geothermal energy and agile leadership.
Affiliations and Accreditation
PhD Royal Holloway University of London – Structural Geology
MSc Utrecht University – Geology
Courses Taught
N586: The Geoscience of CCS Using Virtual 3D Outcrop Analogues and Virtual Core