Advanced Analysis of CO2 Storage Development Plan and its Unique Compared to Field Development Plan

Abstract

There will be future development of hydrocarbon fields with high CO₂ content in Malaysia. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is required in order to develop these fields, since venting and flaring of CO₂ to atmosphere is not allowed. Reducing CO₂ emission will impact to environments and climate change. On the storage part, integrated study needs to be conducted to ensure the field is suitable as storage site. The main objective of this paper is focusing on the important advanced analysis and assessments for maturing potential CO₂ storage sites, which is called Storage Development Plan (SDP). The evaluations and analyses will cover 4 major areas, which are Storage Capacity/Injectivity; Containment; Well Integrity; and Monitoring, Measurement and Verification (MMV). These evaluations and analyses are conducted in order to assess the subsurface risk, reduce uncertainties and mitigation plan in maturing the fields as storage sites. Integrated screening and maturation assessments of potential storage sites must be conducted in order to identify the most suitable CO₂ storage sites. The Storage capacity/injectivity analyses will cover estimation of CO2 storage capacity, optimum injectivity strategy, sensitivity on CO2 injection scenarios, and study on porosity-permeability changes, trapping mechanism and long-term fate study. Containment analyses will cover assessment of containment/seal integrity, possible leakage risk pathways, evaluation of compaction and subsidence to hold injected CO2 as long-term storage solution. Well Integrity analyses will cover the evaluation of well integrity and leakage assessments through existing wells, assessment of existing wells for conversion and propose cost-effective mitigation plan. Monitoring, Measurement and Verification (MMV) will cover monitoring and verification of CO2 injection performance and behavior consistent with prediction on capacity and injectivity, monitoring seal integrity, monitoring compaction and subsidence, and ensuring containment that address health, safety and environment. This advances analysis and maturation assessments provide solution to mature the best suitable storage sites for development of hydrocarbon fields with high CO₂ content. This Storage Development Plan (SDP) would form a benchmark of advance analyses and assessments for maturing the CO₂ storage sites in Malaysia and elsewhere in the world. This will be integrated study consists of overburden, reservoir, laboratory, well integrity and MMV studies. This integrated study will reduce the subsurface uncertainty and mitigate the identified risk for any fields that are selected as storage site. This greatly aids to optimize and commercialize the future development of hydrocarbon fields with high CO₂ content.