212B Borehole

61 Route 9W - PO Box 1000

Palisades

NY

10964-8000

US

Phone: 

(845) 365-8726

Fax: 

(845) 365-8777/3182

nzakh@ldeo.columbia.edu

 Geophysical monitoring of carbon dioxide geological storage in basaltic reservoirs.

   Minimizing climate change from increasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO₂) requires dramatic reductions in anthropogenic CO₂ emissions. A vital strategy is carbon capture and storage (CCS), also called carbon sequestration. Geological storage, which implies injecting CO₂ into underground geologic formations, is currently the most mature storage method. Detailed site characterization and reliable monitoring are crucial aspects for successful CO₂ geologic storage. My research focuses on applying geophysical methods for these purposes. Although there are successful examples of geophysical monitoring of CO₂ plume propagation, quantifying the amount of CO₂ underground remains a challenging task. My major goal is to develop viable monitoring techniques using a complex of geophysical methods, such as well logging, petrophysical analysis and seismic surveys.

   In a number of recent studies, basaltic rocks have been proposed as a promising target for CO₂ storage. Unlike sedimentary aquifers, basalts have a high potential for geochemical trapping, which involves long-term reactions of CO₂ with host rocks and the formation of stable minerals such as carbonates under in situ conditions. Massive continental flood basalts exist on many continents and represent a potentially important host medium for CO₂ geological sequestration, especially in regions where conventional storage options in sedimentary basins are limited. As a part of my dissertation I am conducting pre-injection reservoir characterization based on well logging data for a pilot CO₂ sequestration project in the Columbia River flood basalts (Washington, USA). This project is one of the first field tests specifically designed to confirm the feasibility of permanently and safely sequestering of CO₂ within deep flood basalt formations. An accurate petrophysical analysis is crucial for describing reservoir properties and characterizing its storage capacity and containment, as well as for establishing base-line conditions for future post-injection monitoring.

   One of the greatest challenges will be monitoring of basalt mineralization due to CO₂ injection. I am currently investigating the feasibility of applying an innovative approach for mineralization monitoring using borehole elemental spectroscopy measurements and core analysis (including infrared spectroscopy and geochemical data).