Geologic Carbon Sequestration Program
- Research Areas
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Projects
- Consolidated Sequestration Research Project (CSRP)
- GEO-SEQ
- Potential Impacts of CO2 Leakage on Groundwater Quality
- Large-Scale Hydrological Impacts of Geological CO2 Storage
- National Risk Assessment Partnership (NRAP)
- West Coast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (WESTCARB)
- Zero Emissions Research and Technology (ZERT)
- Staff
- News & Events
- Publications & Presentations
- GCS Research Summaries
- Education & Outreach
Geologic Carbon Sequestration Program Research Areas
Efforts in the Geologic Carbon Sequestration (GCS) Program within ESD can be categorized into the following six Research Areas:
Monitoring
GCS scientists are at the forefront of monitoring geologic carbon sequestration processing, using approaches such as surface and borehole seismic, gravity, downhole thermal methods, in situ sampling, tracer analysis, pressure monitoring, and microseismic arrays. read more »
Site characterization
GCS scientists contribute to accurate assessment of injectivity, capacity, trapping mechanisms, and long-term storage integrity of GCS sites. read more »
Risk assessment
GCS scientists are working on evaluating the impact of CO2 injection, as well as developing a simple and transparent framework for risk assessment, using modeling and data analysis tools to predict impacts and likelihoods. read more »
Model development
ESD scientists are the developers of the world-renowned TOUGH family of numerical reservoir simulators. With TOUGH models for supercritical CO2 and water, reactive geochemical transport, geomechanics, and a host of other modules, the TOUGH codes are being used widely in the GCS research community today and enhancements are ongoing… read more »
Laboratory studies
Prediction and interpretation of geophysical, geochemical, and hydrologic processes require models with sound underlying physics and material properties. ESD scientists are carrying out laboratory measurements to determine the physical properties of rock and fluid mixtures at in situ reservoir conditions from micron to core scales… read more »
Geochemistry/Geophysics theory and analysis
The scale of GCS is an unprecedented injection activity which demands analysis on a wide range of length and time scales. ESD scientists apply their expertise in (bio)geochemistry, geomechanics, geophysics, and hydrology to model and analyze trapping processes, impacts of CO2 on groundwater, pressure propagation, brine displacement, and other processes… read more »