International projects
Monitoring and verification of CO2 storage and ECBM in Poland
Organisations (1)
Abstract
The greenhouse gas CO2 can be stored in underground coal seams. As a result of this, Coal Bed Methane (CBM) is released from the coal seams and can be produced. The objective of MOVECBM is to improve the understanding of CO2 injected in coal for a long-term reliable and safe storage because CO2 release to the atmosphere can be hazardous. The risk of CO2 release is lowest for CO2 adsorbed to the coal. Therefore, ad- and desorption processes and migration of free CO2 are investigated, also for CBM.Applied laboratory work and modelling will be based on parameters of the previously investigated test site in Poland. The injection well, realised in the EC RECOPOL project, will be used to produce gas from the coal seams. This gas will consist of released CBM and C O2 that was injected. Besides investigating migration, adsorption and desorption, it also allows to test optimal storage and production regimes and optimal monitoring methodology. These monitoring techniques focus on the coal reservoir, the cap rock and the wells, but also the near surface. Research will be performed on the resolution, geometry and time-intervals of the applied monitoring techniques.The combination of monitoring and modelling is essential for predicting long-term CO2 and CH4 behaviour and, subsequently, the long-term reliability and safety. A methodology is developed where, based on field test results, models are updated and used to predict future behaviour and to optimise the storage process. The models are calibrated with field and laboratory measurements to verify CO2 and CH4 behaviour, within acceptable ranges. Monitoring and verification guidelines for site certification are derived from modelling results and compared to broadly accepted standards. It is emphasised that the storage technology developed in this project can also be applied to third countries (e.g. China, Australia, USA), where major CO2 emitters are located near large coal resources. These are optimal conditions for ECBM.
