Focal points of the work

• Monitoring and securely carrying out the injection operations
• Planning and carrying out measurement campaigns
• Drilling of additional wells

The central requirement for carrying out the research work at the pilot site is the safe continuation of the injection process. Monitoring the migration of CO₂ within the storage formation requires ongoing injection operations using injection rates that are adapted to the scientific questions. In addition to the injection operations, all other operational activities at the Ketzin facility also fall within this area. It thus ensures integrated workload and time planning for all activities at the Ketzin site.
From June till August 2011, an observation well was drilled ending at the top of the cap rock of the storage formation. In 2012, another observation well will lead into the storage reservoir, which already contains CO₂ in order to investigate the storage conditions in light of the ongoing CO₂ injection since 2008.

Sub-projects

• 1.1 Storage operation
• 1.2 Boreholes
• 1.3 CO₂ Acquisition

Focal points of the work

• Monitoring the injection / vicinity of the wells
• Observing the migration of carbon dioxide / entire reservoir
• Evaluating the quality of cementation (borehole casing) in light of its sealing properties
• Providing framework data for process modeling
• Evaluating the measurement methods

In order to characterize the immediate surroundings of the wells, the downhole pressure and temperature are recorded at arbitrary points or for the entire depth, and the CO₂ flows around the storage layer are determined. Other methods include 2-D and 3-D seismics, VSP (Vertical Seismic Profiling) and offset VSP, seismic and geoelectric cross-hole tomography and surface-well geoelectrics. Some of these processes allow a larger area of the storage formation and upper structure to be mapped, which allows us to observe the migration of the injected CO₂. In collaboration with other partners, we are testing the suitability of additional seismological and electromagnetic monitoring methods.

Sub-projects

• 2.1 Borehole Monitoring
• 2.2 Controlled Source Seismic Measurements
• 2.3 Geoelectric Measurements
  

Focal points of the work

• Characterizing and quantifying the interactions between injected CO₂, formation fluid, reservoir rock and/or cap rock and microbial communities as a result of the CO₂ injection
• Complementary experimental studies
• Preparing initial data for monitoring and/or simulation work
• Preparing references for long-term prognoses in comparable storage systems

The process of characterizing the liquid and gas samples as well as the core samples (reservoir and cap rock) uses methods from the fields of gas geochemistry, microbiology, geochemistry, mineralogy, organic geochemistry, petrophysics and fluid experiments. In particular, the data generated before the start of the CO₂ injection are used as a reference for the rest of the project so that possible changes can be recognized and evaluated. Long-term laboratory experiments on the behavior of sandstone from the storage formation in contact with CO₂ provide information about the potential behavior of the storage rock during the CO₂ injection.

Sub-projects

• 3.1 Geochemistry & Mineralogy
• 3.2 Microbiology
• 3.3 Gas Geochemistry
• 3.4 Fluid Experiments & Petrophysics
• 3.5 Organic Geochemistry

Focal points of the work

• Model-based characterization and investigation of the processes in the storage system, taking into consideration the individual processes of
  • hydrodynamics,
  • thermodynamics,
  • hydro(geo)chemistry und
  • geomechanics
• Further development of the geological model
• Simulation and visualization of past and future CO₂ migration in the reservoir is determined
• Simulations and prognoses for the geochemical and geomechanical processes

Sub-projects

• 4.1 Integrative Geological Modeling
• 4.2 Reservoir Simulation & Visualization
• 4.3 Geochemical Simulation
• 4.4 Geomechanical Modeling & Simulation

The following sub-projects, that are not part of CO₂MAN, complement the scientific work at the Ketzin pilot site.

• Radar-Interferometry
• Seismology
• Controlled-Source Magnetotellurics