Skip to main content
Log in

Dynamics of CO2 fluxes and concentrations during a shallow subsurface CO2 release

  • Special Issue
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A field facility located in Bozeman, Montana provides the opportunity to test methods to detect, locate, and quantify potential CO2 leakage from geologic storage sites. From 9 July to 7 August 2008, 0.3 t CO2 day−1 were injected from a 100-m long, ~2.5-m deep horizontal well. Repeated measurements of soil CO2 fluxes on a grid characterized the spatio-temporal evolution of the surface leakage signal and quantified the surface leakage rate. Infrared CO2 concentration sensors installed in the soil at 30 cm depth at 0–10 m from the well and at 4 cm above the ground at 0 and 5 m from the well recorded surface breakthrough of CO2 leakage and migration of CO2 leakage through the soil. Temporal variations in CO2 concentrations were correlated with atmospheric and soil temperature, wind speed, atmospheric pressure, rainfall, and CO2 injection rate.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Chiodini C, Cioni GR, Guidi M, Raco B, Marini L (1998) Soil CO2 flux measurements in volcanic and geothermal areas. Appl Geochem 13:543–552

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clements WE, Wilkening MH (1974) Atmospheric pressure effects on Rn222 transport across the earth–air interface. J Geophys Res 79:5025–5029

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cortis A, Oldenburg CM, Benson SM (2008) The role of optimality in characterizing CO2 seepage from geologic carbon sequestration sites. Int J Greenhouse Gas Control 2:640–652

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deutsch CV, Journel AG (1998) GSLIB, Geostatistical software library and users guide, Oxford University Press, New York

  • Evans WC, Sorey ML, Kennedy BM, Stonestrom DA, Rogie JD, Shuster DL (2001) High CO2 emissions through porous media: Transport mechanisms and implications for flux measurement and fractionation. Chem Geol 177:15–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Humphries SD, Nehrir AR, Keith CJ, Repasky KS, Dobeck L, Carlsten L, Spangler L (2008) Testing carbon sequestration site monitoring instruments using a controlled carbon dioxide release facility. Appl Optics 47:548–555

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • International Energy Agency (1997) Carbon dioxide utilization. IEA Greenhouse Gas R and D Programme, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • International Energy Agency (2004) Prospects for CO2 Capture and Storage. IEA Publications, Paris

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • IPCC (2005) IPCC special report on carbon dioxide capture and storage. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewicki JL, Hilley GE (2009) Eddy covariance mapping and quantification of surface CO2 leakage fluxes. Geophys Res Lett 36:L21802. doi:10.1029/2009GL040775

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewicki JL, Evans WC, Hilley GE, Sorey ML, Rogie JD, Brantley SL (2003) Shallow soil CO2 flow along the San Andreas and Calaveras faults, California. J Geophys Res 108:2187. doi:101029/2002JB002141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewicki JL, Hilley GE, Oldenburg CM (2005) An improved strategy to detect CO2 leakage for verification of geologic carbon sequestration. Geophys Res Lett 32:L19403. doi:10.1029/2005GL024281

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewicki JL, Oldenburg CM, Dobeck L, Spangler L (2007) CO2 leakage during two shallow subsurface CO2 releases. Geophys Res Lett 34:L24402. doi:10.1029/2007GL032047

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewicki JL, Hilley GE, Fischer ML, Pan L, Oldenburg CM, Dobeck L, Spangler L (2009) Eddy covariance observations of surface CO2 leakage during shallow subsurface CO2 releases. J Geophys Res 114:D12302. doi:10.1029/2008JD011297

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Male EJ, Pickles WL, Silver EA, Hoffmann G, Lewicki JL, Apple M, Repasky K, Burton EA (2009) Using hyperspectral plant signatures for CO2 leak detection during the 2008 ZERT CO2 sequestration field experiment in Bozeman, MT. Environ Earth Sci (this issue)

  • Massmann J, Farrier DF (1992) Effects of atmospheric pressures on gas transport in the vadose zone. Water Resour Res 28:777–791

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nilson RH, Peterson EW, Lie KH, Burkhard NR, Hears JR (1991) Atmospheric pumping: a mechanism causing vertical transport of contaminated gases through fractured permeable media. J Geophys Res 96:21933–21948

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poulsen T, Møldrup P (2006) Evaluating effects of wind-induced pressure fluctuations on soil-atmosphere gas exchange at a landfill using stochastic modelling. Waste Manage Res 24:473–481

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith KA, Ball T, Conen F, Dobbie KE, Massheder J, Rey A (2003) Exchange of greenhouse gases between soil and atmosphere: interactions of soil physical factors and biological processes. Eur J Soil Sci 54:779–791

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spangler LH, Dobeck LM, Repasky K et al (2009) A controlled field pilot in Bozeman, Montana, USA, for testing near surface CO2 detection techniques and transport models. Environ Earth Sci (this issue)

  • Takle ES, Massman WJ, Brandlec JR, Schmidt RA, Zhou X, Litvina IV, Garcia R, Doyle G, Rice CW (2004) Influence of high-frequency ambient pressure pumping on carbon dioxide efflux from soil. Agric Forest Met 124:193–206

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank K. Gullickson for helpful assistance in the field. This work was funded by the ZERT Project, Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy, Office of Sequestration, Hydrogen, and Clean Coal Fuels, NETL, of the US Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jennifer L. Lewicki.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lewicki, J.L., Hilley, G.E., Dobeck, L. et al. Dynamics of CO2 fluxes and concentrations during a shallow subsurface CO2 release. Environ Earth Sci 60, 285–297 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-009-0396-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-009-0396-7

Keywords

Navigation