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A comparative review of hydrologic issues involved in geologic storage of CO2 and injection disposal of liquid waste

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Environmental Geology

Abstract

The paper presents a comparison of hydrologic issues and technical approaches used in deep-well injection and disposal of liquid wastes, and those issues and approaches associated with injection and storage of CO2 in deep brine formations. These comparisons have been discussed in nine areas: injection well integrity; abandoned well problems; buoyancy effects; multiphase flow effects; heterogeneity and flow channeling; multilayer isolation effects; caprock effectiveness and hydromechanics; site characterization and monitoring; effects of CO2 storage on groundwater resources. There are considerable similarities, as well as significant differences. Scientifically and technically, these two fields can learn much from each other. The discussions presented in this paper should help to focus on the key scientific issues facing deep injection of fluids. A substantial but by no means exhaustive reference list has been provided for further studies into the subject.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to gratefully thank Bill Gunter (Alberta Research Council, Canada), Anhar Karimjee (US EPA/HQ), Bruce Kobelski (US EPA/HQ), Richard Metcalfe (Quintessa, UK) and Curt Oldenburg (LBNL, US) for their careful review and very useful comments. The paper’s English was greatly improved by Dan Hawkes. The work was supported by US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air and Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, through an Interagency Agreement with the US Department of Energy under the auspices of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Contract Number DE-AC02-05CH11231.

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  1. Earth Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA

    Chin-Fu Tsang, Jens Birkholzer & Jonny Rutqvist

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  1. Chin-Fu Tsang
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Tsang, CF., Birkholzer, J. & Rutqvist, J. A comparative review of hydrologic issues involved in geologic storage of CO2 and injection disposal of liquid waste. Environ Geol 54, 1723–1737 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-0949-6

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