Researchers are developing a fibre-optic sensor system to monitor carbon dioxide at underground geological sequestration sites. Methods to track CO2 in geological storage sites should develop prior to carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies. At CCS sites, this will help ensure that there are no leaks occurring. If CO2 is indeed leaking, it can be detected early so that remedial action can be quickly taken. It is important to verify secure storage for both the public and government’s interest since commercial projects will require public and regulatory acceptance. This technology can be used for CCS, for enhanced oil recovery (EOR), and for examining CO2 fluxes in the natural environment.
Notably, it is a challenge to monitor injected CO2 in deep locations and large storage sites due to high temperatures, pressures, and the presence of many other fluids and gases. Currently, most CO2 detection methods are poorly designed to distribute measurements in these geological locations. The team’s design of novel fibre-optic technology may allow them to make distributed measurements of CO2 concentrations at deep/large storage sites over the long term. This will allow for cheap and effective carbon management.
Research Grant
$983,600 over 3 years; Awarded in 2011
Benefits to Canada and beyond
Fibre optic sensors will be a low cost way of monitoring CCS sites over long time periods and large geological scales. In areas of carbon sequestration, the technology will be an affordable way to assure these sites are secure and achieving CO2 storage. If successful, commercialization of this technology will be targeted to a Canadian company. There will be positive economic benefits associated with this activity including the development, manufacturing, and sale of the technology.
Industrial Applications
Likely industrial users would be operators at field sequestration sites. These could include oil service production companies that provide testing and monitoring services on a contractual basis. This technology is unique, since fibre-optic systems for distributed measurement of CO2 concentrations do not currently exist. Besides CCS locations, it can be used in enhanced oil recovery operations, and monitoring natural and marine environments.
Lead Project Investigator
Peter Wild, University of Victoria
Project Investigators
David Risk, St. Francis Xavier University
David Sinton, University of Toronto
Martin Jun, University of Victoria
Don Lawton, University of Calgary
Graduate Students
Sonja Bhatia, St. Francis Xavier University
Nicholas Nickerson, Dalhousie University
Farid Ahmed, University of Victoria
Bo Bao, University of Toronto
Luis Melo, University of Victoria
Undergrads/Technicians/Research Associates
Kathryn Chisholm, St. Francis Xavier University
Haiyi Wang, University of Toronto
Malcolm Bertram, University of Calgary
Jesse Coelho, University of Victoria
Geoff Burton, University of Victoria
Goal
The team has three goals:
Develop and lab test a distributed array of fibre-optic CO2 concentration sensors;
Same as 1., except developed for and tested in the field; and
Develop and field test a distributed CO2 flux-measurement system.
Activities
The methods under development are based on optical fibre technology. Currently, a proof-of-concept prototype sensor is undergoing bench-top testing. This sensor will be calibrated and its performance quantified in a controlled laboratory setting. In the near future, a prototype will be built for field-testing down hole.
Publications
Detecting Supercritical CO2 in Brine at Sequestration Pressure with an Optical Fiber Sensor, Bao, B., Melo ,L., Davies, B., Fadaei, H., Sinton, D., Wild., P., Environmental Science and Technology, Published on-line Dec. 2012, to appear in print, January 2013
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