ROAD is an integrated, full CCSCarbon dioxide Capture and Storage chain project initiated by E.ON Benelux N.V. and Electrabel Nederland N.V. (GDF SUEZ Group). It aims to captureThe separation of carbon dioxide from other gases before it is emitted to the atmosphere 1.1 Mtonnes of CO2Carbon dioxide per year from flue gases of a new coal-fired power plant near Rotterdam in the Netherlands. From the captureThe separation of carbon dioxide from other gases before it is emitted to the atmosphere unit the CO2Carbon dioxide will be compressed and transported through a pipeline: 5 kilometers over land and 20 kilometers across the seabedBoundary between the free water and the top of the seabottom sediment to the P18 platform in the North Sea, and injected into the depleted(hydrocarbon reservoir) one where production is significantly reduced P18-4 gas field (Huizeling and van der Weijde, 2011, Arts et al., 2012), operated by Taqa.
As described in Arts et al. (2012), the gas field P18-4 is situated at approximately 3,500 m depth below sea level. The clastic reservoirA subsurface body of rock with sufficient porosity and permeability to store and transmit fluids rocks are part of the Triassic Main Buntsandstein Subgroup and the primary sealAn impermeable rock that forms a barrier above and around a reservoir such that fluids are held in the reservoir for the gas field consists of discomformably overlying siltstones, clay stones, evaporites and dolostones. The P18-4 gas field is located in a heavily faulted area, where reservoirs consist mainly of fault(geology) A surface at which strata are no longer continuous, but are found displaced bounded compartments, which are (at least on production time scales) hydraulically isolated from their surroundings.
In principle the reservoirA subsurface body of rock with sufficient porosity and permeability to store and transmit fluids has been classified as suitable for CO2Carbon dioxide storage(CO2) A process for retaining captured CO2, so that it does not reach the atmosphere providing a stable long-term containmentRestriction of the movement of a fluid to a designated volume (e.g. reservoir) within the bounds of the storage(CO2) A process for retaining captured CO2, so that it does not reach the atmosphere reservoirA subsurface body of rock with sufficient porosity and permeability to store and transmit fluids. This conclusion is essentially based on the fact, that natural gasGas stored underground; It consists largely of methane, but can also contain other hydrocarbons, water, hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide, these other substances are separated before the methane is put into a pipeline or tanker has been contained in this type of reservoirs for millions of years, the knowledge of the reservoirs obtained during exploration and production of the fields, the low pressure in the reservoirA subsurface body of rock with sufficient porosity and permeability to store and transmit fluids being brought back to the most stable situation of hydrostaticPertaining to the properties of a stationary body of water pressure after ending the CO2Carbon dioxide injectionThe process of using pressure to force fluids down wells and the excellent sealing capacity of the cap rock..
The monitoringMeasurement and surveillance activities necessary for ensuring safe and reliable operation of a CGS project (storage integrity), and for estimating emission reductions system proposed is designed to verify CO2Carbon dioxide containmentRestriction of the movement of a fluid to a designated volume (e.g. reservoir) and storage(CO2) A process for retaining captured CO2, so that it does not reach the atmosphere reservoirA subsurface body of rock with sufficient porosity and permeability to store and transmit fluids integrity especially while the storage(CO2) A process for retaining captured CO2, so that it does not reach the atmosphere facility is operating. This is achieved either by measuring the absence of any leakage(in CO2 storage) The escape of injected fluid from the storage formation to the atmosphere or water column through direct detection methods (for example at the wells), or by verifying indirectly that the CO2Carbon dioxide is behaving as expected in the reservoirA subsurface body of rock with sufficient porosity and permeability to store and transmit fluids based on static and dynamic modelling and updating thereof corroborated by monitoringMeasurement and surveillance activities necessary for ensuring safe and reliable operation of a CGS project (storage integrity), and for estimating emission reductions data (for example pressure measurements in the reservoirA subsurface body of rock with sufficient porosity and permeability to store and transmit fluids). The design includes therefore the collection of data such as representative storage(CO2) A process for retaining captured CO2, so that it does not reach the atmosphere pressures and annuli pressures, injected volumes and gas qualities, wellManmade hole drilled into the earth to produce liquids or gases, or to allow the injection of fluids integrity measurements and seabottom inspection measurements.
The main component for monitoringMeasurement and surveillance activities necessary for ensuring safe and reliable operation of a CGS project (storage integrity), and for estimating emission reductions deviations in expected behaviour indicating potential migrationThe movement of fluids in reservoir rocks out of the reservoirA subsurface body of rock with sufficient porosity and permeability to store and transmit fluids consist of pressure (and temperature) monitoringMeasurement and surveillance activities necessary for ensuring safe and reliable operation of a CGS project (storage integrity), and for estimating emission reductions. After proper history matching any deviations from the expected pressure trend (P/z curve) during and after the operational phase is a strong indicator for migrationThe movement of fluids in reservoir rocks out of the storage(CO2) A process for retaining captured CO2, so that it does not reach the atmosphere complex. It is important to emphasize, that in the case of storage(CO2) A process for retaining captured CO2, so that it does not reach the atmosphere in a depleted(hydrocarbon reservoir) one where production is significantly reduced gasfield, the quality of the predictive models is probably much higher, since the models have been calibrated to years of production history.
This example shows like for the Quest project the importance of pressure monitoringMeasurement and surveillance activities necessary for ensuring safe and reliable operation of a CGS project (storage integrity), and for estimating emission reductions in the reservoirA subsurface body of rock with sufficient porosity and permeability to store and transmit fluids. Compared to Quest the main difference is, that lateral spreading of CO2Carbon dioxide is not an issue, since the reservoirA subsurface body of rock with sufficient porosity and permeability to store and transmit fluids is confined, and that pressure rise will only lead to bringing back the reservoirA subsurface body of rock with sufficient porosity and permeability to store and transmit fluids more to its original pressure prior to gas production. With the reservoirA subsurface body of rock with sufficient porosity and permeability to store and transmit fluids being underpressured currently, there is no real driving force to expel brine or CO2Carbon dioxide out of the reservoirA subsurface body of rock with sufficient porosity and permeability to store and transmit fluids.
Similar as for Quest, wellManmade hole drilled into the earth to produce liquids or gases, or to allow the injection of fluids integrity is an issue to be monitored, though in the case of ROAD only a single wellManmade hole drilled into the earth to produce liquids or gases, or to allow the injection of fluids (the injectionThe process of using pressure to force fluids down wells wellManmade hole drilled into the earth to produce liquids or gases, or to allow the injection of fluids) penetrates the reservoirA subsurface body of rock with sufficient porosity and permeability to store and transmit fluids.
Particularly for the longer term after abandonment(wells) Actions taken to ensure permanent isolation of the fluids and pressures of exposed permeable zones within a well from the surface and from lower pressured zones, when no access to the reservoirA subsurface body of rock with sufficient porosity and permeability to store and transmit fluids is possible anymore, inspection of the seabedBoundary between the free water and the top of the seabottom sediment using shallow geophysical surveys are envisaged to detect anomalous gas releases. Baselines are also planned to assess the current presence of shallow gas and its origin.
It is worth mentioning, that the ROAD project is the first project receiving the required positive opinion by the ECEuropean Commission (ECEuropean Commission opinion, 2012) stating its suitability for CO2Carbon dioxide storage(CO2) A process for retaining captured CO2, so that it does not reach the atmosphere and to receive its storage(CO2) A process for retaining captured CO2, so that it does not reach the atmosphere permit (in 2013). This European opinion is part of the procedure for granting a storage(CO2) A process for retaining captured CO2, so that it does not reach the atmosphere license in Europe under the EUEuropean Union CCSCarbon dioxide Capture and Storage-Directive. The status of the monitoringMeasurement and surveillance activities necessary for ensuring safe and reliable operation of a CGS project (storage integrity), and for estimating emission reductions plan is now, that the concept is accepted, but that a more detailed updated plan will be submitted prior to the start of injectionThe process of using pressure to force fluids down wells.