In late July 2013, the Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Partnership (BSCSP) kicked off the injection phase of a field demonstration project to determine if greenhouse gases can be permanently stored in underground geologic formations.
One of the most unique aspects of the project is the type of geologic formation: layers of ancient basalt flows formed by cooling lava. “We are excited to be conducting, through our partners, the world’s first injection of pure carbon dioxide into basalts,” said Lee Spangler, BSCSP Director.
On behalf of BSCSP, researchers at Battelle are teaming with Boise, Inc. to conduct the test on Boise property in southwestern Washington State, near Wallula. Over a two-week period, the team injected nearly 1,000 tons of CO2 one-half mile underground into porous layers of basalt. Above and below the porous layers are impermeable rock layers that will trap the CO2 in place. In addition, laboratory experiments have shown that basalt rocks can rapidly convert injected CO2 to solid carbonate minerals, permanently trapping and securing the carbon dioxide.
“We have been conducting laboratory tests on basalts from the region for several years that have conclusively demonstrated the unique geochemical nature of basalts to quickly react with carbon dioxide and form carbonate minerals or solid rock, the safest and most permanent form for storage in the subsurface,” said Battelle project manager Pete McGrail. “However convincing the laboratory data may be, proving the same processes operate deep underground can only be done by conducting a successful field demonstration.”
With the initial injection complete, the research team will begin a 14 month monitoring period during which time they will examine fluid samples from the injection well to look for changes in chemical composition, as well as compare actual results to predictions made with the supercomputer at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (operated by Battelle for the Department of Energy). At the end of the monitoring period, rock samples taken from the well are expected to exhibit the formation of carbonate mineralization, or limestone crystals, as a result of the CO2 reacting with minerals in the basalt.
If the demonstration project is successful, basalt flows in many parts of the world could serve as storage locations for CO2 emissions from a variety of industrial facilities. “Basalts have the potential to store over 300 years of the carbon dioxide emissions in the six-state Big Sky region,” Spangler said. “Perhaps more important is their storage potential in countries with rapidly increasing energy use, specifically China and India.”
The demonstration is approximately 80 percent funded through the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory. To date, $12 million has been committed to the pilot project. Other contributors include Schlumberger, Praxair, Royal Dutch Shell, Boise Inc., and Portland General Electric.
BSCSP, which is led by Montana State University, is one of seven partnerships involved in the DOE’s Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership Program. BSCSP is also managing a large scale, eight-year CO2 injection project in northern Montana, which is currently in its initial characterization and permitting phase.