GEO-SEQ

Task 3. Use MMV techniques to evaluate the injectivity and geomechanical response at the In Salah Gas Project in Algeria

This test provides a unique opportunity to assess the effectiveness of industrial-scale CO₂ storage in a low permeability formation that is representative of many sites in the U.S. The activity will be carried out in cooperation with the In Salah Joint Industry Project (JIP). Since June 2004, the In Salah Gas Project has been injecting nearly one million tonnes per year into the water-filled strata below a depleting gas reservoir. Unlike most CO₂ storage sites, the permeability of the storage formation is low (~ 5 mD, less than 1% of the permeability at the Utsira Formation used at the Sleipner Project). In addition, the storage formation, with a thickness of 20 m, is also comparably thin. The small thickness combined with the low permeability results in the need for much higher pressures to inject CO₂. To mitigate high injection pressures, the In Salah Gas Project decided to use long-reach horizontal wells for injection. Participation in this project provides the opportunity to assess the effectiveness of this approach for CO₂ storage in low permeability formations.