As geological CO2 storage becomes commercially viable, the current state of technologies for subsurface monitoring and measurement will not be sufficient to monitor the large volumes of CO2 that will be injected and permanently stored. The most accurate way to monitor the subsurface today is by using 3D surface seismic data to create a baseline model of the storage complex and acquire repeated seismic surveys over time to monitor the expanding CO2 plume and verify containment. This process will no longer be adequate once we reach large storage volumes and the CO2 migrates further from the injection site, the cost and impact of repeat surveying will no longer be feasible. The SPARSE project develops a new approach to ensure monitoring is reliable, affordable, and effective to maintain the public and regulatory confidence in the secure containment of CO2.
Through the SPARSE project, Carbon Management Canada (CMC) and the University of Calgary will evaluate the passive monitoring opportunities to map CO2 plumes in the subsurface. CMC will develop methodologies for field data acquisition, processing and analysis that can be rapid and automated. This will be particularly important during the early stages of injection and when there are unexpected outcomes that require companies to adapt their injection strategies. The project team will also develop and test new seismic and other geophysical monitoring technologies to reflect the needs and scale of the projects advancing in Alberta and around the world.
