SALINE AQUIFER DELINEATION FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION USING SEISMIC AND PETROPHYSICAL DATA OVER ‘WALE’ FIELD, NIGER DELTA, NIGERIA

This research paper aims to delineate the saline aquifers for carbon sequestration in the “Wale” field, Niger Delta, Nigeria and estimate the volume of CO₂ that can be stored in the aquifer. The importance of this research lies in addressing the global challenge of reducing carbon emissions and mitigating the impacts of climate change; in 2021, the CO₂ emissions for Nigeria was 127 million tonnes. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a proven technology that can reduce CO₂ emissions, and saline aquifers are one of the most promising storage options due to their large storage capacity and long-term stability. The approach taken in this study illustrated in this paper, comprises 5 steps, including: delineation of the saline aquifers present in the field and the hydraulic continuity between them; determination of the porosity, permeability, thickness and other petrophysical parameters of the selected aquifers; determination of the net to gross ratio for calculation of the effective and practical storage capacity of the selected aquifers; evaluation of the cap rock for potential possibilities for leakages; estimation of the volume of CO₂ that can be stored in the delineated saline aquifers. The results of the study indicate that the “Wale” field has 2 suitable saline aquifers for CO₂ storage at depths of almost 2000m, with a potential storage capacity of up to 1.12 x 10¹⁰ tons of CO₂. This represents a significant opportunity for mitigating carbon emissions in Nigeria and contributing to global efforts to address climate change. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on CCS by estimating the potential storage capacity of the saline aquifers for CO₂ sequestration and providing a framework for future studies aimed at identifying suitable CO₂ storage options in other regions.