Paper No. 52-2
Presentation Time: 1:50 PM
CHARACTERIZING AND MAPPING THE LITHOLOGICAL AND PETROPHYSICAL DIVERSITY OF POTENTIAL CONFINING UNITS IN THE MICHIGAN BASIN
CONNER, Amber1, HAAGSMA, Autumn2, KACZMAREK, Stephen3, ZAKHAROVA, Natalia4, SCOTT, Ashley3, BURNS, Moira5 and HARRISON III, William B.2, (1)Michigan Geological Survey, 5272 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49006, (2)Michigan Geological Repository for Research and Education, 5272 W Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49008, (3)Geological & Environmental Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008, (4)Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, (5)Geological and Environmental Sciences, Western Michigan University, 1903 W. Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49008
The Michigan Basin, with deep saline and depleted oil and gas reservoirs, has the potential for substantial commercial-scale carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), hub development, and hydrogen storage. Past work has focused on reducing risks related to leakage, reactivity, induced seismicity, etc., by validating key substratum storage reservoirs and their overlying confining units. However, historically characterizing and identifying various key properties of confining units has not been fully explored for different formations or studies have focused primarily on resource-bearing units. As a result of limited data, confining unit properties are routinely estimated for the entire storage region, which ignores heterogeneities in porosity, permeability, and mechanical strength, all of which can significantly impact seal potential.
Limited mapping and characterization studies have been conducted for potential confining units for storage potential in Michigan. The goal of this project is to identify these confining unit prospects, residing at >2,600 ft. depths, in Michigan. Studies will utilize geomechanical, structural maps, wireline logs, mercury injection capillary pressure, x-ray diffraction, and x-ray fluorescence to analyze thickness, porosity, permeability, structural integrity, fluid flow and other properties of confining system. The data will be used to focus on the spatial lithological and petrophysical diversity of formations, such as the Eau Claire, Trenton, Black River, and Utica Shale, to create regional maps of estimated confining feasibility.
These data will also be used to develop a tool that can guide users through a hierarchy of pathways to analyze the viability of a potential confining unit and provide data gaps that are associated with limited data for the formations of interest. The results can be used to identify potential efficient confining systems(s) for a given region or used to identify regions which have higher risks due to poor confining system(s), for more informed site screening and selection for CCUS projects.
This project is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under DE-FE0032368.
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