An Evaluation of the Carbon Sequestration Potential of the Cambro Ordovician Strata of the Illinois and Michigan Basins
A Consortium led by the
Illinois State Geological Survey that includes the
Indiana Geological Survey,
Kentucky Geological Survey,
Western Michigan University,
Brigham Young University, and Schlumberger Carbon Services, will conduct an evaluation of the carbon sequestration potential of the Cambro-Ordovician Strata of the Illinois and Michigan Basins that encompass most of the states of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Michigan. This interval underlies much of the Midwestern United States and, for some areas, may be the only available sequestration target.
This project will have a significant impact in characterizing a new geologic interval that may be used for sequestration. This may open new areas for sequestration in southern Illinois, southern Indiana, Michigan, and western Kentucky. It will also confirm the Knox and Maquoketa as secondary seals for Mt. Simon. The project's Best Practices Manual for site characterization will help reduce sequestration risk by documenting the uncertainties related to fracturing, injectivity, and geochemical interactions for these specific formations.
Main objectives of the project include:
- Evaluating both the reservoir and seal capacity of the intervening layers of St. Peter Sandstone and the Knox Supergroup because this stratigraphic interval is regionally present in multiple states and, when the Mt. Simon Sandstone is not a potential reservoir, may be the most important sequestration target in the Midwest United States.
- Mapping the entire interval in the four-state area using well data and regional 2-D and 3-D seismic datasets.
- Developing a best practices manual for site characterization with the target region.
- Developing GIS layers of areas with high and low capacity potential to be included in the NATCARB database.
For more information visit
www.knoxstp.org
