Grantee Research Project Results
2010 Progress Report: Diagnostic Monitoring of Biogeochemical Interactions of a Shallow Aquifer in Response to a CO2 Leak
EPA Grant Number: R834503Title: Diagnostic Monitoring of Biogeochemical Interactions of a Shallow Aquifer in Response to a CO2 Leak
Investigators: Goldberg, David S. , Matter, Juerg M. , O'Mullan, Gregory , Stute, Martin , Takahashi, Taro
Institution: Columbia University in the City of New York
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: December 1, 2009 through November 30, 2012 (Extended to November 30, 2014)
Project Period Covered by this Report: September 1, 2009 through August 31,2010
Project Amount: $899,997
RFA: Integrated Design, Modeling, and Monitoring of Geologic Sequestration of Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide to Safeguard Sources of Drinking Water (2009) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Drinking Water , Water
Objective:
The question addressed in this study is: how does an elevated-level CO2 concentration caused by a hypothetical leakage of CO2 from deep injection reservoirs affect the chemical and microbiological conditions in a shallow aquifer?
Understanding the fundamental scientific processes resulting from CO2 enrichment of aquifer water is the primary advance of the proposed work. In particular, we focus on determining the mobility of metals and the biogeochemical responses due to the CO2 enrichment in target lithologies. The methodologies developed in this work will also be directly transferable to other sites affected by increased CO2 levels from CO2 sequestration.
The project will investigate a shallow potable water aquifer system in sand/clay sequences of the Newark Basin group using laboratory and in situ experimental methods. Methods will involve extracting rock and water samples from a shallow aquifer and then conducting a series of geochemical and microbiological laboratory experiments using these samples. We will also conduct in situ injection and recovery experiments.
Progress Summary:
Progress summary
This annual progress report covers activities completed during Year 1 under U.S. EPA STAR Grant #834503. Funding for this STAR award was received on January 11, 2010 when activities commenced. The following activities were completed during the project period:
1. Preparation/submittal and EPA approval of QAPP to perform field and lab activities.
2. Deepening of test well (TW-3) to a total depth of 1500 feet, penetrating 750 into Newark basin rift sediments at the L-DEO campus in Palisades, New York.
3. Sampling and preliminary analysis of drill cuttings from 1000-ft to 1500-ft depth (see appendix A)
4. Acquisition and preliminary analysis of geophysical and flowmeter logs by USGS from ground surface to 1500-ft depth (see appendix B).
5. Installation of a pressure transducer for monitoring short and long-term water level fluctuations in TW-3.
6. Design and purchase of components for the dual straddle packer testing and fluid injection system; purchase of laboratory equipment and supplies.
7. Construction of dual straddle packer testing and fluid injection system.
8. Identification of potential injection zones in fractured intervals based on USGS flow meter logs and televiewer logs.
9. Notification of EPA district regarding well deepening and submission request for CO2 and tracer injection experiments under UICID# 04NY08707045.
10. Reclassification of TW-3 as a stratigraphic test well under NYS DEC regulations, allowing for potential future deepening and injection tests (see below).
11. Successful search for post-doctoral research scientist to conduct laboratory experiments.
Budget status overview Budget expenditures during Year 1 covered drilling and sampling well TW-3, preliminary well logging, and the borehole packer system construction; these activities will continue in Year 2 prior to the initial injection experiments. The packer system may also be augmented after deepening TW-3 for DOE/TriCarb objectives. Part of the student support budgeted in Year 1 will be used for post-doctoral salary during Year 2. Other Year 2 expenses include support for field and fluid monitoring activities and both geochemical and microbiological laboratory experiments, as per project objectives. The Year 1 Budget Status Report is summarized below with projected expenses through the end of Year 2.
Appendix A. Summary of well logs recorded in TW-3, Aug 2010
Appendix B. Example depth-correlation of well cuttings to optical televiewer log from 1045-1095-ft in TW-3.
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Future Activities:
Given the fracture characterization in TW-3, future activities have been focused on conducting “push-pull” injection experiments to achieve the project objectives. A twowell “forced gradient” injection experiment would be difficult to achieve in a highangle fracture interval and add little to the expected outcome of the experiment. Thus, dual well plans were abandoned. During the upcoming period, we will:
1. Complete permitting requirements for push-pull experiments in TW-3.
2. Inject and monitor a solution of CO2 (pCO2 up to 5 bars) plus tracers (Br- and/or SF6) mixed with groundwater and re-injected into the interval.
3. Recover injected fluids after a resting period (anticipated 4-8 weeks) and test them in the laboratory using chemical and microbial methodologies described in the QAPP.
4. Utilize drill cuttings from TW-3 and subsample core sections from the Newark Basin Coring project (at Rutgers University) to conduct ICP-MS and bulk chemistry lab experiments as described in the QAPP.
5. Compile laboratory and field test results for project distribution and/or publications.
An important development in this project is a potential collaboration with the ongoing DOE TriCarb effort, which will allow for deepening and coring of TW-3 through the entire Newark Basin sedimentary wedge. This increases the potential for TW-3 to intersect a permeable aquifer near the bottom of the Newark basin that could be used for push-pull injection tests in another interval. Drilling, coring, and open-hole logging costs associated with this deepening would be borne by the TriCarb consortium. Permitting for the TriCarb effort is underway. Costs associated with groundwater logging, hydrogeologic testing, fluid injection and sampling, and laboratory experiments in a deeper section would be borne by this award. All results would be distributed collaboratively per EPA and DOE requirements.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 18 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
Sequestration, pollution prevention, metals, pathogens, groundwater
Relevant Websites:
Current results and specifications of TW-3 and recent well log results are available at:
http://brg.ldeo.columbia.edu/research_projects/lamont/.
A devoted and linked web page will be built and maintained for the proposed study during the coming project period.
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.