Grantee Research Project Results

2011 Progress Report: Diagnostic Monitoring of Biogeochemical Interactions of a Shallow Aquifer in Response to a CO2 Leak

EPA Grant Number: R834503
Title: 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: December 1, 2010 through November 30,2011
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 health-hazard chemical elements and the biogeochemical responses due to the CO₂ enrichment in target lithologies. The methodologies developed in this work also will be directly transferable to other sites affected by increased CO₂ levels induced from CO₂ sequestration in subterranean rock formations.

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 also will conduct in situ injection and recovery experiments.

Progress Summary:

1. Receipt of EPA authorization for CO₂ and tracer injection experiments under UICID# 04NY08707045.
2. Injection of approximately 440 gallons of aquifer water mixed with tracer (Br^-) into packed-off interval of 13-ft long at 1195-ft depth, and real-time monitoring of aquifer water during recovery.
3. Re-injection of approximately 827 gallons of aquifer water with elevated CO₂ (up to 1- atm pCO₂) and tracers (Br^- and SF₆) into the same interval. Sampling and real-time monitoring for chemical and biological properties of pumped-back fluids after the 20-day incubation period and during 33 days afterward until the aquifer water returned to the pre-injection level with recovery of a total of approximately 30,000 gallons.
4. Initiation of microbial characterization of fluids recovered after pump-back, including: total microscopic cell counts, enrichment culture Most Probable Number (MPN) enumeration, and isolation of DNA for 16S rRNA gene characterization.
5. Design and set up of laboratory equipment for fluid-aquifer sediment incubation experiments under abiotic conditions. Incubation of 12 bottles filled with unsorted aquifer sediments at 1-atm pCO₂ for 2 months. Chemical analysis of drill cuttings and fluid samples using an ICP-MS as described in the Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP).
6. Preliminary comparison and interpretation of 2011 field injection experiments (“Activity 3”) and laboratory incubation results (”Activity 5”) from well TW-3A samples.
7. Notification to EPA district regarding completion of phase 1 of CO₂ and tracer injection experiments under UICID# 04NY08707045.
8. Compilation of laboratory and field test results for project review and publication.
9. Pumping test of zones near 1300-ft depth in well TW-3A to identify potential injection intervals for a second push-pull test during Spring-Summer 2012.

Future Activities:

1. Design and prepare field and sampling equipment for a second push-pull experiment for well TW-3A in Spring-Summer 2012.
2. Complete permitting requirements for a second push-pull experiment in well TW-3A.
3. Inject and monitor a solution of groundwater mixed with tracers (Br^- and/or SF₆) into an isolated test interval at 1300-ft depth or deeper in TW-3A.
4. Re-inject the solution with CO₂ (pCO₂ of 1-atm) into the same interval and then 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.
5. Create and analyze 16S rRNA sequence libraries from DNA samples from 2011 and 2012 experiments to characterize microbial community composition before and after injection.
6. Design and set up laboratory experiments for fluid-aquifer sediment incubation, including geochemical, and with microbiological characterization under controlled pH/pCO₂ and H₂ conditions.
7. Utilize drill cuttings from well TW-3A and potentially rock samples from core to conduct ICP-MS and bulk chemistry lab experiments as described in the QAPP.
8. Compile laboratory and field-test results for project distribution and/or publications. All results would be distributed collaboratively per EPA requirements.

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 18 publications for this project

Supplemental Keywords:

Sequestration, pollution prevention, metals, microbiology, groundwater

Relevant Websites:

http://brg.ldeo.columbia.edu/research_projects/lamont/ Exit

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

2010 Progress Report

2012 Progress Report

2013 Progress Report

Final Report