Grantee Research Project Results
Final 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 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 project investigates a shallow potable water aquifer system in sand/clay sequences of the Newark Basin group using laboratory and in situ experimental methods to study the effects of increased CO2 levels from potential leakage at sequestration sites. Previous studies have not fully considered the potential negative effects of CO2 leakage into shallow drinking water aquifers. A fundamental research question addressed in this study is: how does elevated CO2 concentrations caused by a hypothetical leakage of CO2 from deep injection reservoirs affect the chemical and microbiological conditions in a shallow aquifer? In situ injection and recovery experiments and groundwater logging tests were conducted to understand the processes resulting from CO2 enrichment of shallow aquifer water. Rock and water samples were extracted, and a series of geochemical and microbiological laboratory experiments were conducted, focusing on the mobility of health-hazard chemical elements and associated biogeochemical responses.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
Accomplishments/Outputs
- Established and characterized a field-test site for small-scale controlled aqueous CO2 injection.
- CO2-enhanced aquifer water was injected into a fractured sedimentary rock aquifer during two separate field experiments in 2011 and 2012.
- Elemental release rates, microbial cell concentrations, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing based successional patterns were determined before, during, and after field injection experiments.
- Laboratory incubation experiments were conducted to investigate elemental release rates in CO2-enhanced solutions consisting of various lithologies and sterilized, non-sterilized, and H2-treated aquifer water.
- Established diagnostic monitoring parameters that can be easily measured with available sensor systems to assess shallow groundwater quality in compliance with the EPA MCL (both trace elements and microbes) near potential CO2 sequestration sites
- Minor deterioration of groundwater quality was observed under a simulated CO2 leakage scenario but did not exceed the EPA MCL after the experiments.
- Mineral dissolution and trace element release were enhanced with increased acidity but returned to pre-injection levels towards the end of experiments.
- Elemental release rates in the field tests and in the laboratory experiments were dependent on pCO2 (pH) and were affected by redox condition and lithology.
- Microbial activity influenced elemental release rates (e.g., Fe), as determined in laboratory treatments containing non-sterilized aquifer water compared to autoclaved controls.
- Rapid microbial succession occurred within the injection region, with smaller alteration expected at greater distances from a CO2 source and with greater time after exposure.
- Demonstrated resilience of the in situ chemistry and microbial community in the later phases of these experiments, returning conditions toward their preinjection state and suggesting that CO2 leakage is unlikely to create permanent, large-scale alteration of the subsurface environment.
Conclusions:
Journal Articles on this Report : 4 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
Other project views: | All 18 publications | 4 publications in selected types | All 4 journal articles |
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O'Mullan G, Dueker ME, Clauson K, Yang Q, Umemoto K, Zakharova N, Matter J, Stute M, Takahashi T, Goldberg D. Microbial stimulation and succession following a test well injection simulating CO2 leakage into a shallow Newark basin aquifer. PLoS One 2015;10(1):e0117812. |
R834503 (Final) |
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Yang Q, Matter J, Stute M, Takahashi T, O’Mullan G, Umemoto K, Clauson K, Dueker ME, Zakharova N, Goddard J, Goldberg D. Groundwater hydrogeochemistry in injection experiments simulating CO2 leakage from a geological storage reservoir. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 2014;26:193-203. |
R834503 (Final) |
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Yang Q, Matter J, Takahashi T, Stute M, O’Mullan G, Clauson K, Umemoto K, Goldberg D. Groundwater geochemistry in bench experiments simulating CO2 leakage from geological storage in the Newark Basin. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 2015;42:98-108. |
R834503 (Final) |
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Zakharova N, Goldberg D, Olsen P, Kent D, Morgan S, Yang Q, Stute M, Matter J. New insights into lithology and hydrogeology of the northern Newark Rift Basin. GEOCHEMISTRY GEOPHYSICS GEOSYSTEMS 2016;17 IS-6:2070-2094. |
R834503 (Final) |
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Supplemental Keywords:
Sequestration, pollution prevention, metals, microbiology, groundwaterRelevant Websites:
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.
Project Research Results
- 2013 Progress Report
- 2012 Progress Report
- 2011 Progress Report
- 2010 Progress Report
- Original Abstract
4 journal articles for this project