Analysis of Available Conditions for InSAR Surface Deformation Monitoring in CCS Projects

Abstract

Carbon neutrality is a goal the world is striving to achieve in the context of global warming. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has received extensive attention as an effective method to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. What follows is the migration pathway and leakage monitoring after CO2 injection. Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) technology, with its advantages of extensive coverage in surface deformation monitoring and all-weather traceability of the injection processes, has become one of the promising technologies frequently adopted in worldwide CCS projects. However, there is no mature evaluation system to determine whether InSAR technology is suitable for each CO2 sequestration area. In this study, a new evaluation model is proposed based on the eight factors that are selected from the principle of the InSAR technique and the unique characteristics of the CO2 sequestration area. According to the proposed model, the feasibility of InSAR monitoring is evaluated for the existing typical sequestration areas in the world. Finally, the challenges and prospects of InSAR in the CCS project are discussed.

Review of the Monitoring Applications Involved in the Underground Storage of Natural Gas and CO2

“…The other three scientific contributions are conference proceedings focusing on a permanent seismic monitoring system at the Ketzin CCS pilot site [21,50] and a study on monitoring carbon capture and storage areas using micro unmanned aerial vehicles [84]; (ii) The USA, with the same number of contributions, divided into six journal articles and only one conference proceedings. The journal articles refer to the monitoring of the west Texas EOR site [38,60,61], the storage and recovery operations in a confined aquifer located in Pendleton [85], the CO2 storage in a depleted reservoir in Michigan [86], and the monitoring of natural gas storage in the California site [43]. The single conference proceeding focuses on the CCS project of the northern Appalachian basin [62]; (iii) Canada, with a total of six scientific contributions including four publications in international journals [18,19,38,87] and two conference proceedings [88,89].…”

“…The journal articles refer to the monitoring of the west Texas EOR site [38,60,61], the storage and recovery operations in a confined aquifer located in Pendleton [85], the CO2 storage in a depleted reservoir in Michigan [86], and the monitoring of natural gas storage in the California site [43]. The single conference proceeding focuses on the CCS project of the northern Appalachian basin [62]; (iii) Canada, with a total of six scientific contributions including four publications in international journals [18,19,38,87] and two conference proceedings [88,89]. All the contributions are focused on the monitoring and characterization of the Aquistore CO2 The other nations most represented are:…”

“…The single conference proceeding focuses on the CCS project of the northern Appalachian basin [62]; (iii) Canada, with a total of six scientific contributions including four publications in international journals [18,19,38,87] and two conference proceedings [88,89]. All the contributions are focused on the monitoring and characterization of the Aquistore CO 2 storage project located in Saskatchewan near Weyburn; (iv) France, with a total contribution of five: three journal articles and two conference proceedings.…”

“…The Jingbian (China) EOR site is recalled in two journal articles [38,91], while the CCS applications carried out in Shanxi province (China) with the case study of Shizhuang Town are represented with only one journal article [39], for a total of three Chinese contributions.…”

“…In this regard, interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) technology, with its advantages of extensive coverage in surface deformation monitoring and all-weather traceability of injection processes, is becoming one of the promising monitoring technologies worldwide adopted in UGS and CCS projects [35][36][37]. InSAR and seismic data are two measurement approaches that can be analyzed for obtaining a more specific result about reservoir displacement and subsidence investigation [38]. Other useful techniques can be implemented for the integration of these analyses, e.g., unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), e.g., [39], and global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), e.g., [35,37], allowing more specific studies of the area of interest.…”