The syringe sampler: An inexpensive alternative borehole sampling technique for CO₂-rich fluids during mineral carbon storage

Abstract

Mineral carbon storage involves the dissolution of injected gaseous or supercritical CO2 followed by interaction of the carbonated solution with the host rock at depth resulting in the precipitation of carbonate minerals. Monitoring of elemental chemistry and tracers is required to evaluate the evolution of the fluid geochemistry and the degree of CO2 mineralization during its injection into the subsurface. To avoid degassing during sampling, which is a common feature of commercial groundwater samplers, especially vacuum samplers, a syringe‐like sampler was designed, constructed, and tested in the lab and field. This system was successfully deployed during the injection of 175 tons of pure gaseous CO2 at the CarbFix injection site in Hellisheidi, SW Iceland. This study presents in detail this sampling tool and its application to the monitoring of the CO2‐rich fluid evolution during subsurface carbonation. The syringe sampler was developed as a flexible and mobile unit of low investment and operating costs making it an attractive option for deployment at small scale carbon storage demonstration sites that do not command the budgets to deploy commercial alternatives, e.g. from the oil and gas industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Rapid carbon mineralization for permanent disposal of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions

“…The dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentration and pH of the injectates were 0.82 mol/liter and 3.85 (at 20°C) for phase I and 0.43 mol/liter and 4.03 for phase II. Fluid samples for SF 6 , SF 5 CF 3 , 14 C, DIC, and pH analyses were collected without degassing using a specially designed downhole sampler from the injection well HN02 (22) or with a submersible pump from the first monitoring well, HN04, located about 70 m downstream from HN02 at 400 m depth below the surface before, during, and after injection (tables S1 to S3).…”

Carbon Capture and Storage: From Global Cycles to Global Solutions

“…To focus and to accelerate the subsurface flow of the gas-charged water into the monitoring wells, about 1 kg s −1 of fluid was pumped out of well HN-04 and about 1 kg s −1 from well HK-34 during and after the injection. Verification of the complete dissolution of CO 2 during its injection was done using a digital downhole camera and by high pressure well water bailer sampler (Alfredsson et al, 2015;Sigfusson et al, 2015). Digital images and videos were taken using a slimline water well inspection camera on 16 March 2011 at depths from 90 to 550 m. The camera and the high pressure bailer travelled within the service pipe (number 7 in Fig.…”

CO2 capture and mineralization using carbide slag doped fly ash

“…The reaction rate of aqueous processes is fast because the alkaline components are present as reactive ions in the aqueous solution. Most of the studies reported in the literature are based on aqueous processes . For example, with the aim of improving efficiency, Huijgen et al .…”

“…Mineral carbonation can be divided into dry (gas-solid) and aqueous (gas-liquid or gas-liquid-solid) processes according to the phase in which the carbonation occurs. [11][12][13] The reaction rate of aqueous processes is fast because the alkaline components are present as reactive ions in the aqueous solution. Most of the studies reported in the literature are based on aqueous processes.…”

“…Most of the studies reported in the literature are based on aqueous processes. [11][12][13][14][15][16] For example, with the aim of improving efficiency, Huijgen et al carried out a process of CO 2 reacting at high pressure (100-159 bar) in an aqueous suspension with olivine or serpentine. 18,19 This process required additional thermal treatment to remove hydroxyl groups and its associated energy penalty still remains significantly high.…”