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Park K, Kim CY, Kirk MF, Chae G, Kwon MJ. Effects of natural non-volcanic CO 2 leakage on soil microbial community composition and diversity. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 862:160754. [PMID: 36513229 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Geological carbon capture and storage (CCS) can reduce anthropogenic CO2 emissions, but questions exist about impacts at the surface if CO2 leaks from deep storage reservoirs. To examine potential impacts on soils, previous studies have investigated the geochemistry and microbiology of volcanic soils hosting high fluxes of CO2 rich gas. This study builds on those previous investigations by considering impacts of CO2 leakage at a non-volcanic site, where deep geogenic CO2 leaks from a cracked well casing. At the site, we collected 26 soil cores adjacent to soil gas monitoring wells. Based on measured CO2 fluxes, the soil samples fall into two groups 1) high CO2 (flux = 304.6 ± 272.1 g m-2 d-1, conc. = 29.1 ± 34 %) and 2) low CO2 (flux = 15.8 ± 6.1 g m-2 d-1, conc. = 0.8 ± 0.9 %). Soil pH was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in high flux group samples (4.6 ± 0.3) than the low flux ones (5.3 ± 0.7). Beta diversity calculations using 16S rRNA gene sequences and redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed clear clustering of microbial communities relative to CO2 flux and significant correlations of community composition with pH and organic carbon content. In the high flux soils, abundant microbial groups included Acidobacteriota, Ktedonobacteria, and SC-I-84 in the phylum Proteobacteria, as well as Nitrososphaeria, a genus of ammonia oxidizing archaea. Compared to volcanic sites described previously, our non-volcanic site had slight differences in soil geochemical properties and gradual shifts in community compositions between CO2 hotspots and background locations. Moreover, the elevated abundance of SC-I-84 has not been reported in studies of volcanic sites. This study improves our ability to predict potential environmental impacts of geological CCS by expanding the range of conditions over which existing CO2 leakage has been observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanghyun Park
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Korea University, Seoul 02841, South Korea
| | - Chan Yeong Kim
- Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), Daejeon 34132, South Korea; GeoGreen21, 55 Digital-ro 33-gil, Guro-gu, Seoul 08376, South Korea
| | - Matthew F Kirk
- Department of Geology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Gitak Chae
- Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), Daejeon 34132, South Korea.
| | - Man Jae Kwon
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Korea University, Seoul 02841, South Korea.
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2
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Influence of different cerium precursors on the oxygen vacancies and catalytic capacity of Ce-MnOx for ozone catalyzed decomposition. RESEARCH ON CHEMICAL INTERMEDIATES 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11164-022-04843-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
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3
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Dror I, Yaron B, Berkowitz B. The Human Impact on All Soil-Forming Factors during the Anthropocene. ACS ENVIRONMENTAL AU 2022; 2:11-19. [PMID: 37101758 PMCID: PMC10114744 DOI: 10.1021/acsenvironau.1c00010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Soil-the thin outer skin of the Earth's land-is a critical and fragile natural resource. Soil is the basis for almost all global agriculture and the medium in which most terrestrial biological activity occurs. Here, we reconsider the five forming factors of soil originally suggested more than a century ago (parent material, time, climate, topography, and organisms) and updated over the years to add human activity as the sixth forming factor. We demonstrate how present anthropogenic activity has become the leading component influencing each one of the original forming factors. We thus propose that, starting from the Anthropocene, human activity should no longer be considered as a separate forming factor but rather a main driving force of each of the five original ones. We suggest that the importance of soil and the strong direct and indirect effects of anthropogenic factors on soil-forming factors should be considered together to ensure sustainability of this critical resource.
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4
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Sharma S, Agrawal V, McGrath S, Hakala JA, Lopano C, Goodman A. Geochemical controls on CO 2 interactions with deep subsurface shales: implications for geologic carbon sequestration. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2021; 23:1278-1300. [PMID: 34553724 DOI: 10.1039/d1em00109d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
One of the primary drivers of global warming is the exponential increase in CO2 emissions. According to IPCC, if the CO2 emissions continue to increase at the current rate, global warming is likely to increase by 1.5 °C, above pre-industrial levels, between the years 2030 and 2052. Efficient and sustainable geologic CO2 sequestration (GCS) offers one plausible solution for reducing CO2 levels. The impermeable shale formations have traditionally served as good seals for reservoirs in which CO2 has been injected for GCS. The rapid development of subsurface organic-rich shales for hydrocarbon recovery has opened up the possibility of utilizing these hydraulically fractured shale reservoirs as potential target reservoirs for GCS. However, to evaluate the GCS potential of different types of shales, we need to better understand the geochemical reactions at CO2-fluid-shale interfaces and how they affect the flow and CO2 storage permanence. In this review, we discuss the current state of knowledge on the interactions of CO2 with shale fluids, minerals, and organic matter, and the impact of parameters such as pressure, temperature, and moisture content on these interactions. We also discuss the potential of using CO2 as an alternate fracturing fluid, its role in enhanced shale gas recovery, and different geochemical tracers to identify whether CO2 or brine migration occurred along a particular fluid transport pathway. Additionally, this review highlights the need for future studies to focus on determining (1) the contribution of CO2 solubility and the impact of formation water chemistry on GCS, (2) the rates of dissolution/precipitation and sorption reactions, (3) the role of mineralogical and structural heterogeneities in shale, (4) differences in reaction mechanisms/rates between gaseous CO2vs. brine mixed CO2vs. supercritical CO2, (5) the use of CO2 as a fracturing fluid and its proppant carrying capacity and (6) the role of CO2 in enhanced hydrocarbon recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shikha Sharma
- West Virginia University Department of Geology & Geography, 330 Brooks Hall, 98 Beechurst Ave., Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA.
| | - Vikas Agrawal
- West Virginia University Department of Geology & Geography, 330 Brooks Hall, 98 Beechurst Ave., Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA.
| | - Steven McGrath
- West Virginia University Department of Geology & Geography, 330 Brooks Hall, 98 Beechurst Ave., Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA.
| | - J Alexandra Hakala
- National Energy Technology Laboratory Research and Innovation Center, 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15236, USA
| | - Christina Lopano
- National Energy Technology Laboratory Research and Innovation Center, 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15236, USA
| | - Angela Goodman
- National Energy Technology Laboratory Research and Innovation Center, 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15236, USA
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5
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Fukuhara C, Matsui Y, Tanebayashi M, Watanabe R. A novel catalytic reaction system capturing solid carbon from greenhouse gas, combined with dry reforming of methane. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL ADVANCES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ceja.2020.100057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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6
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Changes in Geochemical Composition of Groundwater Due to CO2 Leakage in Various Geological Media. WATER 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/w12092597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This study evaluated the effects of CO2 leakage on the geochemical composition of groundwater in various geological media through long-term column experiments. Four columns were set up with soil representing a silicate aquifer; clean sand; a sand and limestone mixture; and alluvium soil, respectively. The experiments were conducted under the same experimental conditions for approximately one year. As the CO2-saturated synthetic groundwater was introduced into the columns, a decrease in pH and increases in electrical conductivity (EC), alkalinity, and concentrations of cations and trace elements were observed in all geological media. However, different patterns of changes were also observed depending on the mineralogical and physico-chemical characteristics of each material. As the column operation continued, while the pH decreased and low alkalinity values were more evident in the silicate soil and clean sand columns, the carbonate column continued to show high alkalinity and EC values in addition to high concentrations of most cations. The alluvium soil showed distinctive cation-exchange behaviors during the initial introduction of CO2. The results indicate that changes in the geochemical composition of groundwater will depend on the characteristic of the geological medium such as pH buffering capacity and cation exchange capacity. This study can be useful for monitoring and managing the impacts of CO2 leakage in various aquifer environments.
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7
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Gupta PK, Yadav B. Leakage of CO 2 from geological storage and its impacts on fresh soil-water systems: a review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:12995-13018. [PMID: 32128734 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-08203-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Leakage of CO2 from the geological storage is a serious issue for the sustainability of the receiving fresh soil-water systems. Subsurface water quality issues are no longer related to one type of pollution in many regions around the globe. Thus, an effort has been made to review studies performed to investigate supercritical CO2 (scCO2) and CO2 enrich brine migration and it's leakage from geological storage formations. Further, the study also reviewed it's impacts on fresh soil-water systems, soil microbes, and vegetation. The first part of the study discussed scCO2/CO2 enrich brine migration and its leakage from storage formations along with it's impact on pore dynamics of hydrological regimes. Later, a state-of-the-art literature survey has been performed to understand the role of CO2-brine leakage on groundwater dynamics and its quality along with soil microbes and plants. It is observed in the literature survey that most of the studies on CO2-brine migration in storage formations reported significant CO2-brine leakage due to over-pressurization through wells (injections and abandoned), fracture, and faults during CO2 injection. Thus, changes in the groundwater flow and water table dynamics can be the first impact of the CO2-brine leakage. Subsequently, three major alterations may also occur-(i) drop in pH of subsurface water, (ii) enhancement of organic compounds, and (iii) mobilization of metals and metalloids. Geochemical alteration depends on the amount of CO2 leaked and interactions with host rocks. Therefore, such alteration may significantly affect soil microbial dynamics and vegetation in and around CO2 leakage sites. In-depth analysis of the available literature fortifies that a proper subsurface characterization along with the bio-geochemical analysis is extremely important and should be mandatory to predict the more accurate risk of CO2 capture and storage activities on soil-water systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pankaj Kumar Gupta
- Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - Basant Yadav
- Cranfield Water Science Institute, Cranfield University, Vincent Building, Cranfield, Bedford, MK43 0AL, UK
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8
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Li D, Ren S, Rui H. CO 2 Leakage Behaviors in Typical Caprock-Aquifer System during Geological Storage Process. ACS OMEGA 2019; 4:17874-17879. [PMID: 31681896 PMCID: PMC6822216 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b02738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In this study, a 3D reactive flow simulation model is built to simulate the leakage processes though assumed leakage channels. The geochemical reactions are coupled with fluid flow simulation in this model with consideration of reservoir minerals calcite, kaolinite, and anorthite. As an essential trigger for geochemical reactions, changes in pH value are investigated during and after the CO2 injection process. By comparing CO2 migration with/without geochemical reactions, the influence of geochemical processes on CO2 leakage is illustrated. The leakage behaviors through leakage channels with different permeabilities are evaluated. Influence of reservoir temperature on CO2 leakage is also exhibited. Furthermore, the effects of the distance between the injection well and leakage zone on the leakage potential are studied. The results indicate that the geochemical reactions have impact on the leakage processes, which can decrease the leakage level with the presence of geochemical reactions. The region of low pH enlarges with continuous injection of CO2. Hence, monitoring changes in pH can reflect the migration of CO2, which can provide an alert for CO2 leakage. The occurrence of the leakage phenomenon is postponed with increasing the distance between the CO2 injection well and the leakage channel. However, the leakage level tends to be consistent with injecting more CO2. The CO2 leakage risk can be reduced through the leakage channels with lower permeability. With the presence of higher reservoir temperatures, the leakage risk can be improved. These results can provide references for the application of monitoring methods and prediction of CO2 front associated with geochemical processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dexiang Li
- School
of Mathematics, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Shaoran Ren
- School
of Petroleum Engineering, China University
of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China
| | - Hongxing Rui
- School
of Mathematics, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
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9
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Derakhshan-Nejad Z, Sun J, Yun ST, Lee G. Potential CO 2 intrusion in near-surface environments: a review of current research approaches to geochemical processes. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2019; 41:2339-2364. [PMID: 30826969 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-019-00263-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 02/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and storage (CCS) plays a crucial role in reducing carbon emissions to the atmosphere. However, gas leakage from deep storage reservoirs, which may flow back into near-surface and eventually to the atmosphere, is a major concern associated with this technology. Despite an increase in research focusing on potential CO2 leakage into deep surface features and aquifers, a significant knowledge gap remains in the geochemical changes associated with near-surface. This study reviews the geochemical processes related to the intrusion of CO2 into near-surface environments with an emphasis on metal mobilization and discusses about the geochemical research approaches, recent findings, and current knowledge gaps. It is found that the intrusion of CO2(g) into near-surface likely induces changes in pH, dissolution of minerals, and potential degradation of surrounding environments. The development of adequate geochemical research approaches for assessing CO2 leakage in near-surface environments, using field studies, laboratory experiments, and/or geochemical modeling combined with isotopic tracers, has promoted extensive surveys of CO2-induced reactions. However, addressing knowledge gaps in geochemical changes in near-surface environments is fundamental to advance current knowledge on how CO2 leaks from storage sites and the consequences of this process on soil and water chemistry. For reliable detection and risk management of the potential impact of CO2 leakage from storage sites on the environmental chemistry, currently available geochemical research approaches should be either combined or used independently (albeit in a manner complementarily to one another), and the results should be jointly interpreted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Derakhshan-Nejad
- Department of Earth System Science, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea
| | - Jing Sun
- Department of Earth System Science, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea
| | - Seong-Taek Yun
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, South Korea
| | - Giehyeon Lee
- Department of Earth System Science, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea.
- Division of Environmental Science and Engineering, POSTECH, Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea.
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10
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Joun WT, Rossabi J, Shin WJ, Lee KK. Real-time multi-level CO 2 concentration monitoring in vadose zone wells and the implication for detecting leakage events. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 237:534-544. [PMID: 30825786 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.01.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Multi-level wells screened at different depths in the vadose zone were installed and used for CO2 and carbon isotope monitoring. Well CO2 time series data were collected along with subsurface and atmospheric parameters such as air pressure, temperature, wind speed, and moisture content. Our aim was to determine the natural factors affecting the variation of CO2 concentration and how the influence of these factors varies with time of day and seasons of the year. We were motivated to understand the cause and extent of CO2 natural fluctuations in vadose zone wells in order to separate natural variation from signals due to anthropogenic CO2 leaks anticipating future monitoring using these wells. Variations of seasonal mean and variance of CO2 concentrations at different depths seem to follow the diurnal trend of subsurface temperature changes that reflect the atmospheric temperature but with time delay and amplitude damping due to heat transport considerations. The temperature in the ground lags behind the change in the atmospheric temperature, thus, the deeper the depth, the longer the time delay and the smaller the amplitude of the change. Monitored seasonal variation as shown in Appendix A shows the temperature-dependent depth-dependent CO2 production in the soil zone indicating higher CO2 concentrations in the summer and fall seasons with high concentrations ranging between 10,990 and 51,600 ppm from spring to summer, and 40,100 and 17,760 ppm from fall to winter. As the temperature in the organic-rich topsoil layer changes from daytime to nighttime, the concentration of CO2 in the soils also changes dynamically in response to chemical and biological reactions. When a screened well is installed in the vadose zone the dynamic temporal and depth difference in CO2 production is further complicated by upward (out of the subsurface) or downward (into the subsurface) gas flow, which will amplify or attenuate the temporal and vertical biochemically produced differences. Nested wells screened at different depths in the vadose zone and wells fully screened through the vadose zone were used for comparison. In addition, experiments changing the well from open to surface air to sealed at the top were conducted. The flow rates of inhaled (downward) and exhaled (upward) gas were estimated based on multi-level monitoring data. Based on time-series monitoring data, we proposed a time-dependent conceptual model to explain the changes of CO2 concentration in wells. The conceptual model was tested through analytical model computations. This conceptual model of natural variation of CO2 will be helpful in utilizing the vadose zone well as a method for monitoring CO2 leakage from subsurface storage or anthropogenic CO2 -producing activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Won-Tak Joun
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Seoul National Univ., Seoul, 151-747, South Korea
| | | | - Woo-Jin Shin
- Division of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ochang Center, Korea Basic Science Institute, South Korea
| | - Kang-Kun Lee
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Seoul National Univ., Seoul, 151-747, South Korea.
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11
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Yu T, Chen Y. Effects of elevated carbon dioxide on environmental microbes and its mechanisms: A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 655:865-879. [PMID: 30481713 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Before the industrial revolution, the atmospheric CO2 concentration was 180-330 ppm; however, fossil-fuel combustion and forest destruction have led to increased atmospheric CO2 concentration. CO2 capture and storage is regarded as a promising strategy to prevent global warming and ocean acidification and to alleviate elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration, but the leakage of CO2 from storage system can lead to rapid acidification of the surrounding circumstance, which might cause negative influence on environmental microbes. The effects of elevated CO2 on microbes have been reported extensively, but the review regarding CO2 affecting different environmental microorganisms has never been done previously. Also, the mechanisms of CO2 affecting environmental microorganisms are usually contributed to the change of pH values, while the direct influences of CO2 on microorganisms were often neglected. This paper aimed to provide a systematic review of elevated CO2 affecting environmental microbes and its mechanisms. Firstly, the influences of elevated CO2 and potential leakage of CO2 from storage sites on community structures and diversity of different surrounding environmental microbes were assessed and compared. Secondly, the adverse impacts of CO2 on microbial growth, cell morphology and membranes, bacterial spores, and microbial metabolism were introduced. Then, based on biochemical principles and knowledge of microbiology and molecular biology, the fundamental mechanisms of the influences of carbon dioxide on environmental microbes were discussed from the aspects of enzyme activity, electron generation and transfer, and key gene and protein expressions. Finally, key questions relevant to the environmental effect of CO2 that need to be answered in the future were addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yinguang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China.
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12
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Li D, Zhang L, Ren S, Rui H. Leakage Mitigation During CO2 Geological Storage Process Using CO2 Triggered Gelation. Ind Eng Chem Res 2019. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.8b05049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dexiang Li
- School of Mathematics, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Liang Zhang
- School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China
| | - Shaoran Ren
- School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China
| | - Hongxing Rui
- School of Mathematics, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
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13
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Miocic JM, Gilfillan SMV, Frank N, Schroeder-Ritzrau A, Burnside NM, Haszeldine RS. 420,000 year assessment of fault leakage rates shows geological carbon storage is secure. Sci Rep 2019; 9:769. [PMID: 30683881 PMCID: PMC6347600 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36974-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology is routinely cited as a cost effective tool for climate change mitigation. CCS can directly reduce industrial CO2 emissions and is essential for the retention of CO2 extracted from the atmosphere. To be effective as a climate change mitigation tool, CO2 must be securely retained for 10,000 years (10 ka) with a leakage rate of below 0.01% per year of the total amount of CO2 injected. Migration of CO2 back to the atmosphere via leakage through geological faults is a potential high impact risk to CO2 storage integrity. Here, we calculate for the first time natural leakage rates from a 420 ka paleo-record of CO2 leakage above a naturally occurring, faulted, CO2 reservoir in Arizona, USA. Surface travertine (CaCO3) deposits provide evidence of vertical CO2 leakage linked to known faults. U-Th dating of travertine deposits shows leakage varies along a single fault and that individual seeps have lifespans of up to 200 ka. Whilst the total volumes of CO2 required to form the travertine deposits are high, time-averaged leakage equates to a linear rate of less than 0.01%/yr. Hence, even this natural geological storage site, which would be deemed to be of too high risk to be selected for engineered geologic storage, is adequate to store CO2 for climate mitigation purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes M Miocic
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, James Hutton Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FE, UK. .,Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Freiburg, Albertstr. 23b, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Stuart M V Gilfillan
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, James Hutton Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FE, UK
| | - Norbert Frank
- Institute for Environmental Physics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 229, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andrea Schroeder-Ritzrau
- Institute for Environmental Physics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 229, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Neil M Burnside
- School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, James Watt South Building, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - R Stuart Haszeldine
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, James Hutton Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FE, UK
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14
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Characterizing Near-Surface Fractured-Rock Aquifers: Insights Provided by the Numerical Analysis of Electrical Resistivity Experiments. WATER 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/w10091117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Fractured-rock aquifers represent an important part of the groundwater that is used for domestic, agricultural, and industrial purposes. In these natural systems, the presence and properties of fractures control both the quantity and quality of water extracted, meaning that knowledge about the fractures is critical for effective water resource management. Here, we explore through numerical modeling whether electrical resistivity (ER) geophysical measurements, acquired from the Earth’s surface, may potentially be used to identify and provide information about shallow bedrock fractures. To this end, we conduct a systematic numerical modeling study whereby we evaluate the effect of a single buried fracture on ER-profiling data, examining how the corresponding anomaly changes as a function of the fracture and domain characteristics. Two standard electrode configurations, the Wenner-Schlumberger (WS) and dipole-dipole (DD) arrays, are considered in our analysis, with three different spacing factors. Depending on the considered electrode array, we find that the fracture dip angle and length will impact the resistivity anomaly curves differently, with the WS array being better adapted for distinguishing between sub-horizontal and sub-vertical fractures, but the DD array leading to larger overall anomaly magnitudes. We also find that, unsurprisingly, the magnitude of the resistivity anomaly, and thus fracture detectability, is strongly affected by the depth of overburden and its electrical resistivity, as well as the fracture aperture and contrast between the fracture and bedrock resistivities. Further research into the electrical properties of fractures, both above and below the water table, is deemed necessary.
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15
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Nooraiepour M, Fazeli H, Miri R, Hellevang H. Effect of CO 2 Phase States and Flow Rate on Salt Precipitation in Shale Caprocks-A Microfluidic Study. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:6050-6060. [PMID: 29683654 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b00251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Fracture networks inside the caprock for CO2 storage reservoirs may serve as leakage pathways. Fluid flow through fractured caprocks and bypass conduits, however, can be restrained or diminished by mineral precipitations. This study investigates precipitation of salt crystals in an artificial fracture network as a function of pressure-temperature conditions and CO2 phase states. The impact of CO2 flow rate on salt precipitation was also studied. The primary research objective was to examine whether salt precipitation can block potential CO2 leakage pathways. In this study, we developed a novel microfluidic high-pressure high-temperature vessel to house geomaterial micromodels. A fracture network was laser-scribed on the organic-rich shales of the Draupne Formation, the primary caprock for the Smeaheia CO2 storage in Norway. Experimental observations demonstrated that CO2 phase states influence the magnitude, distribution, and precipitation patterns of salt accumulations. The CO2 phase states also affect the relationship between injection rate and extent of precipitated salts due to differences in solubility of water in CO2 and density of different CO2 phases. Injection of gaseous CO2 resulted in higher salt precipitation compared to liquid and supercritical CO2. It is shown that micrometer-sized halite crystals have the potential to partially or entirely clog fracture apertures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Nooraiepour
- Department of Geosciences , University of Oslo (UiO) , P.O. Box 1047 Blindern , 0316 Oslo , Norway
| | - Hossein Fazeli
- Department of Geosciences , University of Oslo (UiO) , P.O. Box 1047 Blindern , 0316 Oslo , Norway
| | - Rohaldin Miri
- Department of Geosciences , University of Oslo (UiO) , P.O. Box 1047 Blindern , 0316 Oslo , Norway
| | - Helge Hellevang
- Department of Geosciences , University of Oslo (UiO) , P.O. Box 1047 Blindern , 0316 Oslo , Norway
- The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) , P.O. Box 156 , 9171 Longyearbyen , Norway
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16
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Lawter AR, Qafoku NP, Asmussen RM, Kukkadapu RK, Qafoku O, Bacon DH, Brown CF. Element mobilization and immobilization from carbonate rocks between CO 2 storage reservoirs and the overlying aquifers during a potential CO 2 leakage. CHEMOSPHERE 2018; 197:399-410. [PMID: 29360595 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.12.199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Revised: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 12/31/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite the numerous studies on changes within the reservoir following CO2 injection and the effects of CO2 release into overlying aquifers, little or no literature is available on the effect of CO2 release on rock between the storage reservoirs and subsurface. This is important, because the interactions that occur in this zone between the CO2 storage reservoir and the subsurface may have a significant impact on risk analysis for CO2 storage projects. To address this knowledge gap, relevant rock materials, temperatures and pressures were used to study mineralogical and elemental changes in this intermediate zone. After rocks reacted with CO2-acidified 0.01 M NaCl, liquid analysis showed an increase of major elements (e.g., Ca and Mg) and variable concentrations of potential contaminants (e.g., Sr and Ba); lower aqueous concentrations of these elements were observed in N2 control experiments, likely due to differences in pH between the CO2 and N2 experiments. In experiments with As/Cd and/or organic spikes, representing potential contaminants in the CO2 plume originating in the storage reservoir, most or all of these contaminants were removed from the aqueous phase. SEM and Mössbauer spectroscopy results showed the formation of new minerals and Fe oxides in some CO2-reacted samples, indicating potential for contaminant removal through mineral incorporation or adsorption onto Fe oxides. These experiments show the interactions between the CO2-laden plume and the rock between storage reservoirs and overlying aquifers have the potential to affect the level of risk to overlying groundwater, and should be considered during site selection and risk evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda R Lawter
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA 99352, USA.
| | - Nikolla P Qafoku
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA 99352, USA
| | - R Matthew Asmussen
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA 99352, USA
| | - Ravi K Kukkadapu
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA 99352, USA
| | - Odeta Qafoku
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA 99352, USA
| | - Diana H Bacon
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA 99352, USA
| | - Christopher F Brown
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA 99352, USA
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17
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Ham B, Choi BY, Chae GT, Kirk MF, Kwon MJ. Geochemical Influence on Microbial Communities at CO 2-Leakage Analog Sites. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:2203. [PMID: 29170659 PMCID: PMC5684959 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms influence the chemical and physical properties of subsurface environments and thus represent an important control on the fate and environmental impact of CO2 that leaks into aquifers from deep storage reservoirs. How leakage will influence microbial populations over long time scales is largely unknown. This study uses natural analog sites to investigate the long-term impact of CO2 leakage from underground storage sites on subsurface biogeochemistry. We considered two sites with elevated CO2 levels (sample groups I and II) and one control site with low CO2 content (group III). Samples from sites with elevated CO2 had pH ranging from 6.2 to 4.5 and samples from the low-CO2 control group had pH ranging from 7.3 to 6.2. Solute concentrations were relatively low for samples from the control group and group I but high for samples from group II, reflecting varying degrees of water-rock interaction. Microbial communities were analyzed through clone library and MiSeq sequencing. Each 16S rRNA analysis identified various bacteria, methane-producing archaea, and ammonia-oxidizing archaea. Both bacterial and archaeal diversities were low in groundwater with high CO2 content and community compositions between the groups were also clearly different. In group II samples, sequences classified in groups capable of methanogenesis, metal reduction, and nitrate reduction had higher relative abundance in samples with relative high methane, iron, and manganese concentrations and low nitrate levels. Sequences close to Comamonadaceae were abundant in group I, while the taxa related to methanogens, Nitrospirae, and Anaerolineaceae were predominant in group II. Our findings provide insight into subsurface biogeochemical reactions that influence the carbon budget of the system including carbon fixation, carbon trapping, and CO2 conversion to methane. The results also suggest that monitoring groundwater microbial community can be a potential tool for tracking CO2 leakage from geologic storage sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baknoon Ham
- KU-KIST Green School, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Byoung-Young Choi
- Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Gi-Tak Chae
- Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Matthew F Kirk
- Department of Geology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, United States
| | - Man Jae Kwon
- KU-KIST Green School, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
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18
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Menefee AH, Li P, Giammar DE, Ellis BR. Roles of Transport Limitations and Mineral Heterogeneity in Carbonation of Fractured Basalts. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:9352-9362. [PMID: 28700215 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b00326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Basalt formations could enable secure long-term carbon storage by trapping injected CO2 as stable carbonates. Here, a predictive modeling framework was designed to evaluate the roles of transport limitations and mineral spatial distributions on mineral dissolution and carbonation reactions in fractured basalts exposed to CO2-acidified fluids. Reactive transport models were developed in CrunchTope based on data from high-temperature, high-pressure flow-through experiments. Models isolating the effect of transport compared nine flow conditions under the same mineralogy. Heterogeneities were incorporated by segmenting an actual reacted basalt sample, and these results were compared to equivalent flow conditions through randomly generated mineral distributions with the same bulk composition. While pure advective flow with shorter retention times promotes rapid initial carbonation, pure diffusion sustains mineral reactions for longer time frames and generates greater net carbonate volumes. For the same transport conditions and bulk composition, exact mineral spatial distributions do not impact the amount of carbonation but could determine the location by controlling local solution saturation with respect to secondary carbonates. In combination, the results indicate that bulk mineralogy will be more significant than small-scale heterogeneities in controlling the rate and extent of CO2 mineralization, which will likely occur in diffusive zones adjacent to flow paths or in dead-end fractures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne H Menefee
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Peiyuan Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Daniel E Giammar
- Department of Energy, Environmental, and Chemical Engineering, Washington University , St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Brian R Ellis
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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19
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Zhao X, Deng H, Wang W, Han F, Li C, Zhang H, Dai Z. Impact of naturally leaking carbon dioxide on soil properties and ecosystems in the Qinghai-Tibet plateau. Sci Rep 2017; 7:3001. [PMID: 28592834 PMCID: PMC5462800 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-02500-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the major concerns for CO2 capture and storage (CCS) is the potential risk of CO2 leakage from storage reservoirs on the shallow soil property and vegetation. This study utilizes a naturally occurring CO2 leaking site in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to analog a "leaking CCS site". Our observations from this site indicates that long-term CO2 invasion in the vadose zone results in variations of soil properties, such as pH fluctuation, slight drop of total organic carbon, reduction of nitrogen and phosphorus, and concentration changes of soluble ions. Simultaneously, XRD patterns of the soil suggest that crystallization of soil is enhanced and mineral contents of calcite and anorthite in soil are increased substantially. Parts of the whole ecosystem such as natural wild plants, soil dwelling animals and microorganisms in shallow soil are affected as well. Under a moderate CO2 concentration (less than 110000 ppm), wild plant growth and development are improved, while an intensive CO2 flux over 112000 ppm causes adverse effects on the plant growth, physiological and biochemical system of plants, and crop quality of wheat. Results of this study provide valuable insight for understanding the possible environmental impacts associated with potential CO2 leakage into shallow sediments at carbon sequestration sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohong Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecology in Arid Areas, Ministry of Education, Chang'an University, Xi'an, 710054, P. R. China
| | - Hongzhang Deng
- Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecology in Arid Areas, Ministry of Education, Chang'an University, Xi'an, 710054, P. R. China
| | - Wenke Wang
- Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecology in Arid Areas, Ministry of Education, Chang'an University, Xi'an, 710054, P. R. China.
| | - Feng Han
- Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecology in Arid Areas, Ministry of Education, Chang'an University, Xi'an, 710054, P. R. China
| | - Chunrong Li
- Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecology in Arid Areas, Ministry of Education, Chang'an University, Xi'an, 710054, P. R. China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Center for Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology Survey, CGS, Hebei Baoding, 071051, P. R. China
| | - Zhenxue Dai
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, 87544, USA.
- College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, 130026, P. R. China.
- Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, P. R. China.
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20
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Xiao T, Dai Z, Viswanathan H, Hakala A, Cather M, Jia W, Zhang Y, McPherson B. Arsenic mobilization in shallow aquifers due to CO 2 and brine intrusion from storage reservoirs. Sci Rep 2017; 7:2763. [PMID: 28584255 PMCID: PMC5459901 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-02849-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
We developed an integrated framework of combined batch experiments and reactive transport simulations to quantify water-rock-CO2 interactions and arsenic (As) mobilization responses to CO2 and/or saline water leakage into USDWs. Experimental and simulation results suggest that when CO2 is introduced, pH drops immediately that initiates release of As from clay minerals. Calcite dissolution can increase pH slightly and cause As re-adsorption. Thus, the mineralogy of the USDW is ultimately a determining factor of arsenic fate and transport. Salient results suggest that: (1) As desorption/adsorption from/onto clay minerals is the major reaction controlling its mobilization, and clay minerals could mitigate As mobilization with surface complexation reactions; (2) dissolution of available calcite plays a critical role in buffering pH; (3) high salinity in general hinders As release from minerals; and (4) the magnitude and quantitative uncertainty of As mobilization are predicated on the values of reaction rates and surface area of calcite, adsorption surface areas and equilibrium constants of clay minerals, and cation exchange capacity. Results of this study are intended to improve ability to quantify risks associated with potential leakage of reservoir fluids into shallow aquifers, in particular the possible environmental impacts of As mobilization at carbon sequestration sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Xiao
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, 87545, USA.,Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA.,Energy and Geoscience Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA
| | - Zhenxue Dai
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, 87545, USA. .,College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, 130026, China. .,Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China.
| | - Hari Viswanathan
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, 87545, USA
| | - Alexandra Hakala
- U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy and Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA, 10940, USA
| | - Martha Cather
- Petroleum Recovery Research Center, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM, 87801, USA
| | - Wei Jia
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA.,Energy and Geoscience Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA
| | - Yongchao Zhang
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, 87545, USA.,College of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, 102249, China
| | - Brian McPherson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA.,Energy and Geoscience Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA
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21
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Choi H, Piao J, Woo NC, Cho H. Hydrochemical variations in selected geothermal groundwater and carbonated springs in Korea: a baseline study for early detection of CO 2 leakage. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2017; 39:109-123. [PMID: 26972572 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-016-9813-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
A baseline hydrochemistry of the above zone aquifer was examined for the potential of CO2 early detection monitoring. Among the major ionic components and stable isotope ratios of oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon, components with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of <10 % for the seasonal variation were selected as relatively stable. These components were tested for sensitivity to the introduction of 0.1 mol/L CO2 (g) using the PHREEQC simulation results. If the relatively stable components were sensitive to the introduction of CO2, then they could be used as indicators of CO2 leakage into the above zone. As an analog to the zone above CO2 storage formation, we sampled deep groundwater, including geothermal groundwater from well depths of 400-700 m below the ground surface (bgs) and carbonated springs with a high CO2 content in Korea. Under the natural conditions of inland geothermal groundwater, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), bicarbonate (HCO3), δ18O, δ2H, and δ13C were relatively stable as well as sensitive to the introduction of CO2 (g), thus showing good potential as monitoring parameters for early detection of CO2 leakage. In carbonated springs, the parameters identified were pH, δ18O, and δ2H. Baseline hydrochemistry monitoring could provide information on parameters useful for detecting anomalies caused by CO2 leakage as measures for early warning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Choi
- Department of Earth System Sciences, Yonsei University, Seoul, 120-749, Republic of Korea
| | - Jize Piao
- Department of Earth System Sciences, Yonsei University, Seoul, 120-749, Republic of Korea
| | - Nam C Woo
- Department of Earth System Sciences, Yonsei University, Seoul, 120-749, Republic of Korea.
| | - Heuynam Cho
- G&G Technology Co., Ltd, 30, Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, Republic of Korea
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22
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Jin Q, Kirk MF. Thermodynamic and Kinetic Response of Microbial Reactions to High CO 2. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1696. [PMID: 27909425 PMCID: PMC5112241 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2016] [Accepted: 10/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Geological carbon sequestration captures CO2 from industrial sources and stores the CO2 in subsurface reservoirs, a viable strategy for mitigating global climate change. In assessing the environmental impact of the strategy, a key question is how microbial reactions respond to the elevated CO2 concentration. This study uses biogeochemical modeling to explore the influence of CO2 on the thermodynamics and kinetics of common microbial reactions in subsurface environments, including syntrophic oxidation, iron reduction, sulfate reduction, and methanogenesis. The results show that increasing CO2 levels decreases groundwater pH and modulates chemical speciation of weak acids in groundwater, which in turn affect microbial reactions in different ways and to different extents. Specifically, a thermodynamic analysis shows that increasing CO2 partial pressure lowers the energy available from syntrophic oxidation and acetoclastic methanogenesis, but raises the available energy of microbial iron reduction, hydrogenotrophic sulfate reduction and methanogenesis. Kinetic modeling suggests that high CO2 has the potential of inhibiting microbial sulfate reduction while promoting iron reduction. These results are consistent with the observations of previous laboratory and field studies, and highlight the complexity in microbiological responses to elevated CO2 abundance, and the potential power of biogeochemical modeling in evaluating and quantifying these responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qusheng Jin
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oregon Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Matthew F Kirk
- Department of Geology, Kansas State University Manhattan, KS, USA
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23
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Menció A, Guasch H, Soler D, Canelles A, Zamorano M, Brusi D. Influence of regional hydrogeological systems at a local scale: Analyzing the coupled effects of hydrochemistry and biological activity in a Fe and CO2 rich spring. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 569-570:700-715. [PMID: 27380394 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.06.185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2016] [Revised: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- A Menció
- Grup de Geologia Aplicada i Ambiental (GAiA), Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Girona, Faculty of Sciences, Campus de Montilivi, 17071 Girona, Spain.
| | - H Guasch
- Grup de Recerca en Ecosistemes Continentals (GRECO), Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Girona, Faculty of Sciences, Campus de Montilivi, 17071 Girona, Spain.
| | - D Soler
- Grup de Geologia Aplicada i Ambiental (GAiA), Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Girona, Faculty of Sciences, Campus de Montilivi, 17071 Girona, Spain
| | - A Canelles
- Grup de Geologia Aplicada i Ambiental (GAiA), Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Girona, Faculty of Sciences, Campus de Montilivi, 17071 Girona, Spain
| | - M Zamorano
- Grup de Geologia Aplicada i Ambiental (GAiA), Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Girona, Faculty of Sciences, Campus de Montilivi, 17071 Girona, Spain
| | - D Brusi
- Grup de Geologia Aplicada i Ambiental (GAiA), Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Girona, Faculty of Sciences, Campus de Montilivi, 17071 Girona, Spain
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24
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Gwosdz S, West JM, Jones D, Rakoczy J, Green K, Barlow T, Blöthe M, Smith K, Steven M, Krüger M. Long-term CO2injection and its impact on near-surface soil microbiology. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2016; 92:fiw193. [DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiw193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/29/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
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25
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Lyu Q, Ranjith PG, Long X, Ji B. Experimental Investigation of Mechanical Properties of Black Shales after CO₂-Water-Rock Interaction. MATERIALS 2016; 9:ma9080663. [PMID: 28773784 PMCID: PMC5509274 DOI: 10.3390/ma9080663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2016] [Revised: 08/02/2016] [Accepted: 08/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The effects of CO₂-water-rock interactions on the mechanical properties of shale are essential for estimating the possibility of sequestrating CO₂ in shale reservoirs. In this study, uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) tests together with an acoustic emission (AE) system and SEM and EDS analysis were performed to investigate the mechanical properties and microstructural changes of black shales with different saturation times (10 days, 20 days and 30 days) in water dissoluted with gaseous/super-critical CO₂. According to the experimental results, the values of UCS, Young's modulus and brittleness index decrease gradually with increasing saturation time in water with gaseous/super-critical CO₂. Compared to samples without saturation, 30-day saturation causes reductions of 56.43% in UCS and 54.21% in Young's modulus for gaseous saturated samples, and 66.05% in UCS and 56.32% in Young's modulus for super-critical saturated samples, respectively. The brittleness index also decreases drastically from 84.3% for samples without saturation to 50.9% for samples saturated in water with gaseous CO₂, to 47.9% for samples saturated in water with super-critical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂). SC-CO₂ causes a greater reduction of shale's mechanical properties. The crack propagation results obtained from the AE system show that longer saturation time produces higher peak cumulative AE energy. SEM images show that many pores occur when shale samples are saturated in water with gaseous/super-critical CO₂. The EDS results show that CO₂-water-rock interactions increase the percentages of C and Fe and decrease the percentages of Al and K on the surface of saturated samples when compared to samples without saturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiao Lyu
- Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
- Key Laboratory of Hubei Province for Water Jet Theory & New Technology, Wuhan 430072, China.
- Deep Earth Energy Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia.
| | - Pathegama Gamage Ranjith
- Deep Earth Energy Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia.
| | - Xinping Long
- Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
- Key Laboratory of Hubei Province for Water Jet Theory & New Technology, Wuhan 430072, China.
| | - Bin Ji
- Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
- Key Laboratory of Hubei Province for Water Jet Theory & New Technology, Wuhan 430072, China.
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26
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Yang Y, Liu Y, Yu B, Ding T. Analytical solutions to dissolved contaminant plume evolution with source depletion during carbon dioxide storage. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2016; 189:1-11. [PMID: 27045163 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2016.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2015] [Revised: 03/12/2016] [Accepted: 03/14/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Volatile contaminants may migrate with carbon dioxide (CO2) injection or leakage in subsurface formations, which leads to the risk of the CO2 storage and the ecological environment. This study aims to develop an analytical model that could predict the contaminant migration process induced by CO2 storage. The analytical model with two moving boundaries is obtained through the simplification of the fully coupled model for the CO2-aqueous phase -stagnant phase displacement system. The analytical solutions are confirmed and assessed through the comparison with the numerical simulations of the fully coupled model. Then, some key variables in the analytical solutions, including the critical time, the locations of the dual moving boundaries and the advance velocity, are discussed to present the characteristics of contaminant migration in the multi-phase displacement system. The results show that these key variables are determined by four dimensionless numbers, Pe, RD, Sh and RF, which represent the effects of the convection, the dispersion, the interphase mass transfer and the retention factor of contaminant, respectively. The proposed analytical solutions could be used for tracking the migration of the injected CO2 and the contaminants in subsurface formations, and also provide an analytical tool for other solute transport in multi-phase displacement system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Yang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710049, PR China
| | - Yongzhong Liu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710049, PR China; Key Laboratory of Thermo-Fluid Science and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710049, PR China.
| | - Bo Yu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710049, PR China
| | - Tian Ding
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710049, PR China
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27
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Kirk MF, Jin Q, Haller BR. Broad-Scale Evidence That pH Influences the Balance Between Microbial Iron and Sulfate Reduction. GROUND WATER 2016; 54:406-413. [PMID: 26284699 DOI: 10.1111/gwat.12364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2015] [Accepted: 07/10/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Understanding basic controls on aquifer microbiology is essential to managing water resources and predicting impacts of future environmental change. Previous theoretical and laboratory studies indicate that pH can influence interactions between microorganisms that reduce ferric iron and sulfate. In this study, we test the environmental relevance of this relationship by examining broad-scale geochemical data from anoxic zones of aquifers. We isolated data from the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System for 19 principal aquifer systems. We then removed samples with chemical compositions inconsistent with iron- and sulfate-reducing environments and evaluated the relationships between pH and other geochemical parameters using Spearman's rho rank correlation tests. Overall, iron concentration and the iron-sulfide concentration ratio of groundwater share a statistically significant negative correlation with pH (P < 0.0001). These relationships indicate that the significance of iron reduction relative to sulfate reduction tends to increase with decreasing pH. Moreover, thermodynamic calculations show that, as the pH of groundwater decreases, iron reduction becomes increasingly favorable relative to sulfate reduction. Hence, the relative significance of each microbial reaction may vary in response to thermodynamic controls on microbial activity. Our findings demonstrate that trends in groundwater geochemistry across different regional aquifer systems are consistent with pH as a control on interactions between microbial iron and sulfate reduction. Environmental changes that perturb groundwater pH can affect water quality by altering the balance between these microbial reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew F Kirk
- Department of Geology, Kansas State University, 108 Thompson Hall, Manhattan, KS, 66506
| | - Qusheng Jin
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403
| | - Ben R Haller
- Department of Geology, Kansas State University, 108 Thompson Hall, Manhattan, KS, 66506
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28
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Basallote MD, Rodríguez-Romero A, De Orte MR, Del Valls TÁ, Riba I. Evaluation of the threat of marine CO2 leakage-associated acidification on the toxicity of sediment metals to juvenile bivalves. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2015; 166:63-71. [PMID: 26240951 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2015.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2014] [Revised: 06/12/2015] [Accepted: 07/08/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The effects of the acidification associated with CO2 leakage from sub-seabed geological storage was studied by the evaluation of the short-term effects of CO2-induced acidification on juveniles of the bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum. Laboratory scale experiments were performed using a CO2-bubbling system designed to conduct ecotoxicological assays. The organisms were exposed for 10 days to elutriates of sediments collected in different littoral areas that were subjected to various pH treatments (pH 7.1, 6.6, 6.1). The acute pH-associated effects on the bivalves were observed, and the dissolved metals in the elutriates were measured. The median toxic effect pH was calculated, which ranged from 6.33 to 6.45. The amount of dissolved Zn in the sediment elutriates increased in parallel with the pH reductions and was correlated with the proton concentrations. The pH, the pCO2 and the dissolved metal concentrations (Zn and Fe) were linked with the mortality of the exposed bivalves.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Dolores Basallote
- Cátedra UNESCO/UNITWIN WiCop, Departamento de Química-Física, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Polígono Río San Pedro s/n, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain.
| | - Araceli Rodríguez-Romero
- Departamento de Ecología y Gestión Costera, Instituto de Ciencias Marinas de Andalucía (CSIC), Campus Río San Pedro, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Manoela R De Orte
- Cátedra UNESCO/UNITWIN WiCop, Departamento de Química-Física, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Polígono Río San Pedro s/n, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain
| | - T Ángel Del Valls
- Cátedra UNESCO/UNITWIN WiCop, Departamento de Química-Física, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Polígono Río San Pedro s/n, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Inmaculada Riba
- Cátedra UNESCO/UNITWIN WiCop, Departamento de Química-Física, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Polígono Río San Pedro s/n, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain
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Yang C, Hovorka SD, Treviño RH, Delgado-Alonso J. Integrated Framework for Assessing Impacts of CO₂ Leakage on Groundwater Quality and Monitoring-Network Efficiency: Case Study at a CO₂ Enhanced Oil Recovery Site. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2015; 49:8887-8898. [PMID: 26052928 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b01574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
This study presents a combined use of site characterization, laboratory experiments, single-well push-pull tests (PPTs), and reactive transport modeling to assess potential impacts of CO2 leakage on groundwater quality and leakage-detection ability of a groundwater monitoring network (GMN) in a potable aquifer at a CO2 enhanced oil recovery (CO2 EOR) site. Site characterization indicates that failures of plugged and abandoned wells are possible CO2 leakage pathways. Groundwater chemistry in the shallow aquifer is dominated mainly by silicate mineral weathering, and no CO2 leakage signals have been detected in the shallow aquifer. Results of the laboratory experiments and the field test show no obvious damage to groundwater chemistry should CO2 leakage occur and further were confirmed with a regional-scale reactive transport model (RSRTM) that was built upon the batch experiments and validated with the single-well PPT. Results of the RSRTM indicate that dissolved CO2 as an indicator for CO2 leakage detection works better than dissolved inorganic carbon, pH, and alkalinity at the CO2 EOR site. The detection ability of a GMN was assessed with monitoring efficiency, depending on various factors, including the natural hydraulic gradient, the leakage rate, the number of monitoring wells, the aquifer heterogeneity, and the time for a CO2 plume traveling to the monitoring well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changbing Yang
- †Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78759, United States
| | - Susan D Hovorka
- †Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78759, United States
| | - Ramón H Treviño
- †Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78759, United States
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Shao H, Qafoku NP, Lawter AR, Bowden ME, Brown CF. Coupled Geochemical Impacts of Leaking CO2 and Contaminants from Subsurface Storage Reservoirs on Groundwater Quality. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2015; 49:8202-8209. [PMID: 26039150 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b01004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The leakage of CO2 and the concomitant brine from deep storage reservoirs to overlying groundwater aquifers is considered one of the major potential risks associated with geologic CO2 sequestration (GCS). In this work both batch and column experiments were conducted to determine the fate of trace metals in groundwater in the scenarios of CO2 and metal-contaminated brine leakage. The sediments for this study were from an unconsolidated sand and gravel aquifer in Kansas, containing 0-4 wt % carbonates. Cd (114 μg/L) and As (40 μg/L) were spiked into the reaction system to represent potential contaminants from the reservoir brine. Through this research we demonstrated that Cd and As were adsorbed on the sediments, in spite of the lowered pH due to CO2 dissolution in the groundwater. Cd concentrations in the effluent were below the Cd MCL, even for sediments without detectable carbonate to buffer the pH. Arsenic concentrations in the effluent were also significantly lower than the influent concentration, suggesting that the sediments tested have the capacity to mitigate the coupled adverse effects of CO2 leakage and brine intrusion. The mitigation capacity of sediment is a function of its geochemical properties (e.g., the presence of carbonate minerals, adsorbed As, and phosphate).
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongbo Shao
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Nikolla P Qafoku
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Amanda R Lawter
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Mark E Bowden
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Christopher F Brown
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
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Mu A, Moreau JW. The geomicrobiology of CO2 geosequestration: a focused review on prokaryotic community responses to field-scale CO2 injection. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:263. [PMID: 25914677 PMCID: PMC4391042 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2014] [Accepted: 03/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Our primary research paper (Mu et al., 2014) demonstrated selective changes to a deep subsurface prokaryotic community as a result of CO2 stress. Analyzing geochemical and microbial 16S rRNA gene profiles, we evaluated how in situ prokaryotic communities responded to increased CO2 and the presence of trace organic compounds, and related temporal shifts in phylogeny to changes in metabolic potential. In this focused review, we extend upon our previous discussion to present analysis of taxonomic unit co-occurrence profiles from the same field experiment, to attempt to describe dynamic community behavior within the deep subsurface. Understanding the physiology of the subsurface microbial biosphere, including how key functional groups integrate into the community, will be critical to determining the fate of injected CO2. For example, community-wide network analyses may provide insights to whether microbes cooperatively produce biofilm biomass, and/or biomineralize the CO2, and hence, induce changes to formation porosity or changes in electron flow. Furthermore, we discuss potential impacts to the feasibility of subsurface CO2 storage of selectively enriching for particular metabolic functions (e.g., methanogenesis) as a result of CO2 injection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre Mu
- Moreau Lab, School of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne Melbourne, VIC, Australia ; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - John W Moreau
- Moreau Lab, School of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Miller QRS, Kaszuba JP, Schaef HT, Bowden ME, McGrail BP. Impacts of organic ligands on forsterite reactivity in supercritical CO2 fluids. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2015; 49:4724-4734. [PMID: 25807011 DOI: 10.1021/es506065d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Subsurface injection of CO2 for enhanced hydrocarbon recovery, hydraulic fracturing of unconventional reservoirs, and geologic carbon sequestration produces a complex geochemical setting in which CO2-dominated fluids containing dissolved water and organic compounds interact with rocks and minerals. The details of these reactions are relatively unknown and benefit from additional experimentally derived data. In this study, we utilized an in situ X-ray diffraction technique to examine the carbonation reactions of forsterite (Mg2SiO4) during exposure to supercritical CO2 (scCO2) that had been equilibrated with aqueous solutions of acetate, oxalate, malonate, or citrate at 50 °C and 90 bar. The organics affected the relative abundances of the crystalline reaction products, nesquehonite (MgCO3 · 3H2O) and magnesite (MgCO3), likely due to enhanced dehydration of the Mg(2+) cations by the organic ligands. These results also indicate that the scCO2 solvated and transported the organic ligands to the forsterite surface. This phenomenon has profound implications for mineral transformations and mass transfer in the upper crust.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quin R S Miller
- †Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wyoming, 1000 East University Avenue, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, United States
| | - John P Kaszuba
- †Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wyoming, 1000 East University Avenue, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, United States
- ‡School of Energy Resources, University of Wyoming, 1000 East University Avenue, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, United States
| | - Herbert T Schaef
- §Fundamental and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, MS K8-98, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Mark E Bowden
- ∥Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, MS K8-98, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Bernard P McGrail
- ⊥Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, MS K8-98, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
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Teasdale CJ, Hall JA, Martin JP, Manning DAC. Ground gas monitoring: implications for hydraulic fracturing and CO2 storage. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2014; 48:13610-13616. [PMID: 25363162 DOI: 10.1021/es502528c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the exchange of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) between the geosphere and atmosphere is essential for the management of anthropogenic emissions. Human activities such as carbon capture and storage and hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") affect the natural system and pose risks to future global warming and to human health and safety if not engineered to a high standard. In this paper an innovative approach of expressing ground gas compositions is presented, using data derived from regulatory monitoring of boreholes in the unsaturated zone at infrequent intervals (typically 3 months) with data from a high frequency monitoring instrument deployed over periods of weeks. Similar highly variable trends are observed for time scales ranging from decades to hourly for boreholes located close to sanitary landfill sites. Additionally, high frequency monitoring data confirm the effect of meteorological controls on ground gas emissions; the maximum observed CH4 and CO2 concentrations in a borehole monitored over two weeks were 40.1% v/v and 8.5% v/v respectively, but for 70% of the monitoring period only air was present. There is a clear weakness in current point monitoring strategies that may miss emission events and this needs to be considered along with obtaining baseline data prior to starting any engineering activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Teasdale
- School of Civil Engineering & Geosciences, Newcastle University , Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K. , NE1 7RU
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Yang C, Hovorka SD, Delgado-Alonso J, Mickler PJ, Treviño RH, Phillips S. Field demonstration of CO2 leakage detection in potable aquifers with a pulselike CO2-release test. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2014; 48:14031-14040. [PMID: 25383791 DOI: 10.1021/es5044003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
This study presents two field pulselike CO2-release tests to demonstrate CO2 leakage detection in a shallow aquifer by monitoring groundwater pH, alkalinity, and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) using the periodic groundwater sampling method and a fiber-optic CO2 sensor for real-time in situ monitoring of dissolved CO2 in groundwater. Measurements of groundwater pH, alkalinity, DIC, and dissolved CO2 clearly deviated from their background values, showing responses to CO2 leakage. Dissolved CO2 observed in the tests was highly sensitive in comparison to groundwater pH, DIC, and alkalinity. Comparison of the pulselike CO2-release tests to other field tests suggests that pulselike CO2-release tests can provide reliable assessment of geochemical parameters indicative of CO2 leakage. Measurements by the fiber-optic CO2 sensor, showing obvious leakage signals, demonstrated the potential of real-time in situ monitoring of dissolved CO2 for leakage detection at a geologic carbon sequestration (GCS) site. Results of a two-dimensional reactive transport model reproduced the geochemical measurements and confirmed that the decrease in groundwater pH and the increases in DIC and dissolved CO2 observed in the pulselike CO2-release tests were caused by dissolution of CO2 whereas alkalinity was likely affected by carbonate dissolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changbing Yang
- Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin , Austin, Texas 78759, United States
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35
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Wilkins MJ, Hoyt DW, Marshall MJ, Alderson PA, Plymale AE, Markillie LM, Tucker AE, Walter ED, Linggi BE, Dohnalkova AC, Taylor RC. CO2 exposure at pressure impacts metabolism and stress responses in the model sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio vulgaris strain Hildenborough. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:507. [PMID: 25309528 PMCID: PMC4174866 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2014] [Accepted: 09/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Geologic carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration drives physical and geochemical changes in deep subsurface environments that impact indigenous microbial activities. The combined effects of pressurized CO2 on a model sulfate-reducing microorganism, Desulfovibrio vulgaris, have been assessed using a suite of genomic and kinetic measurements. Novel high-pressure NMR time-series measurements using 13C-lactate were used to track D. vulgaris metabolism. We identified cessation of respiration at CO2 pressures of 10 bar, 25 bar, 50 bar, and 80 bar. Concurrent experiments using N2 as the pressurizing phase had no negative effect on microbial respiration, as inferred from reduction of sulfate to sulfide. Complementary pressurized batch incubations and fluorescence microscopy measurements supported NMR observations, and indicated that non-respiring cells were mostly viable at 50 bar CO2 for at least 4 h, and at 80 bar CO2 for 2 h. The fraction of dead cells increased rapidly after 4 h at 80 bar CO2. Transcriptomic (RNA-Seq) measurements on mRNA transcripts from CO2-incubated biomass indicated that cells up-regulated the production of certain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine) following CO2 exposure at elevated pressures, likely as part of a general stress response. Evidence for other poorly understood stress responses were also identified within RNA-Seq data, suggesting that while pressurized CO2 severely limits the growth and respiration of D. vulgaris cells, biomass retains intact cell membranes at pressures up to 80 bar CO2. Together, these data show that geologic sequestration of CO2 may have significant impacts on rates of sulfate reduction in many deep subsurface environments where this metabolism is a key respiratory process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Wilkins
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Biological Sciences Division Richland, WA, USA ; Department of Microbiology, School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University Columbus, OH, USA
| | - David W Hoyt
- Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland, WA, USA
| | - Matthew J Marshall
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Biological Sciences Division Richland, WA, USA
| | - Paul A Alderson
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Biological Sciences Division Richland, WA, USA
| | - Andrew E Plymale
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Biological Sciences Division Richland, WA, USA
| | - L Meng Markillie
- Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland, WA, USA
| | - Abby E Tucker
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Biological Sciences Division Richland, WA, USA
| | - Eric D Walter
- Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland, WA, USA
| | - Bryan E Linggi
- Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland, WA, USA
| | - Alice C Dohnalkova
- Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland, WA, USA
| | - Ron C Taylor
- Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland, WA, USA
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Zhao J, Lu W, Zhang F, Lu C, Du J, Zhu R, Sun L. Evaluation of CO₂ solubility-trapping and mineral-trapping in microbial-mediated CO₂-brine-sandstone interaction. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2014; 85:78-85. [PMID: 25015018 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2014] [Revised: 05/25/2014] [Accepted: 06/15/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Evaluation of CO₂ solubility-trapping and mineral-trapping by microbial-mediated process was investigated by lab experiments in this study. The results verified that microbes could adapt and keep relatively high activity under extreme subsurface environment (pH<5, temperature>50 °C, salinity>1.0 mol/L). When microbes mediated in the CO₂-brine-sandstone interaction, the CO₂ solubility-trapping was enhanced. The more biomass of microbe added, the more amount of CO₂ dissolved and trapped into the water. Consequently, the corrosion of feldspars and clay minerals such as chlorite was improved in relative short-term CO₂-brine-sandstone interaction, providing a favorable condition for CO₂ mineral-trapping. Through SEM images and EDS analyses, secondary minerals such as transition-state calcite and crystal siderite were observed, further indicating that the microbes played a positive role in CO₂ mineral trapping. As such, bioaugmentation of indigenous microbes would be a promising technology to enhance the CO₂ capture and storage in such deep saline aquifer like Erdos, China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Wei Lu
- Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Fengjun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Cong Lu
- Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China.
| | - Juanjuan Du
- Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Rongyue Zhu
- College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Lei Sun
- Liaoning Institute of Mineral Exploration, Shenyang 110032, China
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Terzi K, Aggelopoulos CA, Bountas I, Tsakiroglou CD. Effects of carbon dioxide on the mobilization of metals from aquifers. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2014; 48:4386-4394. [PMID: 24628506 DOI: 10.1021/es405032d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Potential leakages of CO2 from storage sites to shallow aquifers could have adverse impacts on the quality of potable groundwater. The mineralogy of well-sorted silica sand is modified by the pH-controlled precipitation of eight metals (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd). Continuous flow tests are performed in two fixed-bed columns packed with the modified sand by coinjecting gas CO2/distilled water (2-phase column) and distilled water (1-phase column/control test) at constant influx rates for a period of two months. The concentration of dissolved metals is measured in the effluents of columns with atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Mineralogical analysis of the surface of sand grains is done before and after the flow tests with scanning electron microscopy-X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), whereas the precise quantitative measurement of the metal content in the sand is done with AAS. A dynamic numerical model that couples the flow and mass-transfer processes in porous media with the equilibrium and kinetically driven metal desorption processes is developed. Inverse modeling of the continuous flow test enables us to quantify and rank the selectivity of metal mobility in terms of equilibrium and kinetic desorption parameters. The continuous CO2 dissolution and water acidification causes significant mobilization and dissolution of several metals (Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Co), moderate mobilization of Cr, acceleration of Cd dissolution, whereas Fe remains strongly bonded on the sand grains as goethite. The parameters estimated from lab-scale column tests might be helpful for interpreting field-scale CO2 leakage scenarios and installing relevant early warning monitoring systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Terzi
- Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences , Stadiou street, Platani, 26504 Patras, Greece
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38
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Dai Z, Keating E, Bacon D, Viswanathan H, Stauffer P, Jordan A, Pawar R. Probabilistic evaluation of shallow groundwater resources at a hypothetical carbon sequestration site. Sci Rep 2014; 4:4006. [PMID: 24844225 PMCID: PMC4027856 DOI: 10.1038/srep04006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2013] [Accepted: 01/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Carbon sequestration in geologic reservoirs is an important approach for mitigating greenhouse gases emissions to the atmosphere. This study first develops an integrated Monte Carlo method for simulating CO2 and brine leakage from carbon sequestration and subsequent geochemical interactions in shallow aquifers. Then, we estimate probability distributions of five risk proxies related to the likelihood and volume of changes in pH, total dissolved solids, and trace concentrations of lead, arsenic, and cadmium for two possible consequence thresholds. The results indicate that shallow groundwater resources may degrade locally around leakage points by reduced pH and increased total dissolved solids (TDS). The volumes of pH and TDS plumes are most sensitive to aquifer porosity, permeability, and CO2 and brine leakage rates. The estimated plume size of pH change is the largest, while that of cadmium is the smallest among the risk proxies. Plume volume distributions of arsenic and lead are similar to those of TDS. The scientific results from this study provide substantial insight for understanding risks of deep fluids leaking into shallow aquifers, determining the area of review, and designing monitoring networks at carbon sequestration sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenxue Dai
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545
| | | | - Diana Bacon
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352
| | | | | | - Amy Jordan
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545
| | - Rajesh Pawar
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545
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Evaluating Impacts of CO2 Gas Intrusion Into a Confined Sandstone aquifer: Experimental Results. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.egypro.2014.11.355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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40
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Miller QR, Kaszuba JP, Schaef HT, Thompson CJ, Qiu L, Bowden ME, Glezakou VA, McGrail BP. Experimental Study of Organic Ligand Transport in Supercritical CO2 Fluids and Impacts to Silicate Reactivity. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.egypro.2014.11.349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Atchley AL, Maxwell RM, Navarre-Sitchler AK. Human health risk assessment of CO2 leakage into overlying aquifers using a stochastic, geochemical reactive transport approach. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2013; 47:5954-5962. [PMID: 23618095 DOI: 10.1021/es400316c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Increased human health risk associated with groundwater contamination from potential carbon dioxide (CO2) leakage into a potable aquifer is predicted by conducting a joint uncertainty and variability (JUV) risk assessment. The approach presented here explicitly incorporates heterogeneous flow and geochemical reactive transport in an efficient manner and is used to evaluate how differences in representation of subsurface physical heterogeneity and geochemical reactions change the calculated risk for the same hypothetical aquifer scenario where a CO2 leak induces increased lead (Pb(2+)) concentrations through dissolution of galena (PbS). A nested Monte Carlo approach was used to take Pb(2+) concentrations at a well from an ensemble of numerical reactive transport simulations (uncertainty) and sample within a population of potentially exposed individuals (variability) to calculate risk as a function of both uncertainty and variability. Pb(2+) concentrations at the well were determined with numerical reactive transport simulation ensembles using a streamline technique in a heterogeneous 3D aquifer. Three ensembles with variances of log hydraulic conductivity (σ(2)lnK) of 1, 3.61, and 16 were simulated. Under the conditions simulated, calculated risk is shown to be a function of the strength of subsurface heterogeneity, σ(2)lnK and the choice between calculating Pb(2+) concentrations in groundwater using equilibrium with galena and kinetic mineral reaction rates. Calculated risk increased with an increase in σ(2)lnK of 1 to 3.61, but decreased when σ(2)lnK was increased from 3.61 to 16 for all but the highest percentiles of uncertainty. Using a Pb(2+) concentration in equilibrium with galena under CO2 leakage conditions (PCO2 = 30 bar) resulted in lower estimated risk than the simulations where Pb(2+) concentrations were calculated using kinetic mass transfer reaction rates for galena dissolution and precipitation. This study highlights the importance of understanding both hydrologic and geochemical conditions when numerical simulations are used to perform quantitative risk calculations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam L Atchley
- Hydrological Science & Engineering Program, Department of Geology & Geological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, 1500 Illinois St, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
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Wiegers CE, Schäfer D, Dethlefsen F, Dahmke A. Comment on "Geochemical implications of gas leakage associated with geologic CO2 storage--a qualitative review". ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2013; 47:4949-4950. [PMID: 23506678 DOI: 10.1021/es400601t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
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Harvey OR, Qafoku NP, Cantrell KJ, Lee G, Amonette JE, Brown CF. Response to Comment on "Geochemical implications of gas leakage associated with geologic CO2 storage--a qualitative review". ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2013; 47:4951-4952. [PMID: 23506077 DOI: 10.1021/es401090n] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
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