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Holden, Nora; Alaei, Behzad; Skurtveit, Elin & Braathen, Alvar
(2024).
The impact of depth conversion on fault geometry and its influence on fault-risk assessment in the Smeaheia storage site
.
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Griffiths, Luke; Thompson, Nicholas; Smith, Halvard; Grande, Lars & Skurtveit, Elin
(2023).
Rock mechanical testing of core from Eos CCS validation well.
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Choi, Jung Chan; Skurtveit, Elin; Soldal, Magnus & Grande, Lars
(2023).
Effect of undrained creep on the long-term mechanical stability of North Sea mudstones and shales.
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Skurtveit, Elin; Griffiths, Luke & Thompson, Nicholas
(2023).
Northern Lights core test data to be shared.
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Skurtveit, Elin
(2023).
SHARP Storage - Stress history and reservoir pressure for improved quantification of CO2 storage containment risks.
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Skurtveit, Elin
(2023).
Hvordan lagrer vi CO2 og er det trygt?
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Skurtveit, Elin
(2023).
SHARP Storage - Stress history and reservoir pressure for improved quantification of CO2 storage containment risks.
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Skurtveit, Elin
(2023).
SHARP Storage - Stress history and reservoir pressure for improved quantification of CO2 storage containment risks.
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Grande, Lars; Forsberg, Carl Fredrik; Mondol, Md Nazmul Haque; Skurtveit, Elin; Singh, Rao Martand & Ghoreishian Amiri, Seyed Ali
[Show all 10 contributors for this article]
(2023).
Impact of sediment composition, glacial loading and uplift on ground stresses in the Horda-Platform area.
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Feng, Yu; Grande, Lars; Skurtveit, Elin; Choi, Jung Chan & Thompson, Nicholas
(2023).
Reducing Uncertainty in Site-specific Stress Prediction for CO2 Storage in the North Sea, Norway.
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Roberts, Dan; Phillips, Dan; Grande, Lars; Forsberg, Carl Fredrik; Mondol, Md Nazmul Haque & Choi, Jung Chan
[Show all 8 contributors for this article]
(2023).
Accounting for Stress History and Lithology in Geomechanical Models: Implications for Subsurface CO2 Storage Integrity on the Horda Platform.
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Skurtveit, Elin
(2023).
Supporting industrial needs - Applied research for CO2 storage.
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Bjørnarå, Tore Ingvald; Skurtveit, Elin; Haines, Emma Michie & Smith, Scott Adam
(2023).
Overburden fluid migration along faults using different permeability models – Example from the North Sea (Vette Fault).
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Skurtveit, Elin
(2023).
Fault assessment.
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Skurtveit, Elin
(2023).
The Northern Lights and Longship project – a research perspective.
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Skurtveit, Elin
(2023).
What happens to CO2in faults?
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Skurtveit, Elin
(2023).
Fault analysis in CO2 storage projects.
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Skurtveit, Elin
(2023).
In-situ stress and failure prediction.
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Skurtveit, Elin
(2023).
Improved workflow for fault risk assessment in faulted CO2 storage sites.
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Skurtveit, Elin; Midtkandal, Ivar & Braathen, Alvar
(2023).
A naturally occurring CO2 laboratory in Utah.
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Skurtveit, Elin; Petrie, Elizabeth S.; Smith, Scott Adam; Faleide, Thea Sveva; Sundal, Anja & Choi, Jung Chan
[Show all 10 contributors for this article]
(2023).
Core analysis from Little Grand Wash fault, Utah, and application for fault risk assessment for co2 storage in the Norwegian North Sea.
Show summary
Fault zones contain a mixture of lithologies, various fault structures, and evidence for fluid-rock interaction events, representing a record of multiple deformation events during the faulting history. The resulting complex and highly variable mixture of properties makes faults challenging structures to model, and specifically assessing the fault zone permeability and probability of reactivation is difficult. The ability of fault zones to transport fluids has received renewed attention during the last 10 years of developing subsurface, geological storage reservoirs for CO2. The North Sea sedimentary basin offshore Norway has an enormous potential for storing CO2. However, to qualify fault traps in saline aquifers for storage, improved workflows for fault risk assessment focusing on fault zone flow properties and mechanical stability is needed.
An improved approach for fault modelling is under development: we quantify the uncertainties in fault rock properties to address the probability of failure and subsequent changes in permeability. To support our understanding of subsurface faults in the North Sea, we utilize knowledge from the Little Grand Wash (LGW) fault, located in Emery County, Utah. The LGW fault zone provides a natural laboratory to study fault zone development in geological analogues, failure mechanisms, and fluid migration. As a supplement to already published well data and core descriptions from this area, three new cores were retrieved from the fault in 2019. In total 16.5 meters of core, covering both the hanging wall (Jurassic Brushy Basin Member of the Morrison Formation) and footwall (Jurassic Summerville Formation) damage zone, have been logged and sampled for petrophysical analysis and mechanical testing. The current work presents new data on variation of permeability, porosity, strength, and sonic velocity inside the fault damage zone, including measurements on different lithologies, various types of cementation and selected deformation bands, fractures, and veins. Petrophysical and chemical analysis combined with visual identification of oil stains and bleaching provide the possibility for a holistic understanding of the system and we derive valuable knowledge for improving fault risk workflows applicable for CO2 storage projects in the Norwegian North Sea.
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Goertz-Allmann, Bettina & Skurtveit, Elin
(2023).
Public acceptance and communication of CCS .
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Soldal, Magnus & Skurtveit, Elin
(2023).
Measurements of capillary breakthrough pressures and permeabilities in traditional seals and application for CO2 storage.
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Osmond, J.L.; Holden, Nora; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Skurtveit, Elin; Faleide, Jan Inge & Braathen, Alvar
(2023).
Beyond Aurora and Smeaheia; structural traps and seals for additional CO2 storage within Jurassic Horda Platform aquifers.
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Holden, Nora; Alaei, Behzad; Skurtveit, Elin & Braathen, Alvar
(2023).
Uncertainty in fault-risking.
Influence of depth-conversion on fault-geometry and fault-risk assessment in the Smeaheia CO2 storage site
.
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Holden, Nora; Alaei, Behzad; Skurtveit, Elin & Braathen, Alvar
(2023).
Implications of depth-conversion on fault geometries and fault-risk assessment in the Smeaheia CO2 storage site, northern North Sea.
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Holden, Nora; Alaei, Behzad; Skurtveit, Elin & Braathen, Alvar
(2023).
Uncertainty in fault-risk assessment - implications of depth-conversion on fault-risk assessment in the Smeaheia CO2 storage site, northern North Sea.
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Holden, Nora; Osmond, Johnathon L.; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Skurtveit, Elin; Sundal, Anja & Braathen, Alvar
(2023).
Structural characterization and across-fault seal assessment of the Aurora CO2 storage site.
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William, John; Ringrose, Philip Sefton; Thompson, Nicholas D.; Zarifi, Zoya; Bisdom, Kevin & Kettlety, Tom
[Show all 9 contributors for this article]
(2023).
Comparison of initial stress state and rock-failure risks for five prospective CO2 storage sites.
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Holden, Nora; Osmond, Johnathon; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Skurtveit, Elin; Braathen, Alvar & Sundal, Anja
(2022).
Influence of faults on Co2 migration.
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Osmond, Johnathon; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Holden, Nora; Skurtveit, Elin; Faleide, Jan Inge & Braathen, Alvar
(2022).
Past fluid containment and present applications toward future CO2 storage in the northern Horda Platform, offshore Norway.
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Faleide, Thea Sveva; Smith, Scott Adam; Petrie, E. S.; Halvorsen, Kristine & Skurtveit, Elin
(2022).
Core characterization: CT scans, mini-perm, uniaxial compressional strength (UCS) test, P&S velocity.
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Skurtveit, Elin
(2022).
Fracture flow experiments, Little Grand Wash fault.
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Bohloli, Bahman & Skurtveit, Elin
(2022).
Development of CCS projects in Norway.
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Skurtveit, Elin; Bjørnarå, Tore Ingvald; Haines, Emma Michie; Gasda, Sarah Eileen; Eidsvig, Unni & Braathen, Alvar
(2022).
Updated workflow for fault risk assessment and application to Vette Fault Zone, Horda Platform, offshore Norway.
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Skurtveit, Elin & Bjørnarå, Tore Ingvald
(2022).
FRISK and NCCS innovation sprint.
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Bjørnarå, Tore Ingvald; Skurtveit, Elin; Haines, Emma Michie & Smith, Scott Adam
(2022).
Leakage rate calculations - Smeaheia.
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Skurtveit, Elin; Grande, Lars & Smith, Scott Adam
(2022).
Permeability data & application for faults.
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Bjørnarå, Tore Ingvald; Skurtveit, Elin; Haines, Emma Michie & Smith, Scott Adam
(2022).
Fault modelling approaches.
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Braathen, Alvar; Skurtveit, Elin; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Haines, Emma Michie; Faleide, Thea Sveva & Osmond, Johnathon
[Show all 10 contributors for this article]
(2022).
Understanding faults and their influence on fluid flow.
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Osmond, Johnathon; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Holden, Nora; Skurtveit, Elin; Faleide, Jan Inge & Braathen, Alvar
(2022).
Quaternary stratigraphy and pockmark mapping in the Norwegian Channel, northern North Sea.
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Osmond, Johnathon; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Würtzen, Camilla Louise; De La Cruz, E.; Skurtveit, Elin & Faleide, Jan Inge
[Show all 7 contributors for this article]
(2022).
Upper Jurassic through Lower Cretaceous seal characterization in the northern Horda Platform.
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Osmond, Johnathon; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Holden, Nora; Skurtveit, Elin; Faleide, Jan Inge & Braathen, Alvar
(2022).
Screening traps and seals for CO2 storage expansion in the northern Horda Platform, Norwegian North Sea.
Show summary
Evaluation and development of new and exciting CO2 storage opportunities on the Norwegian Continental Shelf is on the rise. Of note is the Aurora site located in northern Horda Platform of the Norwegian North Sea, where injection is scheduled to commence in 2024 under project Longship. While the planned injection volumes at Aurora are over 1.5 megatonnes per year, many more storage locations are required in order to meet international climate mitigation targets by 2050. Other parts of the northern Horda Platform show CO2 storage potential, but additional subsurface characterization is required. As a contribution towards this effort, I present two possible Jurassic storage complexes (Lower and Upper), where I discuss the presence of available storage aquifers, structural traps, as well as top and fault seals. Overall, our work supports the notion that the northern Horda Platform may be capable of hosting a future CO2 storage hub for northern Europe.
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Osmond, Johnathon; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Holden, Nora; Skurtveit, Elin; Faleide, Jan Inge & Braathen, Alvar
(2022).
Distribution of faulted Mesozoic and Tertiary seals for CO2 storage in the northern Horda Platform, Norwegian North Sea.
Show summary
This lecture summarizes a recent case study involving the derisking of geological seals for a potential offshore CO2 storage site. In the northern Horda Platform of the northern North Sea, the structural and stratigraphic architecture of the producing Troll East hydrocarbon field is directly analogous to the Alpha CO2 storage prospect in the Smeaheia fault block just to the east of the field. Building on this observation, we have mapped the proven regional seal units of Troll East in order to extrapolate and understand their distribution throughout the northern Horda Platform. Here, we utilize our results to compare Alpha with Troll East, and discuss top and fault seal presence in the context of derisking Alpha’s CO2 storage prospectivity.
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Skurtveit, Elin
(2022).
Hvordan sikrer vi trygg fangst og lagring av CO2? : Hvor mye CO2 kan vi lagre på norsk sokkel, og hvordan gjør vi det?
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Skurtveit, Elin & Bjergene, Liv Røhnebæk
(2022).
Hvordan sikrer vi trygg lagring av CO2 under havbunnen?
.
[Internet].
NGI Podkast: Med blikket mot bakken.
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Bjørnarå, Tore Ingvald; Smith, Scott Adam; Michie, Emma & Skurtveit, Elin
(2022).
Fault leakage analysis addressing vertical migration rates along faults.
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Bjørnarå, Tore Ingvald; Skurtveit, Elin; Michie, Emma & Smith, Scott Adam
(2022).
Overburden Fluid Migration along the Vette Fault Zone, North Sea, Using Different Fault Permeability Models.
EarthDoc.
doi:
10.3997/2214-4609.202243033.
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Saqab, Muhammad Mudasar; Riera, Rosine; Paumard, V.; Lane, Andrew & Skurtveit, Elin
(2022).
Neogene Faulting and Evidence of Fluid Flow in the Caswell Sub-Basin (Browse Basin): Implications for CO2 Sequestration.
EarthDoc.
doi:
10.3997/2214-4609.202275009.
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Skurtveit, Elin; Bjørnarå, Tore Ingvald; Michie, Emma; Gasda, Sarah Eileen; Keilegavlen, Eirik & Sandve, Tor Harald
[Show all 10 contributors for this article]
(2022).
Updated workflow for fault risk assessment and application to Vette Fault Zone, Horda Platform, offshore Norway.
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Wu, Long; Skurtveit, Elin; Thompson, Nicholas D.; Michie, Emma; Fossen, Haakon & Braathen, Alvar
[Show all 9 contributors for this article]
(2022).
Containment Risk Assessment and Management of CO2 Storage on the Horda Platform .
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Choi, Jung Chan; Skurtveit, Elin; Soldal, Magnus & Grande, Lars
(2022).
Can the creep stabilize a fault? : Undrained stress path of the shale creep.
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Petrie, Elizabeth S.; Skurtveit, Elin; Faleide, Thea Sveva & Halvorsen, Kristine
(2022).
Fracture Systems and Development in an Active Fault Zone.
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs.
doi:
10.1130/abs/2022PR-376078.
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Smith, Scott Adam; Faleide, Thea Sveva; Petrie, Elizabeth S. & Skurtveit, Elin
(2022).
Velocity variations due to lithology and fractures in a fault zone with CO2 seepage, Utah, USA.
EarthDoc.
doi:
10.3997/2214-4609.202243030.
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Holden, Nora; Osmond, Johnathon L.; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Skurtveit, Elin; Braathen, Alvar & Sundal, Anja
(2022).
Structural characterization and across-fault seal assessment of the Aurora CO2 storage site, northern North Sea
.
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Holden, Nora; Osmond, Johnathon L.; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Skurtveit, Elin; Braathen, Alvar & Sundal, Anja
(2022).
Structural characterization and across-fault seal assessment of the Aurora CO2 storage site, northern North Sea.
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Osmond, Johnathon L.; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Holden, Nora; Skurtveit, Elin; Faleide, Jan Inge & Braathen, Alvar
(2022).
Structural traps and seals for expanding CO2 storage in the northern Horda Platform, North Sea.
Show summary
Full-scale CO2 storage within the Norwegian Continental Shelf is scheduled to commence in 2024 at the Aurora site under project Longship and the Northern Lights JV. While tens of megatons of injected CO2 are anticipated over the coming years, many more storage locations are required in order to meet international climate mitigation targets by 2050. In the event of success at Aurora, the northern Horda Platform region could be further developed into a North Sea CO2 storage hub, but more subsurface evaluation is needed to identify prospective sites. Here, I present two possible Jurassic storage complexes (Lower and Upper), and discuss the presence of available storage aquifers, structural traps, as well as top and fault seals based on the latest 3D seismic and wellbore data. Our results indicate that both storage complex aquifers are preserved throughout the study area, and we have identified a total of 95 Lower and 64 Upper Jurassic fault-bound traps. Mapping, modeling, and formation pressure analyses suggest that top seals are sufficiently thick over the majority of identified traps, and provide vertical pressure barriers between storage aquifers. While across-fault juxtaposition seals appear to dominate the Upper Jurassic storage complexes, Lower Jurassic aquifers are often up-thrown against Middle and Upper Jurassic aquifers, posing a potential risk to CO2 containment for many Lower Jurassic footwall traps. However, I go on to show that apparent across fault pressure differentials and shale gouge ratio values >0.15 correlate at such juxtapositions, suggesting fault rock membrane seal presence. Moreover, I illustrate that aquifer self-juxtapositions are likely zones of poor fault seal within the study area. Overall, our work provides added support that the northern Horda Platform represents a promising location for CO2 storage expansion, carrying the potential to become a future storage hub for northern Europe.
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Osmond, Johnathon L.; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Holden, Nora; Leon, Elias H.; de La Cruz, Erika H. & Würtzen, Camilla Louise
[Show all 9 contributors for this article]
(2022).
Containment derisking of a potential CO2 storage hub in the Horda Platform, Norwegian North Sea.
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Bohloli, Bahman & Skurtveit, Elin
(2021).
Carbon Capture and Storage in Norway- a geomechanics perspective.
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Osmond, Johnathon L.; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Holden, Nora; Leon, Elias H.; de La Cruz, Erika H. & Würtzen, Camilla Louise
[Show all 9 contributors for this article]
(2021).
Structural traps, seals, and other geologic adventures — entertaining CO2 storage exploitation of the northern Horda Platform, North Sea
.
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Park, Joonsang; Sauvin, Guillaume & Skurtveit, Elin
(2021).
Feasibility study on marine CSEM monitoring of CO2 flow in a regional fault in the North Sea.
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Park, Joonsang; Marin-Moreno, Héctor; Sauvin, Guillaume & Skurtveit, Elin
(2021).
Potentials of marine CSEM for CO2 storage in the North Sea.
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Holden, Nora; Osmond, Johnathon L.; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Skurtveit, Elin; Braathen, Alvar & Sundal, Anja
(2021).
Structural characterization and across-fault seal assessment of the Aurora CO2 storage site.
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Holden, Nora; Osmond, Johnathon L.; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Skurtveit, Elin; Braathen, Alvar & Sundal, Anja
(2021).
Across-fault seal assessment of the Aurora CO2 storage site, northern North Sea.
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Holden, Nora; Osmond, Johnathon L.; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Skurtveit, Elin; Braathen, Alvar & Sundal, Anja
(2021).
Structural characterization and across-fault seal assessment of the Aurora CO2 storage site, northern North Sea.
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Silva, Diana Carolina Alves da; Skurtveit, Elin; Soldal, Magnus & Suzuki, Yusuke
(2021).
Mechanical parameters of synthetic Draupne gouge using Direct Shear Testing.
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Soldal, Magnus; Skurtveit, Elin & Bohloli, Bahman
(2021).
The potential for seismicity during slip of fractured Draupne shale .
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Skurtveit, Elin; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Silva, Diana Carolina Alves da; Choi, Jung Chan; Bjørnarå, Tore Ingvald & Braathen, Alvar
(2021).
Seal integrity assessment for CO2 injection in saline aquifers.
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Skurtveit, Elin
(2021).
Fault and caprock integrity during CO2 injection.
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Skurtveit, Elin
(2021).
Fault and caprock integrity during CO2 injection.
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Osmond, Johnathon L.; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Holden, Nora; Skurtveit, Elin; Faleide, Jan Inge & Braathen, Alvar
(2021).
Structural derisking for CO2 storage in the northern Horda Platform, Norwegian North Sea.
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Osmond, Johnathon L.; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Holden, Nora; Leon, Elias H.; de La Cruz, Erika H. & Würtzen, Camilla Louise
[Show all 9 contributors for this article]
(2021).
Containment derisking of a potential CO2 storage hub in the Horda Platform, Norwegian North Sea
.
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Osmond, Johnathon L.; Holden, Nora; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Skurtveit, Elin; Faleide, Jan Inge & Braathen, Alvar
(2021).
Regional containment derisking for future CO2 storage in the Horda Platform, Norwegian North Sea.
Show summary
Full-scale CO2 storage within the Norwegian Continental Shelf is scheduled to commence in 2024 at the Aurora site under project Longship and the Northern Lights JV. While tens of megatons of injected CO2 are anticipated over the coming years, many more storage locations are required in order to meet international climate mitigation targets. In the event of success at Aurora, the remaining Horda Platform region could be further developed into a larger North Sea CO2 storage hub, but more subsurface evaluation is needed to identify prospective sites. Here, I present two possible Jurassic storage complexes (reservoirs and seals) and discuss some of my ongoing PhD work related to derisking traps, seals, and overburden geology in the region. It is hoped that these results can later be leveraged for more site-specific analyses so that new prospects can be matured to help supplement the storage volumes at Aurora site and to further develop CCS operations in the North Sea.
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Osmond, Johnathon L.; Leon, Elias H.; Holden, Nora; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Skurtveit, Elin & Faleide, Jan Inge
[Show all 7 contributors for this article]
(2021).
Geological derisking of a potential CO2 storage hub for Europe in offshore Norway
.
Show summary
A Norwegian demonstration of the full-scale CCS value-chain is scheduled to commence in 2024. Carbon-dioxide captured from industrial sites in eastern Norway will be transported west, processed, and injected into the subsurface at the Aurora site in the northern North Sea. While Aurora represents a sizeable CO2 storage location, many more are needed in order to significantly reduce global emissions and meet climate mitigation goals. Ideally, developing additional storage sites within the vicinity of Aurora would expand on its soon-existing infrastructure, and create a potential CO2 storage hub for Norway and northern Europe. However, geological risks to CO2 containment must be identified and assessed before such a development could take place. Here, a summary of ongoing subsurface characterization work is presented in support of the storage hub concept in this region.
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Osmond, Johnathon L.; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Holden, Nora; Skurtveit, Elin & Braathen, Alvar
(2021).
Top and lateral seals for CO2 storage in Jurassic saline aquifers of the Horda Platform.
Show summary
Full-scale CO2 storage within the Norwegian Continental Shelf is scheduled to commence in 2024 at the Aurora site under project Longship and the Northern Lights consortium. While tens of megatonnes of injected CO2 are anticipated over the project lifespan, many more storage locations are required in order to meet international climate mitigation targets. In the event of success at Aurora, the Horda Platform could be further developed into a larger North Sea CO2 storage hub. Lower and Upper Jurassic sandstone aquifers offer ample pore space for sequestration, and structural mapping within the region reveals a collection of possible storage traps distributed within three large-scale fault blocks. As it is imperative to characterize seals enveloping potential CO2 storage traps, we have undertaken a regional screening of top seal presence and lateral seal types associated with Lower and Upper Jurassic intervals of the Horda Platform. The solitary top seal formation above the Lower Jurassic aquifer thins considerably to the northwest, lowering confidence in seal presence above traps in those parts of the study area. In contrast, a culmination of several top seal formations provide a relatively thick regional seal above the Upper Jurassic aquifer. Fault-bound traps in the study area exhibit two lateral relationship types; 1) fault juxtapositions where the envisaged storage aquifer is in contact with downthrown top seals or 2) juxtapositions where the storage aquifer is in contact with sandstone aquifers above the top seal. Though the first type represents simple juxtaposition seal, the second implies that fault membrane seal is required at sandstone-to-sandstone contacts. Type two relationships are prevalent along Lower Jurassic traps, but SGR analyses and recent aquifer pressure measurements in the region suggest that such faults may enjoy some membrane seal potential. All Upper Jurassic faulted traps express type one relationships, and are perceived to possess lower-risk seals based on analogous relationships observed at nearby hydrocarbon fields (e.g., Troll East). However, fewer Upper Jurassic traps are readily available for CO2 storage due to the risk of up-dip contamination of hydrocarbon accumulations, and are therefore restricted to the eastern-most fault block until the end of production.
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Osmond, Johnathon L.; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Holden, Nora; Skurtveit, Elin; Faleide, Jan Inge & Braathen, Alvar
(2021).
Top and lateral seal characterizations for CCS in Jurassic saline aquifers, Horda Platform, Northern North Sea.
Show summary
Capture of industrially sourced CO₂ and transport to the Aurora subsurface storage site in the northern North Sea are approved to commence in 2024 under the direction of the Longship and Northern Lights projects. Results from well 31/5-7 drilled in early 2020 within exploitation license EL001 confirmed suitable parameters at Aurora (e.g., porosity, injectivity, etc.). While the geology of the site proves promising for CCS, it remains imperative to mature additional locations in order to meet current climate mitigation targets and establish the Horda Platform as a European storage hub.
Planned injection and containment at Aurora will be hosted by the Lower Jurassic Dunlin Gp stratigraphic storage complex (storage aquifer and seals), however, the Upper Jurassic Viking Gp represents an additional storage complex. Moreover, Aurora is located in the western-most of three large, basement-rooted fault blocks, each showing storage potential. Hundreds of thick- and thin-skinned faults create two- and three-way structural traps for both storage complexes in all three fault blocks. Some Viking Gp traps contain hydrocarbons (e.g., Troll field), providing direct analogs, but should be avoided for CO₂ storage until the end of their production life around 2050. Nevertheless, the remaining structural traps currently make the most attractive storage prospects, as they can focus injected CO₂ in a predicable fashion, particularly during the early stages of the sequestration process before other trapping mechanisms take over (e.g., residual trapping).
As both top and lateral seals must completely envelop the storage aquifer, understanding the distribution and nature of the seals is critical for predicting subsurface CO₂ containment. In order to provide insight towards additional CCS potential in the Horda Platform, we present a summation of top and lateral seal mapping, modeling, and observations for the Dunlin and Viking Gp storage complexes in the three major fault blocks.
For the Dunlin Gp storage complex, interpretation of its top seal distribution from 3D seismic and wellbore data confirm seal presence in all three fault blocks, including that of the Aurora site. The majority of small thin-skinned faults at the Jurassic stratigraphic level and create aquifer juxtapositions against the top seal, while larger thick-skinned faults must provide membrane seals along the largest closures. In these latter cases, the Dunlin Gp sandstone aquifer is up-thrown and juxtaposed against the overlying Viking Gp sandstone aquifer, but shale gouge ratio analysis and regional aquifer pressures suggest favorable membrane fault seal potential. Top seal formations above the Viking Gp aquifer are determined to be present throughout the Horda Platform, but only the eastern-most fault block is currently prospective for CO₂ storage, given the high risk of contaminating producing fields in adjacent fault blocks. Fault seals in this case appear to be juxtaposition-controlled, even for thick-skinned faults, which are analogous to Troll East. Considering the availability of structural traps for expanding storage activities in the Horda Platform, our work infers that the presence top and lateral seals is probable for both the Dunlin and Viking Gp storage complexes.
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Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Osmond, Johnathon L.; Skurtveit, Elin; Faleide, Jan Inge & Braathen, Alvar
(2021).
Structural analysis of the Smeaheia fault block, a potential CO2 storage site, northern Horda Platform.
Show summary
Smeaheia, a prominent fault block located on the Horda Platform, northern North Sea is identified as a potential subsurface CO2 storage site. We utilise the GN1101 3D and regional 2D seismic surveys to generate a high-resolution subsurface geomodel to inform the structural style and evolution of the fault block, to investigate geological controls on proposed CO2 storage and provide a geometric framework as a basis for future analyses. Two basement-involved (first-order) north-south trending fault systems, the Vette Fault Zone (VFZ) and the Øygarden Fault Complex (ØFC), bound the 15 km-wide fault block. Apart from activity during the Permo-Triassic (Rift Phase 1) and the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous (Rift Phase 2), we present evidence that rifting in this part of the North Sea continued into the Late Cretaceous with minor reactivation in the Palaeocene–Eocene. Two segments of the VFZ interacted and linked at a relay ramp during Rift Phase 2. Second-order (thin-skinned) faults show basement affinity and developed during Rift Phase 2 in two distinct pulses. A population of polygonal faults intersects the overburden and developed during the Eocene to middle Miocene. We have revised the areal extent of two structural closures that define the Smeaheia fault block, Alpha (VFZ footwall) and Beta (ØFC hanging wall) which consist of Upper Jurassic Viking Group target formations. Cross-fault juxtaposition analysis of the VFZ and second-order intra-block faults are presented and inform pressure communication pathways between the Smeaheia and Tusse fault block, as well as reservoir integrity and compartmentalisation. The geomodel further identifies important geological controls on CO2 storage in the fault block including a thinning caprock above the Alpha structure, and identification of hard-linkage between deep tectonic faults and shallow polygonal faults. Fault reactivation analysis was conducted on depth-converted faults to determine the risk of up-fault CO2 migration. Hydrostatic and depleted scenarios were modelled. Faults are modelled as classic cohesionless structures but also utilising parameters (cohesion and friction angle) derived from host rock mechanical analysis.
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Osmond, Johnathon L.; Holden, Nora; Leon, Elias H.; Mulrooney, Mark Joseph; Skurtveit, Elin & Faleide, Jan Inge
[Show all 7 contributors for this article]
(2021).
Top and lateral seal characterizations for CO2 storage in Jurassic saline aquifers of the Horda Platform.
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