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Sleipner West Carbon Capture Storage 4D seismic monitoring

The objective of this carbon capture storage (CCS) repeat seismic survey is to regularly monitor the distribution ofย Carbon Dioxide (CO2), which had been injected into the 800 - 1100 m deep Utsira Formation sandstone since 1996. Up until now, about 18 million tons of CO2 has been injected into the formation, and through time-lapse seismic studies the migration of the CO2 is being studied.ย 

Project details

Sleipner is the world's first off-shore CCS plant. In operation since 1996, it stores approximately 1 million tonnes of CO2ย per year.

Client
Equinor

Location
Norwegian North Sea, Block 15/9, 160 miles west of Stavanger

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Services delivered

  • Offshore in-field feather predictions
  • Optimise line selection
  • SIMOPS and perform repeatability analysis to determine the quality of the survey

Why monitor Carbon Dioxide levels?

Previous repeat surveys (in total 9 monitor surveys since 1999) showed a large response from the injected CO2. Therefore, it has been possible to map the distribution of undissolved CO2 in detail.

The purpose of the current survey is to monitor the expansion of the plume, and to confirm that the CO2 has stayed within the formation and not penetrated the overburden. ย 

Reliable seismic data acquisition

The RPS solution involves making optimal line planning decisions to ensure that the survey data is acquired efficiently, minimising the number of lines required for completion.

Achieving the 4D repeatability specifications ensures that the data acquired is of sufficient quality to meet the geophysical objectives to image the CO2 plume.

The acquisition of the 2020 Sleipner CO2 4D survey yielded good coverage and repeatability results ensuring the survey met its geophysical objectives. SIMOPS played a part during the survey, which was coordinated and managed by RPS with no lost time or rejected data.

The survey only required 6 of the possible 10 E/W lines and was completed in 5 days, ahead of schedule and under budget.

Map of 2D/4D seismic lines with of positioning repeatability: green is good = low errors

CO2 storage monitoring

Leakage detection and measurement in subsurface volumes from 3D seismic data at Sleipner

Image courtesy of Equinor ASA

CO2 storage monitoring: leakage detection and measurement in subsurface volumes from 3D seismic data at Sleipner

Carbon Capture and Storage Solutions

As on-site storage becomes increasingly incorporated within the design briefs for large scale energy projects, RPS is helping clients to embrace, refine and commercialise CCS technology.

RPS works all around the world delivering specialist services across the CCS asset lifecycle โ€“ from storage through transportation and capture โ€“ solving complex problems that matter.

Carbon Capture and Storage

Contact us for more information

Gavin Pattison, Global Operations MD (Energy)

Gavin Pattison

Global Operations MD (Energy) T: 07920040963 Email
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Edinburgh - Atholl Exchange | UK
Gregor Meikle, Technical Director seismic ooperations, RPS

Gregor Meikle

Technical Director - Seismic survey optimisation and SIMOPS planning T: +44 778 691 3692 Email

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