Diagnostic Seismic Toolbox for the Efficient Control of CO2 Storage (DiSECCS)

Start date: 1 January 2013
End date: 31 December 2016
Funder: EPSRC
External primary investigator:
Dr Andy Chadwick, British Geological Survey
Co-investigators: 00947015
External co-investigators: National Oceanography Center (Angus Best) University of Edinburgh (Mark Chapman) University of Manchester (Sarah Mander)

Seismic responses essentially comprise signal amplitude changes, frequency changes and time‐shifts, arise from a larger number of causative processes. Disentangling these, particularly fluid saturation and pressure effects is notably challenging. Our research plans to improve discrimination between and characterisation of fluid changes, pressure changes and induced geomechanical effects, and rests upon four key hypotheses:

1. Hydro‐mechanical numerical modelling of CO2 injection can be used to predict changes in seismic properties, induced seismicity and ground displacements, and fracture initiation.

2. Statistical analysis of very small seismic time‐shifts can be used to detect and map pressure changes over a range of potential storage reservoir types.

3. Complex seismic attributes can be used to map fracture patterns and fluid saturation changes.

4. The thickness, velocity and saturation properties of thin layers of CO2can be usefully constrained by simultaneous application of different analytical procedures.