Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2005

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Geology and Geography

Committee Chair

Thomas Wilson.

Abstract

In 2001, the Department of Energy National Energy Technology Lab initiated a carbon sequestration pilot study in the West Pearl Queen field, located in Lea County, New Mexico. Two thousand and ninety tons of CO 2 were injected into the Permian Shattuck Sandstone Member of the Queen Formation, approximately 4,500 ft beneath the surface to evaluate the effectiveness of the reservoir for long-term sequestration of CO2 and to evaluate the possibility that CO2 can enhance oil recovery from this depleted reservoir interval.;The main objective of this study was to provide detailed structure maps in the regional study area and to estimate the sequestration potential of the area. The success of carbon dioxide flooding from enhanced oil recovery in the area is discussed in the context of results from the pilot site. The presence of steep gradients in structural relief, areas of syndepositional thickening and thinning might reveal the presence of structures that could facilitate escape of CO2 back into the Earth's atmosphere. The study identified structural traps for sequestration in the region and provides an estimate of the total amount of CO2 that could be sequestered into this reservoir. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).

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