Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2013

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Geology and Geography

Committee Chair

Timothy Carr

Committee Co-Chair

Ronald McDowell

Committee Member

Jaime Toro.

Abstract

The West Virginia Division of Energy is currently evaluating several deep saline formations in the Appalachian basin of West Virginia, which may be potential carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration targets. The Silurian Newburg Sandstone play, developed in the 1970's, primarily involves natural gas production from reservoir rock with welldeveloped porosity and permeability. High initial pressures encountered in early wells in the Newburg indicate that the overlying Silurian Salina Formation provides a competent seal. Due to the large number of CO2 point sources in the region and the favorable reservoir properties of the formation; including an estimated 300 billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas production, a serious evaluation of the Newburg Sandstone may expand our available targets for geologic storage of CO2. Within the Newburg play, there are several primary fields separated geographically and geologically by salt water contacts and dry holes. Previous studies have determined the storage potential within these individual fields. This study will show that the Newburg is more suitable for smallscale injection tests, instead of large-scale, regional storage operations.

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