Deep saline storage
Illinois Basin — Decatur Project
The MGSC is partnering with the Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM), and Schlumberger Carbon Services to conduct a large-scale multiyear deployment of geological sequestration of 1 million metric tons (1.1 million U.S. tons) of CO2 over three years. This large-scale injection will occur at the ADM plant site in Decatur, Illinois, into the Mt. Simon Sandstone saline formation, one of the most significant potential carbon storage resources in the United States, at a depth of approximately 7,000 feet (2,135 meters). A comprehensive Measurement, Verification, and Accounting (MVA) program, including shallow groundwater, soil gas, resistivity, and atmospheric monitoring was started in March 2008 and continues with the completion of four regulatory shallow groundwater monitoring wells in mid-2010. The MVA program will continue through injection and for three years after injection is complete. Drilling of the 7,230 foot (2,200 meter) well commenced in February 2009 and was completed in May 2009. A groundbreaking event hosted in April 2009 brought more than 200 visitors to the site. A second geophysical well was drilled and completed in September 2009. This 3,200 foot (975 meter) well has geophones cemented in place for enhanced data recovery during repeat walk-away vertical seismic profiles planned throughout the project. A three-dimensional seismic data baseline survey was completed in January 2010. A deep in-zone monitoring well has been drilled and will be completed in April 2011. The compression/dehydration facility is nearing completion and a pipeline to carry CO2 from the ethanol production facility to the wellhead is finished. Injection of CO2 is expected to begin in mid-2011.
Project status:
- Finalizing infrastructure for mid-2011 injection start.
Injection status:
Preliminary results:
- Monitoring, Verification, and Accounting:
