Subterranean Leak Detection and Sealing via Surface Deformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a risk of carbon dioxide escaping from underground formations during sequestration, potentially contaminating drinking water or surfacing, and existing methods lack effective detection and remediation techniques to prevent such leaks.
Innovation Solution
The use of surface deformation measurement technologies, such as GPS, inclinometer, and InSAR, to detect leaks and drill intersecting boreholes to inject sealing compounds that chemically or mechanically seal the leak paths, combined with downhole logging tools to refine drilling direction and ensure accurate placement of sealing compounds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If carbon dioxide is injected into underground formations for sequestration, then greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, but there is a risk that the sequestered carbon dioxide will escape and contaminate drinking water formations or reach the surface
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection by monitoring surface deformation and injecting tracer fluids before actual CO2 leakage occurs. This early detection allows for preventive action to seal potential leak paths before they become actual leakage channels, thereby maintaining storage integrity while enabling CO2 sequestration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses tracer fluids as intermediary substances to detect and trace potential leakage paths. These tracer fluids are injected into the formation and their movement is monitored to identify pathways that CO2 might follow, allowing for targeted sealing operations without directly exposing or risking the actual CO2 storage.
2Ease of operation
If traditional detection methods are used, then the system is simple to operate, but they lack the precision to detect small leaks and locate flow paths accurately
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses fluid injection (hydraulic method) by injecting tracer fluids into the underground formation and monitoring their movement. This hydraulic approach provides sensitive detection of leakage paths through pressure and flow monitoring, achieving high measurement precision while maintaining operational simplicity through standard well injection equipment.
3Reliability
If sealing compounds are injected to stop leaks, then the integrity of the formation is restored, but the process requires precise location of the leak which is difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs tracer fluids as intermediary agents that are injected and tracked to precisely locate leakage paths. By monitoring the movement and concentration of these tracer fluids, the system can accurately identify the location and direction of leaks, enabling precise placement of sealing compounds at the actual leak sites rather than relying on imprecise surface-level detection methods.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method allows for real-time detection and remediation of carbon dioxide leaks, preventing surface contamination and ensuring the integrity of underground storage by accurately locating and sealing leak paths, thereby maintaining the stability of sequestered carbon dioxide.
Implementation Method 1
The use of surface deformation measurement technologies, such as GPS
Implementation Method 2
The use of surface deformation measurement technologies, such as GPS, inclinometer, and InSAR
Data Source
AI summary
Detecting and correcting unintended fluid flow between subterranean zones. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including: injecting a first fluid into a subterranean zone, the injecting by way of a first borehole; making a reading indicative of surface deformation; identifying, based on the reading indicative of surface deformation, a flow path for a second fluid out of the subterranean zone; placing a compound into the flow path, the compound reduces the flow of the second fluid through the flow path.