Controlled Release Test Facility to Develop Environmental Monitoring Techniques for Geologically Stored CO2 in Korea

Abstract

Two sets of controlled release test facility (EIT) were constructed in unsaturated and saturated zones by the Korea CO2 Storage Environmental Management (K-COSEM) Research Center to develop efficient and accurate environmental monitoring techniques required for secure geologic carbon storage. The unsaturated zone EIT consists of a 51 m long horizontal well for artificial CO2 leakage at the depth of 2.5 m below the land surface, a surface injection control system, and diverse monitoring devices. Following baseline surveys, a preliminary CO2 release test was first performed for 4 days in October 2015, with the released amount of about 390 kg CO2. The saturated zone EIT to develop efficient monitoring techniques in intermediate depths was constructed in the end of 2015. It consists of an injection well at the depth of 24 m and 8 multi-level monitoring wells. In 2016, long-term CO2 release tests using EITs have been performed. The outlines of EITs of K-COSEM are summarized in this paper.