Geological appraisal of an onshore CO2 storage prospect

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) will not reach its full greenhouse gas emissions mitigation potential without harnessing the vast storage resource thought to exist within deep saline formations. These formations occur within most sedimentary basins and are defined, in part, by containing interstitial formation fluid that is unfit or uneconomic for current or future use. Though parts of deep saline sedimentary successions may be well understood, most have not been characterized in detail for CO2 storage. Knowledge of critical reservoir parameters is therefore usually insufficient to accurately define storage systems within them at the range of spatial and temporal scales required for a CO2 injection site. Previous reconnaissance studies are a useful starting point for CO2 storage system appraisal where exploration survey data exists. This study screens likely storage locations within the onshore Gippsland Basin in eastern Victoria, southeastern Australia. The most prospective system is close to industrial CO2 emissions nodes and comprises suitable stratigraphy at appropriate depth. However, new geological characterization suggests existing interpretations are unsatisfactory and the opportunity for CO2 storage there may be more limited and challenging than initially thought. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.