A Reservoir Modeling Study for the Evaluation of CO2 Storage Upscaling at the Decatur Site in the Eastern Illinois Basin

Abstract

The study of geological CO2 sequestration and its long-term implications are crucial for ensuring the safety and sustainability of carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects. This work presents a numerical reservoir modeling study to upscale CO2 injection in the Eastern Illinois Basin to a cumulative value of 27 Mt within the next 20 years, adding one proposed Class VI injector well to the two already existing ones in this field. Along with the reservoir simulations that include the main CO2 trapping mechanisms that ensure a minimum of a 100-year Area-of-Review containment, we describe a step-by-step approach to enhance measurement, monitoring, and verification (MMV) plans, starting from low-cost methods such as repeated 1D VSP in existing boreholes to 2D seismic surveys and higher-cost data acquisition techniques.