FIRST EXPERIENCE IN THE ZONAL FORECAST OVER THE MOSCOW ARTESIAN BASIN FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CCS PROJECTS

Abstract

Link for citation: Novikov D.A., Fomina (Sadykova) Ya.V., Yurchik I.I., Derkachev A.S., Chernykh A.V., Dultsev F.F., Maksimova A.A., Nikitenkov A.N., Knyazev A.G. First experience in the zonal forecast over the Moscow artesian basin for the implementation of CCS projects. Bulletin of the Tomsk Polytechnic University. Geo Аssets Engineering, 2023, vol. 334, no. 10, рр. 119-139. In Rus. The relevance of the investigation is caused by a substantial increase in greenhouse gas emissions all over the world, which is the most essential ecological problem causing climate change, glaciers melting, and atmospheric pollution. The most efficient method to reduce emissions is long-term carbon dioxide capture and storage in geological formations. Since the enterprises emitting carbon dioxide are highly concentrated in the European part of the Russian Federation, it is reasonable to arrange carbon dioxide storage facilities within the boundaries of the Moscow artesian basin. The goal of investigation was to make a zonal forecast of the outlooks for the implementation of CCS projects at the territory of the Moscow artesian basin, to reveal the geological structures that are promising for carbon dioxide storage, and evaluate the potential capacity of traps for carbon dioxide capture and storage. The objects of investigation are water-bearing and waterproof horizons of the lower aquifer in the Moscow artesian basin. Methods. A system of criteria for the zonal forecast of hydrogeological structures is proposed to implement the projects aimed at geological capture and storage of carbon dioxide in deep aquifers, relying on the actual international and Russian normative basis on the burial of carbon dioxide, industrial wastewaters, toxic wastes, arrangement and monitoring of underground storage facilities. Evaluation system includes eight groups of criteria: general hydrogeological, structural-tectonic, lithological, hydrodynamic, geothermal, hydrogeochemical, environmental, and resource-related. Within each group of criteria, two and more parameters affecting evaluation of the suitability of a territory for CCS project implementation are distinguished. Results. Evaluation of the potential of the Moscow artesian basin from the viewpoint of its suitability for long-term CO2 storage has been carried out for the first time. The forecast over the proposed criteria allowed us to map the lands with different degrees of prospective viability. The structures of medium promise include 16 geological structures with the initial CO2 capture and storage capacity of 150,6 billion tons in water-dissolved state and of 13,4 billion tons in the supercritical state. In addition, the regions of low and zero promise were distinguished. Analysis results allow us to pass to the local evaluation of the structures of medium promise in order to perform licensing and to assign the structures to the foundation of potential carbon dioxide storage facilities, which implies more detailed investigation of collectors and impermeable seal rocks, structural tectonic parameters, computer simulation of water–rock–gas interactions, and compulsory laboratory experiments.