Depleted Oil and Gas Reservoirs
Injection of CO2 down old oil and gas wells into depleted oil and gas reservoirs is a proven process that can be done safely.
Depleted oil and gas reservoirs are natural traps for liquids and gas. After all, that is where the oil or natural gas was safely “stored” for millions of years before being produced and brought to the surface by humans. The injected CO2 fills the pores in the rock that was previously filled by hydrocarbons.
A critical consideration when using oil and gas reservoirs for storage, as noted by the CO2 Capture Project, is ensuring that any abandoned production wells in the area are identified and properly sealed so that there is no escape route for CO2. This process is well understood and would form an integral part of any CO2 storage engineering program.
Canada’s Storage Potential
