Date of Graduation

Fall 2013

Degree

Master of Science in Geospatial Sciences

Department

Geography, Geology, and Planning

Committee Chair

Charles Rovey II

Abstract

Pumping and pressure-injection test data from the City Utilities of Springfield Southwest Power Plant (SWPP) site in Missouri were analyzed for local hydrogeologic characteristics of the St. Francois aquifer and confining unit. These characteristics were used to develop conceptual simulations of injection into the St. Francois aquifer to understand how the aquifer reacts to CO2>injection and the hydrodynamic behavior of CO2. Pumping test analysis revealed the highest zone of hydraulic conductivity to be 1.27E-04 cm/s in the upper part of the Reagan Sandstone. Pressure-injection test data were compared to various solution methods to determine wellbore skin effects on the hydraulic conductivity readings. Hydraulic conductivity results were used to calculate intrinsic permeabilities for input into the program PetraSim to generate conceptual simulations of carbon dioxide (CO2) injection into the aquifer. Both radial and compositional simulations were used to simulate migration of the CO2>phases from the site of injection. The injection rates were limited by keeping the maximum allowable pressure change within a range of 4 MPa above static. Pressure gradients were introduced in the compositional simulations to evaluate plume behavior in a regional flow setting. Higher pressure gradients reduced injectability, but increased dissolution and dispersion of CO2>gas.

Keywords

carbon sequestration, St. Francois aquifer, numerical simulation, PetraSim, hydrogeology

Subject Categories

Geology | Hydrology

Copyright

© Stephanie Stratton

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