CO₂ Injection Performance in the Fruitland Coal Fairway, San Juan Basin: Results of a Field Pilot

As part of the Southwest Regional Partnership for Carbon Sequestration (SWP), the Pump Canyon CO₂-ECBM/sequestration demonstration in New Mexico has for objectives to prove the effectiveness of CO₂ sequestration in deep, unmineable coal seams via a small-scale geologic sequestration demonstration.

At the demonstration site, a new CO₂ injection well was drilled mid-2008 into the late-Cretaceous Fruitland coals within an existing pattern of coalbed methane production wells mainly operated by ConocoPhillips. CO₂ injection in the three coal seams was initiated late July 2008 and stopped in August 2009. A variety of monitoring, verification and accounting (MVA) methods are being employed to track the movement of the CO₂ to prevent any leakage. Some of the MVA methods include continuous measurement of injection volumes, pressures and temperatures within the injection well, coalbed methane production rates, pressures and compositions at the offset producer wells via CO₂ sensors, tracers in the injected CO₂, time-lapse vertical seismic profiling and surface Tiltmeter arrays amongst others. A detailed study of the overlying Kirtland shale is currently being conducted to investigate the integrity of this caprock. In addition, a detailed geologic characterization and reservoir modeling has been implemented in order to reproduce and understand the behavior of the reservoir.

As of now, the injection has ended and no CO₂ breakthrough has occurred, classifying the small scale demonstration pilot as a success. This paper describes the project in details from the well construction to the different monitoring techniques used to prevent CO₂ leakage as well as the results of the simulation model.