Division: GeoEnergy Transition

Richard Worden: Professor in the Department of Earth Ocean and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, UK.

The geochemistry of saline aquifers, depleted oil/gas fields in the context of CO2, and other waste gas, injection is considered. The reactions of CO2 with different reservoir rocks and top-seals, and their constituent minerals, and the cement and metal work used in the construction of wells are central to this course. The course includes reference to numerous CCS and CO2-EOR case studies, CCS-pilot sites, experiments, geochemical modelling, reaction-transport modelling, monitoring of CCS sites, microbiological processes in CCS systems, and the risk of halite scale formation.

Classroom version: A 3-day course comprising a mix of lectures, case studies and exercises. The manual will be provided in digital format, and participants will be required to bring a laptop or tablet computer to follow the lectures and exercises.

Virtual version: Five 3.5-hour interactive online sessions presented over 5 days. Digital course notes and exercise materials will be distributed to participants before the course. Exercises will be used throughout the course; these will include calculations, largely based on spreadsheets. Quizzes will be used to test knowledge development.

Advanced. The course is largely aimed at specialist geoscientists, but petroleum engineers and petrophysicists who are working on, or plan to work on, CCS projects will also find the course instructive. A foundation knowledge of geochemistry is assumed.

You will learn to:

1. Appraise the types and sources of information needed to define geochemical aspects of CCS sites.
2. Evaluate the role of CO2 pressure in influencing reactions at CCS sites.
3. Assess the information that can be gathered from natural analogues of CCS projects.
4. Evaluate the role of composition of the injected gas (role of contaminants) in influencing reactions at CCS sites.
5. Gauge the role of water composition in influencing reactions at CCS sites.
6. Characterize the role of mineral composition (rock type) in influencing reactions at CCS sites.
7. Manage examples of mineral dissolution in CCS systems.
8. Predict possible examples of mineral precipitation in CCS systems.
9. Gauge CO2 interaction with cements and pipes used in well completions.
10. Assess how experimental simulation, geochemical reaction modelling and reaction transport modelling can help predict if dissolution or precipitation will occur.
11. Validate the links between geochemical processes and geomechanical and petrophysical properties in CCS systems.
12. Use geochemical tracers to track process in CCS systems.
13. Characterize the microbiological processes that may occur at CCS sites.
14. Predict the geochemical formation damage in CCS.
15. Quantify the role of CCS in basalt hosts in comparison to sedimentary hosts.

Richard Swarbrick: Manager, Swarbrick GeoPressure.

This course examines the nature and properties of seals as they relate to containment for permanent storage of CO2 and cyclical storage of hydrogen and/or compressed air. The course will provide a grounding in the geomechanics of seals and how seals and their properties are created in the subsurface. While most data and analysis relating to seals has been acquired from and applied to the containment of oil and gas, this course will show how such data can be applied to CCS and gas storage. Particular attention will be given to the different sealing requirements of CO2 and hydrogen relative to oil/gas and water.

Classroom version: A 3-day course comprising a mix of lectures, case studies and exercises. The manual will be provided in digital format and participants will be required to bring a laptop or tablet computer to follow the lectures and exercises.

Virtual version: Five 3.5-hour interactive online sessions presented over 3 to 5 days comprising a mix of lectures and exercises. The course manual will be provided in digital format.

Advanced. This course is aimed at geoscientists and engineers working in energy transition with responsibility for projects to assess and manage gas storage

You will learn to:

1. Evaluate the nature of containment seals and their properties in the deep earth (>1km/0.62 miles below surface).
2. Apply knowledge of seal integrity to estimates of column heights and associated storage volumes.
3. Assess the concepts of seal integrity and how to predict risk of seal breach/failure.
4. Appraise current knowledge of seal behaviour using case studies.
5. Manage the requirements for permanent CO2 storage using CCS versus short-term/cyclic storage for hydrogen air.
6. Characterize data requirements and limitations to assess seal integrity and risk (data sourced mainly from oil/gas boreholes).
7. Evaluate different trapping requirements for gas storage (currently data-poor) relative to oil/gas (historically data-rich).
8. How geochemical fluid-rock reactivity may impact seals to gas storage over time.

Matthew Healey: Managing Director, PACE CCS.

This course is designed to provide awareness of the design and operation of CCS systems. Participants will gain knowledge and understanding of technical issues (flow assurance, process, safety, etc.) encountered in the design and operation of whole-chain CCS systems.

Classroom version: A 2-day in-person classroom course. An electronic copy of the manual will be provided by the tutor at the end of the course.

Virtual version: Four 3.5-hour interactive online sessions presented over 4 days, including a mix of lectures and discussion. The course manual will be provided in digital format.

Advanced. This course is suitable for all technical staff engaged in carbon capture and storage with an emphasis on the operations, facilities and engineering side of the business. Project managers and engineers will also find many aspects of the course useful.

You will learn to:

1. Compare the primary CO2 capture technologies.
2. Review the fundamental subsurface geoscience aspects of CCS, including reservoirs, leakage and monitoring.
3. Establish how CO2 can be transported safely and efficiently via ship and pipeline.
4. Assess the thermodynamic behavior of CO2 including the impact of impurities in CO2 streams.
5. Describe the operating philosophy and modes of CO2 transport networks, both single and multiphase.
6. Outline the design specifications of CCS networks with a focus on pipelines.
7. Manage safety and technical risk, including using a consequence-based risk assessment for CCS.
8. Evaluate the thermal-hydraulic modelling of CO2 transport networks with a focus on best practices.
9. Analyze the shipping options for CO2, including port to port or port to storage.
10. Characterize CCS metering and associated technologies.

Matthew Jackson: Chair in Geological Fluid Dynamics, Imperial College London.

This course provides an overview of all subsurface aspects of geomodelling relevant to CO2 storage. The course includes an introduction to the principles and practice of geomodelling; reservoir characterization for CO2 storage, including geological, geophysical and petrophysical considerations; methods used to produce 3-D geomodels; approaches to uncertainty characterization and quantification; and an overview of available software tools. The course does not provide hands-on training in these software tools, but rather provides the background understanding for software tool selection and associated training from vendor(s). The concepts and methods are illustrated using numerous practical examples of geomodelling studies.

Classroom version: A 3-day course comprising a mix of lectures, case studies and exercises. The manual will be provided in digital format and participants will be required to bring a laptop or tablet computer to follow the lectures and exercises.

Virtual version: Five 3.5-hour interactive online sessions presented over 5 days. A digital manual and exercise materials will be distributed to participants before the course. Some reading and exercises are to be completed by participants off-line.

Advanced. The course is intended for professionals with experience of, or background in, a related subsurface geoscience area and those directly working on CO2 storage projects.

You will learn to:

1. Characterize the underlying aims and concepts of ‘fit for purpose’ reservoir geomodelling.
2. Prepare different types and associated applications of geomodels for CO2 storage.
3. Validate reservoir characterization data for CO2 storage, including geology, geophysics and petrophysics.
4. Assess methods for quantitative 3-D geomodel construction, including advantages and disadvantages of each.
5. Manage performance metrics for geomodels.
6. Appraise the importance of, and methods for, quantitative uncertainty assessment.
7. Rate the different software tools used for geomodelling.
8. Evaluate practical examples of geomodelling for CO2 storage.