Sealing the future: CCUS well integrity completions, and monitoring for the long haul

Key Takeaways: Sealing the future: CCUS well integrity completions, and monitoring for the long haul

Executive Summary

The webinar "Sealing the Future: CCUS Well Integrity, Completions, and Monitoring for the Long Haul" focused on the critical importance of well integrity in carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) projects, which must remain sealed and secure for up to 75 years or more. The panel discussed how existing completion technologies, adapted with appropriate metallurgies, packers, cementing practices, and zonal isolation techniques, can ensure reliable containment in corrosive CO2 environments. Key topics included demonstrating injectivity without exceeding fracture pressures, optimizing well design for cost and long-term reliability, and the critical role of monitoring from real-time fiber optic and electronic gauge data to periodic logging and corrosion checks. The session highlighted the adaptation of proven oil and gas technologies to meet CCUS requirements while ensuring regulatory compliance, cost efficiency, and longevity. Panelists from Baker Hughes shared their expertise on well design differences between CCUS and traditional oil and gas wells, the importance of monitoring strategies, and effective solutions for long-term monitoring and mitigation.

Speakers

Raider Rivas Paz, Advisor Drilling Engineer, New Energies, Baker Hughes
Pierre-François Roux, Product Manager- Reservoir Monitoring, Baker Hughes
David Chace, Global Senior Principal- Well Production and Integrity, Baker Hughes
Facilitator- Joe Spencer, Director of Sales & Business Development- New Energy, Baker Hughes
Moderator: Ivy Diaz, Digital Editor, World Oil

Key Takeaways

1. Long-Term Well Integrity: CCUS wells require long-term integrity and must remain sealed and secure for up to 75 years or more, unlike traditional oil and gas wells.

2. Real-Time Well Monitoring: Effective monitoring of CCUS wells involves real-time fiber optic and electronic gauge data, periodic logging, and corrosion checks to ensure containment.

3. Adapted Oil Technologies: Proven oil and gas technologies can be adapted for CCUS requirements, focusing on metallurgies, packers, cementing practices, and zonal isolation techniques.

4. Compliance and Efficiency: Regulatory compliance and cost efficiency are critical in designing CCUS wells, with a focus on long-term reliability and environmental protection.

5. Layered Monitoring Strategy: A layered monitoring strategy, integrating fiber optic sensing and advanced technologies, is essential for ensuring long-term security and compliance in CCUS projects.

Key Quote

Carbon capture, utilization and storage, or CCUS, projects depend on one uncompromising factor, integrity. Unlike oil and gas wells designed for decades, CCUS wells must remain sealed and secure for up to 75 years or more.

Webinar

Watch Full Webinar here.

FAQs: Sealing the future: CCUS well integrity completions, and monitoring for the long haul

Well Design for CCUS

1. How is the design criteria for CCUS wells different from traditional oil and gas wells?
CCUS wells are designed for long-term containment of CO2, focusing on well integrity for up to 75 years or more. Unlike oil and gas wells optimized for production efficiency and economic lifespan, CCUS wells require materials and barriers that withstand prolonged exposure to corrosive CO2 environments.

2. What are the main factors to consider in CCUS well design?
Key factors include the objectives of the well (containment vs. production), well design philosophy (long-term integrity vs. production efficiency), and the need for corrosion-resistant materials and cement slurries to handle the CO2-rich environment.

3. Are there differences in well design for onshore and offshore CCUS wells?
While the fundamental design principles for well integrity are similar, offshore wells may require additional considerations for wellhead systems and monitoring tools due to the subsea environment.

Monitoring Strategies

1. Why is monitoring critical for CCUS projects?
Monitoring ensures that injected CO2 remains securely stored in the subsurface, preventing leaks that could compromise the storage project and potentially contaminate groundwater or reach the surface.

2. What are the key aspects of an effective monitoring strategy for CCUS?
An effective monitoring strategy involves multi-scale monitoring, including near-field well integrity checks, far-field plume migration assessments, and periodic logging to recalibrate models and ensure long-term security.

3. How does Baker Hughes integrate fiber optic sensing into CCUS monitoring?
Fiber optic sensing provides real-time data on well integrity, injection monitoring, and geophysical measurements. It is integrated with other monitoring tools to create a layered strategy that ensures comprehensive oversight of CO2 containment.

Compliance and Long-Term Security

1. What technologies are used to ensure compliance with CO2 sequestration plans?
Technologies include pulse neutron logging for saturation measurements, casing inspection tools, and cement evaluation methods to monitor well integrity and detect leaks or corrosion over time.

2. Is the 75-year design life for CCUS wells a regulatory requirement?
The design life varies by region and regulatory body. The goal is to ensure long-term well integrity and permanent CO2 storage, with specific requirements tailored to local regulations and project needs.

3. How does Baker Hughes' well construction philosophy align with regulatory guidelines?
Baker Hughes follows rigorous workflows for material selection and well design, ensuring compliance with guidelines such as the US EPA's well construction standards. This includes thorough cementing practices and corrosion-resistant materials to guarantee long-term integrity.

Blog: Ensuring Integrity and Compliance in CCUS Well Design and Monitoring

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) is essential in combating climate change by capturing CO2 emissions from industrial sources and storing them underground. The success of CCUS projects depends on well integrity, requiring CCUS wells to remain sealed and secure for up to 75 years. This blog examines how existing completion technologies, combined with the right metallurgies, packers, cementing practices, and zonal isolation techniques, ensure reliable containment in corrosive CO2 environments. A multi-layered monitoring strategy, incorporating real-time and periodic measurements, is critical for maintaining well integrity and optimizing CCS project management.

Design and Monitoring of CCUS Wells

CCUS wells are designed for CO2 storage, unlike traditional oil and gas wells focused on hydrocarbon production. CCUS wells prioritize containment to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, requiring materials and barriers resistant to CO2-rich environments and ensuring long-term integrity, often up to 75 years. Effective monitoring is essential, covering both near-field (well integrity) and far-field (CO2 plume propagation). Near-field monitoring examines metals, cement, and injection processes, while far-field monitoring uses direct and indirect methods like geophysics. Permanent tools such as fiber optics and pressure gauges provide continuous data, complemented by periodic wireline logs for higher resolution. Compliance with regulations necessitates long-term monitoring and mitigation solutions. Technologies like pulse neutron logging, production logs, and deep shear wave imaging offer detailed data on well integrity, leak detection, and saturation levels. Regular monitoring and documentation ensure the well remains leak-free, combining permanent tools and periodic logs to recalibrate models and refine predictions.

Effective Well Management in CCS Projects

This strategy integrates well-centric measurements for precise data essential in calibrating field models. Regular time-lapse logging, from the initial open hole log through the project's life, reduces uncertainty and provides a reliable baseline for subsequent measurements. Inconsistent logging in the oil industry complicates data interpretation, highlighting the need for consistent monitoring from the start.

Permanent monitoring systems, like fiber optic sensing, offer continuous, real-time data, enabling operators to detect and respond to anomalies promptly. This is especially valuable offshore, where mobilizing intervention units is challenging. Combining permanent monitoring with periodic logging ensures the CCS project's longevity and security, reducing prolonged well shutdowns.

The well construction phase requires meticulous planning and execution to ensure long-term integrity. This includes selecting appropriate completion tools, like removable packers and surface safety valves, to facilitate intervention and prevent leaks during injection. Choosing suitable materials and adhering to industry standards are vital to withstand injection zone conditions. Implementing a robust plug and abandonment (P&A) procedure at the well's end is crucial to prevent future leaks and ensure environmental safety.

Regulatory compliance is critical in CCS well management. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines for well construction emphasize isolating surface aquifers and using CO2-resistant cement, ensuring wells prevent contamination and maintain integrity over time. While regional regulations may vary, the core principles of well integrity and environmental protection remain consistent.

The success of CCUS projects hinges on well integrity and effective monitoring strategies. Design criteria for CCUS wells focus on long-term containment with materials and barriers that withstand corrosive CO2 environments. Monitoring must cover both near and far fields, using permanent and periodic tools to meet regulatory requirements. Technologies like pulse neutron logging and deep shear wave imaging provide detailed data on well integrity and saturation levels, identifying and addressing potential issues. Prioritizing well integrity and robust monitoring enables CCUS projects to effectively mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. Combining advanced technologies, meticulous well construction, and regulatory compliance ensures effective and secure carbon storage, enhancing environmental sustainability.