Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, Technology and Policy Program; and, (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Political Science, 2007. / Title from title screen (viewed on Feb 5, 2008). Includes bibliographical references (p. 99-103).

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2008. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 47-49). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (MS)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2008. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Rick L. Lawrence. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2010. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 160 p. : ill. (some col.), col. map. Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Boise State University, 2009. / Title from t.p. of PDF file (viewed Apr. 22, 2010). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 85-90).

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2010. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains ix, 66 p. : ill. (some col.), col. maps. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 66).

Carbon Capture and Storage is a nascent technology developed with the intention of collecting carbon dioxide emissions from the flue gasses of point source producers, such as power stations or cement works. The carbon dioxide is then stored in underground geological reservoirs so that it does not reach the atmosphere, reducing the rate at which greenhouse gasses accumulate and influence climate change. However, as with all nascent technologies, the benefits of these developments and concepts must be weighed against the risks of serious and long-term environmental impact should an accidental release occur. The aim of this thesis is to study the potential for environmental damage caused by a release of carbon dioxide into the marine environment from a sub-seabed carbon dioxide reservoir generated through carbon capture and storage development. The quantification of the rate of change caused by such an accidental release of carbon dioxide will be studied, as will the rate at which natural conditions are re-established upon cessation of the release.

The mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and enhanced recovery of coalbed methane are benefits to sequestering carbon dioxide in coal seams. This is possible because of the affinity of coal to preferentially adsorb carbon dioxide over methane. Coalbed methane is the most significant natural gas reserve in central Appalachia and currently is economically produced in many fields in the Basin. This thesis documents research that assesses the capacity of coal seams in the Central Appalachian Basin to store carbon dioxide and verifies the assessment through a field validation test. This research allowed for the first detailed assessment of the capacity for coal seams in the Central Appalachian Basin to store carbon dioxide and enhance coalbed methane recovery. This assessment indicates that more than 1.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide can be sequestered, while increasing coalbed methane reserves by as much as 2.5 trillion cubic feet. As many of the coalbed methane fields are approaching maturity, carbon sequestration and enhanced coalbed methane recovery has the potential to add significant recoverable reserves and extend the life of these fields. As part of this research, one thousand tons of carbon dioxide was successfully injected into a coalbed methane well in Russell County, Virginia as the first carbon dioxide injection test in the Appalachian coalfields. Research from the field validation test identified important injection parameters and vital monitoring technologies that will be applicable to commercial-scale deployment. Results from the injection test and subsequently returning the well to production, confirm that fractured coal seams have the potential to sequester carbon dioxide and increase methane production. It was demonstrated through the use of perfluorocarbon tracers that there is a connection through the coal matrix between the injection well and surrounding producing gas wells. This connection is a cause for concern because it is a path for the carbon dioxide to migrate to the producing wells. The thesis concludes by presenting options for mitigating carbon dioxide breakthrough in commercial-scale injection projects. / Ph. D.

Double-difference seismic tomography is performed on a carbon sequestration operation in the Aneth Oil Field in southeast Utah as part of a Department of Energy initiative on monitoring, verification, and accounting of sequestered CO2. A total of 1,211 seismic events were recorded from a borehole array of 22 geophones. Aneth Unit data were divided into four time periods for time-lapse analysis. A low velocity zone spanning the lateral extents of the observable region, likely representing a CO2 plume, is detected when considering voxels containing the highest ray path coverage. A series of synthetic tomography tests simulating different CO2 plume sizes and locations was performed to assist in characterizing velocity changes associated with Aneth Unit data. Inferences about the existence of a CO2 plume should be made by comparing actual data to synthetic data resulting from simulations performed under similar conditions. Considering synthetic simulation similarities and a derivative weight sum analysis, a CO2 plume can be imaged within the Desert Creek reservoir, but the resolution of the CO2 plume is too low for proper monitoring, verification, and accounting of injected CO2. Recommendations, for improving CO2 plume resolution through double difference seismic tomography, are made to increase the ray path distribution throughout the Aneth Unit by varying geophone locations. / Master of Science

In an effort to lower atmospheric carbon dioxide (C02) levels, a number of sequestration methods, including geological storage, ocean storage and mineral carbonation of CO2 have been proposed for British Columbia. The selection of a suitable sink depends largely on the geology available for a given region. A methodology for assessment of suitable raw material for the mineral carbonation process has been proposed. The Tulameen ultramafic complex is selected as a promising site for providing the raw feed for mineral C02 sequestration and representative dunites have been collected and examined. Carbonation tests of these dunites took place at the Albany Research Center in Oregon and C02 analyses in reaction products (up to 29.4 wt%) suggest 48-56% conversion to magnesite and silica for the dunites, and 18% conversion for a serpentinized dunite. Based on these results, one tonne of Tulameen dunite could potentially sequester up to 0.4 tomes of C02.