STEPS Research Program

Weyburn - Midale
CO2 Monitoring

JIVE Project

Aquistore Program

Weyburn-Midale CO2 Project

Essential Results and Technological Advancements

CO2 has been injected in reservoirs to increase oil production for more than 30 years, but it has never been scientifically studied and monitored – until now.

The First Phase of the Weyburn-Midale CO2 Project, which began in 2000 and ended in 2004, strived to predict and verify the ability of an oil reservoir to securely store and economically contain CO2. This was done through a comprehensive analysis of the various process factors as well as monitoring/modeling methods designed to measure, monitor and track the CO2 in the enhanced oil recovery environment.

Research from the First Phase was organized into four main “themes”:

  1. Geological Characterization of the Geosphere and Biosphere
  2. Prediction, Monitoring and Verification of CO2 Movements
  3. CO2 Storage Capacity and Distribution Predictions and the Application of Economic Limits
  4. Long Term Risk Assessment of the Storage Site

First Phase Findings:

  • Based on preliminary results, the natural geological setting appears to be highly suitable for long-term CO2 geological storage
  • Results form the most complete, comprehensive, peer-reviewed data set in the world for CO2 geological storage
    • However, additional research is needed to further develop and refine CO2 monitoring and verification technologies

For more detailed information, click here to download the summary report of results from the First Phase.The summary includes a brief history of the project, discussion of the research themes, and details on major results and findings.