SURFACE MONITORING FOR THE SECARB BLACK WARRIOR INJECTION TEST, TUSCALOOSA COUNTY, ALABAMA

摘要

The Black Warrior basin has produced a large quantity of coalbed methane and has the potential for considerable enhanced coalbed methane production. Additionally, as bituminous coal can adsorb approximately twice as much CO2 as methane at reservoir pressure, the basin has significant potential for CO2 sequestration. Afield test is being conducted and has been designed to test reservoir conditions in the three primary target coal zones. A number of monitoring activities are planned for the site including reservoir pressure monitoring in deep observation wells, fluid and pH monitoring in each coai bed, shallow groundwater quality monitoring, soil gas composition, conservative tracers, and soil CO2 flux monitoring. A set of soil gas samples was collected and soil flux monitoring was performed at a control site located in Deerlick Creek to provide additional background information on near surface conditions in the region. Preliminary results indicate that a significant volume of CO2 is found in the soil profile and carbon isotopic data suggests that the CO2 is of bacterial origin. Soil CO2 flux data was collected for nine months and indicated a high variability among individual sites and through time. The data show significant seasonal variations, with high flux rates during the warm months associated with high soil activity and low flux rates during the winter months.