Non-Intrusive Surface Heat Mapping for Detecting CO2 Leakage in P&A Wells

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

1-1-2025

Abstract

Improperly plugged and abandoned (P&A) wells can pose significant risk to the safety of the subsurface CO2 storage operations. In the event of CO2 leakage through a P&A well, strong temperature cooling signal may be observed at surface. Such cooling has been previously investigated as a potential tool to detect CO2 leakage in the event of sudden loss of P&A wellbore integrity during post-CO2-injection period. In this study, the surface temperature signal associated with CO2 leakage during CO2 injection considering pre-existing wellbore integrity issues is modelled. The cooling signal is shown to be more significant given the overpressure caused by CO2 injection in the reservoir. The cooling plateaus with stabilization of leakage rate and strengthens with increased leakage rate. The strong cooling corresponding to CO2 leakage and its sensitivity to leakage rate suggests that surface heat mapping can be used as a proxy to leakage rate to identify leaking P&A wells during CO2 injection and monitor leakage rate variations over time.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Society of Petroleum Engineers SPE AAPG Seg Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage Conference and Exhibition Ccus 2025

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS