Well selection in depleted oil and gas fields for a safe CO2 storage practice: a case study from Malaysia

Abstract

Carbon capture and sequestration technology is recognized as a successful approach taken to mitigate the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. However, having a successful storage practice requires wise selection of suitable wells in depleted oil or gas fields to reduce the risk of leakage and contamination of subsurface resources. The aim of this paper is to present a guideline which can be followed to provide a better understanding of sophisticated wells chosen for injection and storage practices. Reviewing recent studies carried out on different aspects of geosequestration indicated that the fracture pressure of seals and borehole conditions such as cement-sheath integrity, distance from faults and fractures together with the depth of wells are important parameters, which should be part of the analysis for well selection in depleted reservoirs. A workflow was then designed covering these aspects and it was applied to a depleted gas field in Malaysia. The results obtained indicated that Well B in the field may have the potential of being a suitable conduit for injection. Although more studies are required to consider other aspects of well selections, it is recommended to employ the formation integrity analysis as part of the caprock assessment before making any decisions.