(559g) Geologic Carbon Storage of Anthropogenic CO2 Under the Colorado Plateau in Emery County, Utah

Geologic carbon storage (GCS) is a promising technology for storing large volumes of anthropomorphic CO₂ effectively and permanently. Numerical simulations are an integral part of site selection and characterization for any promising GCS site. In this study, we simulate the injection of CO₂ for geologic storage in the Navajo Sandstone Formation in Emery County, Utah, a promising storage complex for commercial-scale sequestration. Carbon Dioxide is sourced from regional power generation stations and heavy industries throughout Utah, with a particular focus on the emissions from Hunter Power Plant near Castle Dale, Utah.

As part of the CarbonSAFE Rocky Mountains Phase I project a regional GCS analysis was undertaken to understand the efficacy of storing CO₂ emissions from the power generation sector in central Utah’s favorable geology. A geological model of the area encompassing the Huntington/Castle Dale/Ferron and San Rafael Swell area was constructed from well tops, well logs, and outcrop data. Based on this geologic model, a simulation grid was developed that includes the Chinle Formation at the base, the Glen Canyon Formation consisting of the Wingate Sandstone, the Kayenta Formation, and our target injection formation the Navajo Sandstone, and the overlying Carmel Formation, a sealing layer. A suite of simulations was performed that modeled storing 50 million tons of anthropogenic CO₂ captured from a single power generation unit at Hunter Power Plant over 27 years. The second suite of simulations modeled the area as a regional GCS site and emissions from all of Utah’s major CO2 point-source emitters were injected across the model for 30 years. A systematic reduction of emissions from the power generation sector was simulated by a phased shut down of CO₂ sources from power plants after 30 years of simulation time while maintaining emissions from other heavy industries. Results indicate that this area has a capacity to securely store more than 1.4 billion tons of CO₂, suggesting the complex is an ideal commercial-scale GCS site. This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy under Award Number DE-FE0029280.