Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage Opportunities in Pennsylvania; Appalachian Reservoir Core and Thin Section Analysis

Miller, Clarissa

Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage Opportunities in Pennsylvania; Appalachian Reservoir Core and Thin Section Analysis

Persistent URL

https://hdl.handle.net/10456/57741

Author(s)

Miller, Clarissa

Date Issued

May 1, 2024

Abstract

Carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) research has been growing regionally as a method to decrease carbon emissions. Pennsylvania has been one of the states at the forefront of this research since 2003. The last two decades have continued this research which has led to the most recent project being the Central Appalachian Partnership (CAP) for Carbon Storage Deployment. This project focuses on the Appalachian Basin Rome Trough region for continued research and development of large-scale CCUS implementation. The Helderberg Group was chosen as the unit of interest to study caprock capabilities within the proposed carbon storage systems. The Helderberg Group lies beneath the Oriskany Sandstone and above the Medina Group. The Oriskany Sandstone has been targeted for research as a potential carbon storage unit making the underlying Helderberg Group a potential caprock. The selected rock core was chosen for multiple analytical techniques which included physical descriptions, XRD analysis, and petrographic microscope and SEM analysis. Following the analysis, it was determined that the rock core was a sample from the Huntersville Chert and Oriskany Sandstone, not the Helderberg Group as originally thought. The core description analysis, located fully in Appendix I, included a variety of testing methods that led to the initial conclusion that the upper unit was the Mandata Shale, and the lower unit was Corriganville Limestone. This portion of the research included photos of all sections of core to create a comprehensive workbook, located in Appendix II, that allowed for continued reference throughout the project. The bulk mineralogy analysis that was conducted, located in Appendix III, led to the conclusion that the intervals should be revised to the Huntersville Chert and Oriskany Sandstone. Geophysical logs and completion reports, located in Appendix IV, from the original drilling site highlight the potential inconsistencies of where the core was measured, solidifying the revisions made.

Major

Geology

Honors

Geology, 2024

First Reader(s)

Misner, Tamara