Major CO<sub>2</sub> blowouts from offshore wells are strongly attenuated in water deeper than 50 m

Oldenburg, Curtis M.; Pan, Lehua

doi:10.1002/ghg.1943

Cited by 12 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 64 publications

(150 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…One of the ROMs developed in the NRAP project, the Multi‐Source Leakage ROM (MSLR), is a simple model for atmospheric dispersion of the CO 2 11 . In this paper, we will apply the MSLR to the offshore blowout scenario reported in a prior paper, 12 the results of which are summarized below.…”

Section: Background and Prior Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Full details of previous modeling of a scenario of an offshore CO 2 well blowout into shallow seawater are given in the prior paper 12 . To summarize this prior work briefly, the scenario involved a well blowout at the seafloor as shown in Figure 1.…”

Section: Modeling To Generate the Source Termmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To summarize the results, the CO 2 was emitted into the water column from the hole in the pipe at the seafloor as a jet rapidly entraining seawater and breaking up into small bubbles 12 . All of the water‐column bubble plume flow and transport processes were modeling using TAMOC 44–46 with the T2Well leakage flow output as the source term.…”

Section: Modeling To Generate the Source Termmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The main results of the Oldenburg and Pan (2020) study 12 are compactly shown in Figure 2 by the sketch on the left‐hand side showing a cartoon of one variation, and the two insets on the right‐hand side showing quantitative results. Specifically, the upper frame on the right‐hand side of Figure 2 shows the travel time of CO 2 from the breach in the pipe to the sea surface as a function of water depth.…”

Section: Modeling To Generate the Source Termmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the case where CO 2 injection wells and/or CO 2 pipelines exist in shallow water, and if a large‐scale containment failure scenario occurs, CO 2 can be expected to be emitted out of the sea surface and therefore it is important to understand CO 2 plume dispersion in air above the sea surface. Full details of the reservoir‐well‐water‐column modeling study are presented in Oldenburg and Pan 12 …”

Section: Modeling To Generate the Source Termmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Downwind dispersion of CO₂ from a major subsea blowout in shallow offshore waters

Oldenburg

Zhang

2022

Greenhouse Gases

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Growing interest in offshore geologic carbon sequestration (GCS) motivates risk assessment of large-scale subsea CO 2 well blowouts or pipeline ruptures. For major leaks of CO 2 from wells or pipelines, significant fluxes of CO 2 may occur from the sea surface depending on water depth. In the context of risk assessment of human health and safety, we have used previously simulated coupled well-reservoir and water column model results as a source term for dense gas dispersion of CO 2 above the sea surface. The models are linked together by one-way coupling, that is, output of one model is used as input to the next model. These first-of-their-kind coupled flow results are applicable to assessing the hazard of CO 2 to people at and downwind of the sea surface location of emission. Hazard is quantified by plotting the downwind dispersion length (DDL), which we define in the study as the distances from the emission source to the point at which the emitted CO 2 has been diluted to 5% and 1.5% in air by volume. Results suggest that large-scale blowouts in shallow water (10 m) may cause hazardous CO 2 plumes extending on the order of several hundred meters downwind. Details of the modeling show DDL has a maximum for windspeed (at an elevation of 10 m) of approximately 5 m/s, with smaller DDL for both weaker and stronger winds. This is explained by the fact that wind favors transport but also causes dispersion; therefore there is a certain wind speed that maximizes DDL.

show abstract

Section: Background and Prior Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Modeling To Generate the Source Termmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Modeling To Generate the Source Termmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Modeling To Generate the Source Termmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Modeling To Generate the Source Termmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Downwind dispersion of CO₂ from a major subsea blowout in shallow offshore waters

Oldenburg

Zhang

2022

Greenhouse Gases

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Mapping existing wellbore locations to compare technical risks between onshore and offshore CCS activities in Texas

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Carbon dioxide capture and geologic storage (CCS; geologic sequestration) is a promising technology for reducing anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere from industrial point sources. Aspects of CCS have been investigated for over two decades, and many large‐ and small‐scale geologic storage field demonstration projects are now underway globally. Interest in offshore CCS has been increasing in recent years (e.g., European Union, Australia, Japan, and the United States). Deep geologic storage in offshore settings is analogous to onshore CCS activities in many respects (i.e., geologic and geotechnical aspects), but is distinct from previously explored seabed sediment CO2 storage) or deep marine dissolution). Given the large subsurface geologic storage volumes available in offshore settings, much discussion of offshore CCS is focused on the benefits and risks of such activity compared to onshore settings. Similar to onshore settings, existing (legacy) wells likely present the most direct migration pathway and largest risk of noncontainment in offshore settings. As part of current studies to evaluate geologic storage options in offshore settings along the Texas coast and greater Gulf of Mexico (GoM), mapping of the geographic distribution and ages of wells in a region containing coastal counties and extending 30 miles offshore Texas indicates that both well spatial density and well age decrease moving from onshore to offshore. Results suggest reduced risk of leakage owing to more rigorous and documented well completion and abandonment practices for these generally younger wells (although many are decades old). A result of decreased well density is that larger areas are available for leasing for CCS projects that avoid legacy wells altogether (> 1 mile from any existing well). The one‐mile designation is used as an arbitrary convention, and while it is recognized that this is smaller than a typical area of review (AoR) for permitting, each site will have a different AoR radius for consideration. The combination of large subsurface storage volumes under control of a single landowner and reduced risks from legacy wells makes offshore CCS attractive in the GoM. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

show abstract

Water column baseline assessment for offshore Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS) sites: Analysis of field data from the Goldeneye storage complex area

Espósito

Martínez-Cabanas

Connelly

et al. 2021

International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Major CO₂ blowouts from offshore wells are strongly attenuated in water deeper than 50 m

Cited by 12 publications

References 64 publications

Downwind dispersion of CO₂ from a major subsea blowout in shallow offshore waters

Downwind dispersion of CO₂ from a major subsea blowout in shallow offshore waters

Mapping existing wellbore locations to compare technical risks between onshore and offshore CCS activities in Texas

Water column baseline assessment for offshore Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS) sites: Analysis of field data from the Goldeneye storage complex area

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Major CO2 blowouts from offshore wells are strongly attenuated in water deeper than 50 m

Cited by 12 publications

References 64 publications

Downwind dispersion of CO2 from a major subsea blowout in shallow offshore waters

Downwind dispersion of CO2 from a major subsea blowout in shallow offshore waters

Mapping existing wellbore locations to compare technical risks between onshore and offshore CCS activities in Texas

Water column baseline assessment for offshore Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS) sites: Analysis of field data from the Goldeneye storage complex area

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Major CO₂ blowouts from offshore wells are strongly attenuated in water deeper than 50 m

Downwind dispersion of CO₂ from a major subsea blowout in shallow offshore waters

Downwind dispersion of CO₂ from a major subsea blowout in shallow offshore waters