Tracing and quantifying magmatic carbon discharge in cold groundwaters: lessons learned from Mammoth Mountain, USA

Evans, William C.; Sorey, M.L.; Cook, A. C.; Kennedy, B. Mack; Shuster, David L.; Colvard, Elizabeth M.; White, L.D.; Huebner, Mark

doi:10.1016/s0377-0273(01)00268-2

Cited by 77 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Mammoth Mountain receives heavy snowfall. The ground surface here, composed mainly of pumice, glacial till, volcanic and granitic rocks, is highly permeable to infiltration, resulting in little direct runoff [Evans et al, 2002]. The volcano edifice is characterized by low temperatures and limited ground water flow, except in shallow outflow zones, and lacks a shallow hydrothermal reservoir.…”

Section: Lessons Learnedmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The volcano edifice is characterized by low temperatures and limited ground water flow, except in shallow outflow zones, and lacks a shallow hydrothermal reservoir. Ground water outflow is focused by lava flows or other laterally extensive units into high-discharge springs on the lower flanks of the volcano [Evans et al, 2002].…”

Section: Lessons Learnedmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The areas of diffuse degassing appeared to be loosely correlated with the locations of mapped faults (Figure 2.3). Based on data (1996-1999) for cold springs discharging around Mammoth Mountain, Evans et al [2002] estimated that the total discharge of magmatic carbon in the cold groundwater system was ~20,000 t yr -1 . They also suggested that the long-term discharge prior to the 1989 seismic swarm was ~10,000 t yr -1 .…”

Section: Lessons Learnedmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Mammoth Mountain in eastern California (see Section 2.3.2) has numerous CO 2 -rich cold springs located on its lower flanks, primarily associated with leakage from the high-pressure gas reservoir beneath the volcano [Evans et al, 2002]. Evans et al [2002] conducted a geochemical study of these springs to quantify the magmatic carbon discharge in cold groundwaters.…”

Section: Mammoth Mountain California Usamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Evans et al [2002] conducted a geochemical study of these springs to quantify the magmatic carbon discharge in cold groundwaters. Based on measured spring flow rates and concentrations and isotopic compositions of dissolved inorganic carbon in spring discharges, they found that Mammoth discharges 2 x 10 4 t yr -1 of deeply derived carbon (as CO 2 ); this discharge varies seasonally from 30 to 90 t d -1 .…”

Section: Mammoth Mountain California Usamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Natural and industrial analogues for release of CO2 from storagereservoirs: Identification of features, events, and processes and lessonslearned

Lewicki¹,

Birkhölzer²,

Tsang³

2006

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. We thank J. Apps and A. Cortis for constructive review of this report. 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThe injection and storage of anthropogenic CO 2 in deep geologic formations is a potentially feasible strategy to reduce CO 2 emissions and atmospheric concentrations. While the purpose of geologic carbon storage is to trap CO 2 underground, CO 2 could migrate away from the storage site into the shallow subsurface and atmosphere if permeable pathways such as well bores or faults are present. Large-magnitude releases of CO 2 have occurred naturally from geologic reservoirs in numerous volcanic, geothermal, and sedimentary basin settings. Carbon dioxide and natural gas have also been released from geologic CO 2 reservoirs and natural gas storage facilities, respectively, due to influences such as well defects and injection/withdrawal processes. These systems serve as natural and industrial analogues for the potential release of CO 2 from geologic storage reservoirs and provide important information about the key features, events, and processes (FEPs) that are associated with releases, as well as the health, safety, and environmental consequences of releases and mitigation efforts that can be applied.We describe a range of natural releases of CO 2 and industrial releases of CO 2 and natural gas in the context of these characteristics. Based on this analysis, several key conclusions can be drawn, and lessons can be learned for geologic carbon storage. First, CO 2 can both accumulate beneath, and be released from, primary and secondary reservoirs with capping units located at a wide range of depths. Both primary and secondary reservoir entrapments for CO 2 should therefore be well characterized at storage sites. Second, many natural releases of CO 2 have been correlated with a specific event that triggered the release, such as magmatic fluid intrusion or seismic activity. The potential for processes that could cause geomechanical damage to sealing cap rocks and trigger the release of CO 2 from a storage reservoir should be evaluated. Third, unsealed fault and fracture zones may act as fast and direct conduits for CO 2 flow from depth to the surface. Risk assessment should therefore emphasize determining the potential for and nature of CO 2 migration along these structures. Fourth, wells that are structurally unsound have the potential to rapidly release large quantities of CO 2 to the atmosphere. Risk assessment should therefore be focused on the potential for both active and abandoned wells at storage sites to transport CO 2 to the surface, particularly at sites with depleted oil or gas reservoirs where wells are abundant. Fifth, the style of CO 2 release at the surface varies widely between and within different leakage sites. In rare circumstances, the release of CO 2 can be a self-enhancing and/or eruptive process; this possibility should be assessed in the case of CO 2 leakage from storage reservoirs. Sixth, the hazard to human health has been small in most cases of large surface releases of CO 2 . This could be due to imp...

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Section: Lessons Learnedmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Lessons Learnedmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Lessons Learnedmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Mammoth Mountain California Usamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Mammoth Mountain California Usamentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Natural and industrial analogues for release of CO2 from storagereservoirs: Identification of features, events, and processes and lessonslearned

Lewicki¹,

Birkhölzer²,

Tsang³

2006

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Structural controls on the emission of magmatic carbon dioxide gas, Long Valley Caldera, USA

2015

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We present a degassing study of Long Valley Caldera that explores the structural controls upon emissions of magmatic carbon dioxide gas. A total of 223 soil gas samples were collected and analyzed for stable carbon isotopes using a field-portable cavity ring-down spectrometer. This novel technique is flexible, accurate, and provides sampling feedback on a daily basis. Sampling sites included major and minor volcanic centers, regional throughgoing faults, caldera-related structures, zones of elevated seismicity, and zones of past and present hydrothermal activity. The classification of soil gases based on their δ 13 C and CO 2 values reveals a mixing relationship among three end-members: atmospheric, biogenic, and magmatic. Signatures dominated by biogenic contributions (~4 vol %, À24‰) are found on the caldera floor, the interior of the resurgent dome, and areas associated with the Hilton Creek and Hartley Springs fault systems. With the introduction of the magmatic component (~100 vol %, À4.5‰), samples acquire mixing and hydrothermal signatures and are spatially associated with the central caldera and Mammoth Mountain. In particular, they are concentrated along the southern margin of the resurgent dome where the interplay between resurgence-related reverse faulting and a bend in the regional fault system has created a highly permeable fracture network, suitable for the formation of shallow hydrothermal systems. This contrasts with the south moat, where despite elevated seismicity, a thick sedimentary cover has formed an impermeable cap, inhibiting the ascent of fluids and gases to the surface.

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Carbon isotopes in the rivers from the Lesser Antilles: origin of the carbonic acid consumed by weathering reactions in the Lesser Antilles

Rivé

Gaillardet

Agrinier

et al. 2013

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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International audienceIn this paper, we use carbon isotopes in the dissolved load of rivers from the Lesser Antilles volcanic arc (Guadeloupe, Martinique and Dominica islands) to constrain the source of the carbon dioxide (CO2) involved in the neutralization reactions during water-rock interactions. The d13C data span a large range of variations, from -19% to -5 _ 2% for DIC (dissolved inorganic carbon) concentrations ranging from 11 mM to 2000 mM. Coupled with major element concentrations, carbon isotopic ratios are interpreted as reflecting a mixture of magmatic CO2 (enriched in heavy carbon (d13C_-3 _ 5%) and biogenic CO2 produced in soils (enriched in light carbon (d13C<-17%)). Carbon isotopes show that, at the regional scale, 23 to 40% of CO2 consumed by weathering reactions is of magmatic origin and is transferred to the river system through aquifers under various thermal regimes. These numbers remain first-order estimates as the major uncertainty in using carbon isotopes as a source tracer is that carbon isotopes can be fractionated by a number of processes, including soil and river degassing. Chemical weathering is clearly, at least, partly controlled by the input of magmatic CO2, either under hydrothermal (hot) or surficial (cold) weathering regimes. This study shows that the contribution of magmatic CO2 to chemical weathering is an additional parameter that could explain the high weathering rates of volcanic rocks. The study also shows that a significant part of the carbon degassed from the Earth's interior is not released as CO2 to the atmosphere, but as DIC to the ocean because it interacts with the groundwater system. This study calls for a better understanding of the contributions of deep carbon to the hydrosphere and its influence on the development of the Critical Zone

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Tracing and quantifying magmatic carbon discharge in cold groundwaters: lessons learned from Mammoth Mountain, USA

Cited by 77 publications

References 34 publications

Natural and industrial analogues for release of CO2 from storagereservoirs: Identification of features, events, and processes and lessonslearned

Natural and industrial analogues for release of CO2 from storagereservoirs: Identification of features, events, and processes and lessonslearned

Structural controls on the emission of magmatic carbon dioxide gas, Long Valley Caldera, USA

Carbon isotopes in the rivers from the Lesser Antilles: origin of the carbonic acid consumed by weathering reactions in the Lesser Antilles

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