Petrophysics and Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) theme we

continue the long-term experiments of the seal capacity of mudstone in the petrophysical

laboratory with a re-design of the experimental set-up. A new project investigates why

carbonate samples with similar pore geometries and high acoustic velocities but exhibit

variable permeability.

Ichythyocarbonates – fish produced carbonate grains – have proven to be important

for both carbonate production in the ocean and global carbon cycle (“blue carbon”). A

large collaborative project with biologists addresses many aspects of ichthycarbonate

formation and preservation, including the importance of Ichtyocarbonates in the

greenhouse world, and fractionation factors associated with the formation of biogenic HMC.

Project Objectives:

• Determine whether changing seawater chemistry influences ichthyocarbonate production rates.

• Assess composition of ichthyocarbonate produced by fish acclimated to Cretaceous seawater chemistry.

• Predict how ichthyocarbonate fate may have changed through geological time.

Project Objectives:

• Investigate why carbonate samples with similar pore geometries (large, simple pores: high DomSize, low PoA) and high acoustic velocities exhibit variable permeability.

• Correlate electrical resistivity and permeability in these samples to identify microstructural controls (e.g., microporosity, cementation, pore connectivity).

• Develop a predictive model to distinguish high- vs. low-permeability zones in carbonates with high velocity and simple pore structures using integrated acoustic, resistivity, and DIA data.

Project Objectives:

• Re-Design an experimental set-up that allows for CO2-Brine saturation prior to CO2 injection

• Evaluate how the pre saturated CO2-Brine mixture alters the seal capacity of mixed carbonate-siliciclastic samples.

• Run experiments to assess the amount of dissolution and possible breach of samples.

Project Objectives:

• Assemble a petrographic data base in carbonates that includes,
  • Geographic location
  • Formation and age
  • Diagenetic alteration
  • Petrophysical properties (porosity, velocity, permeability and resistivity
  • Pore type and quantitative digital image analysis parameters of the pore structure.