ACTIVIT Y FAQsI N V E S T I G A T I N G S A F E , P E R M A N E N T G E O L O G I C S T O R A G E O F C O 2 I N N O R T H D A K O T A

E N E R G Y & E N V I R O N M E N T A L R E S E A R C H C E N T E R A T T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F N O R T H D A K O T A

What Is Happening?As part of the North Dakota CarbonSAFE project, rock cores and geologic data will be collected from two exploratory holes in central North Dakota.

Where Is This Happening?

One exploratory hole will be drilled about 2 miles north of Golden Valley, and the other will be drilled 2 miles south of Center.

N O R T H D A K O T A C arb onSA FE

Geologic Study in Mercer and Oliver Counties in Central North Dakota

GoldenValley Beulah

Stanton

Center

Bismarck

Oliver Co.Mercer Co.

The 2-year project has two study areas (shown in green) in central North Dakota near existing coal-based energy facilities. Each study area has one drill site. Both drilling sites are on private property, and landowners gave permission for the study to use their land.

As required under the permit, groundwater resources are protected by layers of steel casing and concrete.

CEMENTED TO SURFACE

CEMENTED TO SURFACE

CONDUCTOR CASING

SURFACE CASING

DRILLINGFLUID

DRILLING FLUIDWITH FRESHWATER

90 FEET DEEP

1330–1930 FEET DEEP

NOT TO SCALE

The casing and concrete run from the surface to a

minimum of 50 ft below the freshwater aquifer.

FRESHWATER AQUIFER

Why Is This Happening?Information collected from this research activity will help scientists assess whether the deep rock formations underlying Mercer and Oliver Counties could safely and permanently store CO2 from the local coal-based energy facilities.

When Is This Happening?

Mid-November 2017 through mid-January 2018.

What Are the Basic Steps for This Activity? This drilling, sampling and data collection will follow the same practices and procedures as the many holes drilled to characterize the geology of hydrocarbons, coal, and water resources in North Dakota.

Obtain Permits – Drilling these holes for geologic research requires a permit from the North Dakota Industrial Commission (NDIC) Oil & Gas Division and a temporary use permit from both Mercer and Oliver Counties. The permits help ensure that proper steps are taken to protect groundwater and to reclaim the site after drilling is completed. Permits for the drilling were granted in early November 2017.

Prepare Drill Site – Pad preparation entails leveling and laying aggregate on a 400- × 400-ft area of land to make a flat, stable work area for drilling equipment. Pad preparation requires about 5–7 days at each site.

Drill Holes – Drilling takes place in three stages. Stage 1 involves drilling a 13½-in.-diameter hole to 50 feet below the bottom of the freshwater zone. Freshwater drilling fluid prevents groundwater contamination. The large-

The North Dakota CarbonSAFE project is determining the feasibility of safe, permanent, geologic storage of carbon dioxide. Led by the Energy & Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota, partners include the U.S. Department of Energy, the NDIC Lignite Research Program, Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Minnkota Power Cooperative, ALLETE Clean Energy, BNI Energy, and the North American Coal Corporation.

For More Information Contact: Wes Peck, Project Manager, (701) 777-5195, wpeck@undeerc.org

Learn More at: https://undeerc.org/NDCarbonSafe ENERGY

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF

Sponsored in Part by the U.S. Department of Energy

NDCS No. 3 11/17© 2017 University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center

Gather Downhole Data – After the core samples are removed, a truck with specialized instruments will run sensors into the hole, a technique called wireline logging. This standard industry practice will collect data about the rock layers, their fluids, and their pressures.

Plug the Holes – After data collection is completed, the test holes will be plugged with concrete and the surface casing cut off 4 ft below ground level.

Reclaim Drill Sites – In spring 2018, reclamation willrestore the sites to their predrilling condition as determined by North Dakota state regulators.

What Are the Next Steps?

The rock cores of the potential storage zone and its seal will be tested off-site to determine if the rock layers meet the criteria for safe, permanent geologic storage of CO2. The wireline logging data will be analyzed and fed into a computer model of the subsurface under Mercer and Oliver Counties. Geologists will use the result to determine the feasibility of safe, long-term, large-scale geologic storage of CO2 from local coal-based energy facilities.

How Can I Learn More? Contact Wes Peck, North Dakota CarbonSAFE Project Manager, or visit https://undeerc.org/NDCarbonSafe.

What Is Carbon Capture and Storage or CCS?CCS captures CO2 from industrial processes before it leaves the plant chimney, transports the CO2 to an injection site (by pipeline), and injects the CO2 deep underground for safe, permanent storage in a suitable rock layer. CCS is best suited for large stationary facilities such as coal-fired power plants, cement plants, oil and gas refineries, and agricultural processing plants.

Wireline logging will collect data about the rock layers, their fluids, and their pressures.

Multiple cylindrical rock samples called cores will be retrieved from the bottom 300 feet of the hole using a specialized coring drill bit.

diameter hole is fitted with steel pipe (surface casing) to protect drinking water during subsequent activities (see figure). In Oliver County, the surface casing will be set to a depth of 1330 ft; in Mercer County, the surface casing will run to a depth of 1930 ft. Stage 2 drills a hole 8¾ in. in diameter to a depth of nearly 5000 ft (just above the potential zone for storage and its overlying shale seal). Stage 3, the coring stage, constitutes the final 300 ft of the hole where multiple cylinders of rock called cores are cut using a special hollowed-out drill bit.