• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.133-160
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• 2018

$CO_2$ storage is a very important technology for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and has been considered as almost the only viable and effective option for immediate large-scale $CO_2$ sequestration. Small-scale demonstration project for offshore $CO_2$ storage in the Pohang Basin is the transitional stage R&D program for technological preparation of large-scale $CO_2$ storage project in Korea. Through the extensive exploration research for prospective $CO_2$ storage sites, the offshore strata in the Pohang Basin was recommended for the storage formation of the small-scale demonstration project. The Pohang Offshore Storage Project launched at 2013, and has accomplished the technical demonstration and technological independence in a wide range of $CO_2$ storage technology, such as geophysical exploration, storage site characterization, storage design, offshore platform construction, injection-well drilling and completion, deployment of injection facility, operation of $CO_2$ injection, and $CO_2$ monitoring. The project successfully carried out $CO_2$ test injection in early 2017, and achieved its final goal for technical development and demonstration of $CO_2$ storage in Korea. The realization of $CO_2$ injection in this project is the measurable result and has been recorded as the first success in Korea. The Pohang Offshore Storage Project has a future plan for the continuous operation of $CO_2$ injection and completion of $CO_2$ monitoring system. The project has provided in-house technical and practical expertises, which will be a solid foundation for the commercial-scale $CO_2$ storage business in Korea. Additionally, the project will help to secure national technical competitiveness in growing international technology market for $CO_2$ storage.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.323-335
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• 2015

Although the Daljeon Basalt in the Pohang Basin is important for interpreting the basin evolution, its relative chronology, stratigraphic position, and isotopic age still remain controversial. In order to clear up the controversies, this study carried out detailed field investigation to determine its distribution and occurrence together with reanalysis of its previous geochemical data and $^{40}Ar/^{39}Ar$ age dating. Based upon the field investigation, the basalt occurring in the central part of the Pohang basin is composed of three main bodies and a dozen of minor dikes and sills that intruded into the Yeonil Group. Their mineral assemblages consist of phenocrysts such as olivine and clinopyroxene and fine groundmasses of clinopyroxene, plagioclase, olivine, and opaque oxide, impling the porphyritic texture of alkaline basalt. All their geochemical data also show the similar geochemical characteristics in TAS, Zr-Ti, and REE/trace elements distribution diagrams. The samples are plotted on alkalic field in the total alkali-versus-silica diagram and show similar patterns to enrichment oceanic basalt or within plate basalt in trace elements. In addition, $^{40}Ar/^{39}Ar$ isochron age of 13.82Ma is obtained. These results indicate that the Daljeon Basalt is an alkaline intrusive rock belonging to the middle Miocene Yeonil Group.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.69-76
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• 2021

This study is to identify the mineralogical properties of caprock samples from drilling cores of the Pohang basin, which is the research area for the demonstration-scale CO2 storage project in Korea. The interaction of water-rock-gas that can occur due to CO2 injection was identified using geochemical modeling. Results of mineralogical studies, together with petrographic data of caprock and data on the physicochemical parameters of pore water were used for geochemical modeling. Modelling was carried out using the The Geochemist's Workbench 14.0.1 geochemical simulator. Two steps of modeling enabled prediction of immediate changes in the caprocks impacted by the first stage of CO2 injection and the assessment of long-term effects of sequestration. Results of minerlaogical analysis showed that the caprock samples are mainly composed of quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase and a small amount of pyrite, calcite, kaolinite and montmollonite. After the injection of carbon dioxide, the porosity of the caprock increased due to the dissolution of calcite, and dawsonite and chalcedony were precipitated as a result of the dissolution of albite and k-feldspar. In the second step after the injection was completed, the precipitation of dawsonite and chalcedony occurred as a result of dissolution of calcite and albite, and the pH was increased due to this reaction. Results of these studies are expected to be used as data to quantitatively evaluate the efficiency of mineral trapping capture in long-term storage of carbon dioxide.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.327-342
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• 2021

The global coastal region is considered as a sink for atmospheric CO₂. Since most of the studies in the East Sea focused on the Ulleung Basin, the importance of coastal region for carbon cycle has been overlooked. In this study, we compared the biological pump and CO₂ absorption between the Ulleung Basin and coastal region by surface measurements of biological O₂ supersaturation (𝚫O₂/Ar) and partial pressure of CO₂ (fCO₂). Cold and less saline waters in the coastal regions were in contrast with a warm and saline water in the Ulleung Basin. The coastal waters near Samcheok and Pohang showed higher fluorescence, 𝚫O₂/Ar, and lower fCO₂ than those in the Ulleung Basin, indicating higher primary production and CO₂ absorption in the areas. The average net community production estimated by 𝚫O₂/Ar were 19 ± 6 and 60 ± 9 mmol O₂ m^-2d^-1 in the Samcheok and Pohang, respectively, 2-7 times higher than that of 8 ± 4 mmol O₂ m^-2d^-1 in the Ulleung Basin. Similarly, the average CO₂ flux between the seawater and atmosphere were -17.1 ± 8.9 and -25.8 ± 13.2 mmol C m^-2d^-1 in the Samcheok and Pohang, respectively, 4-5 times higher than that of -4.7 ± 2.5 mmol C m^-2d^-1 in the Ulleung Basin. In the Samcheok and Pohang, degrees of N₂ saturation were lower by 3% than that the ambient waters, suggesting the possibility of nitrogen fixation by primary producers.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.203-208
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• 2005

We have performed magnetotelluric (MT) surveys to investigate the deep crustal structure of Gyeongsang basin. The MT data were collected in the frequency range from 0.00042 to 320Hz along a profile across the Gyeongsang basin, and 2-D inversion was carried out to interpret the geoelectrical structure. We also extracted gravity data around the MT profile from KIGAM database and calculated the density inversion to compare with the geoelectrical structure. The results obtained are good agreement with geological distribution and indicate contrasts of physical properties of sedimentary rock, igneous rock and metamorphic rock.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.201-213
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• 1990

Mineralogy, chemistry, physical property, and fossil abundance have been studied for the samples collected from three weathering profiles, two from the Duho Formation and one from the Hagjeon Formation in the Tertiary sediments in the Pohang area. The mineralogy of the samples from the Duho Formation shows somewhat different from that of the Hagjeon Formation. Kaolinite is more abundant and shows higher crystallinity in samples from the Duho Formation than those in the Hagjeon Formation, but clay mineral assemblage in each weathering profile remain fairly constant with depth. This difference in mineral distribution seems to be inherited from original source materials. It indicates that little or not severe leaching has been taking place in these three weathering profiles. Weathering indicies indicate different degrees of susceptibility to chemical weathering in these two formations. The Duho Formation has a higher degree of susceptibility to weathering than that of the Hagjeon Formation which is mainly due to differences in clay mineral assemblages in both formations. A noticeble colour difference between oxidized and unoxidized zones in each profile can be easily recognized which is definetely due to different decomposition rate organic carbon by various oxidation state from surface to bottom of the profile. Weathering process have also intensively influenced microfossil preservation about up to 7-10 m in depth in the Duho Formation. Consequently, characteristics observed at weathering surface should be used as a subsidiary tool in setting geologic boundary or establishing formation. Great care must be taken to choose sampling site for microfossil study.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.304-315
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• 2016

In this study, the current horizontal stress characteristics of the Tertiary rock formations in the Pohang Basin are investigated on the basis of the in-situ rock stress measurements at depths from 75 m to 716 m of the 3 test boreholes in the Doumsan area, Pohang. The deep hydraulic fracturing stress measurement results indicated that the horizontal stress components in the test site appear far lower than the average ones by the linear fit for the data set measured from the other domestic sites. But, borehole scanning revealed clearly that lots of small and large scale borehole failures occurred due to the low strength characteristics of the existing rocks. To obtain more accurate and overall information on the horizontal stress direction, the integrated analysis combining the hydraulic fracturing stress measurement and borehole scanning data set were additionally carried out. The analysis results showed that in the upper sedimentary and the lower volcanic rock formation, the dominant orientations of the current maximum horizontal stress components were appeared in the range of $80^{\circ}{\sim}100^{\circ}$ (N80E~N80W) and $120^{\circ}{\sim}140^{\circ}$ (N60W~N40W), respectively. From this study result it was found that the maximum horizontal stress directions have a tendency to rotate in a clockwise direction as the rock formation changes with depth in the test site.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.193-206
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• 2018

In this study, as part of the "Small-scale $CO_2$ Injection-Demonstration Project in Offshore Pohang Basin", we performed drilling and completion of a $CO_2$ injection well from the offshore platform installed in the Yeongil Bay, Pohang city, Gyeongsang buk-do. The drilling of injection well was carried out from an offshore platform installing on the sediment formations of the Pohang Basin. Drilling diameters were reduced by stages, depending on the formation pressure and groundwater pressure along a depth and the casing installation and cement grouting in drilled hole were performed at each stage. The injection well was drilled to a final depth of 816.5 m with a hole diameter of 4 7/8 inches (${\Phi}124mm$) and the perforated casing for an injection section was installed in a depth of 746.5~816.5 m. Injection tubing, packer, and christmas tree were installed for the completion of an injection well for $CO_2$. The validation project of the $CO_2$ injection was accomplished successfully by drilling the injection well and installing the injection facilities, and through the suitable $CO_2$ injection process. The current injection facility is a facility for small-scale injection demonstration of 100 tons. In the case of large-scale demonstration facility test of a capacity of 10,000 tons, research is underway through the upgrading of the injection facilities.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2020

Geological CO₂ sequestration is a global warming response technology to limit atmospheric emissions by injecting CO₂ captured on a large scale into deep geological formations. The presented results concern mineralogical and hydrogeological investigations (FE-SEM, XRD, XRF, and MICP) of mudstone samples from drilling cores of the Pohang basin, which is the research area for the first demonstration-scale CO₂ storage project in Korea. They aim to identify the mineral properties of the mudstone constituting the caprock and to quantitatively evaluate the hydrogeologic sealing capacity that directly affects the stability and reliability of geological CO₂ storage. Mineralogical analysis showed that the mudstone samples are mainly composed of quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase and a small amount of pyrite, calcite, clay minerals, etc. Mercury intrusion capillary pressure analysis also showed that the samples generally had uniform particle configurations and pore distribution and there was no distinct correlation between the estimated porosity and air permeability. The allowable CO₂ column heights based on the estimated pore-entry pressures and breakthrough pressures were found to be significantly higher than the thickness of the targeting CO₂ injection layer. These results showed that the mudstone layers in the Yeongil group, Pohang basin, Korea have sufficient sealing capacity to suppress the leakage of CO₂ injected during the demonstration-scale CO₂ storage project. It should be noticed, however, that the applicability of results and analyses in this study is limited by the lack of available samples. For rigorous assessment of the sealing efficiency for geological CO₂ storage operations, significant efforts on collection and multi-aspect evaluation for core samples over entire caprock formations should be accompanied.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.113-126
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• 2017

In order to investigate the geological storage potential of $CO_2$, X-ray diffraction analysis were conducted for drilling core samples collected from the two drilling sites located in Yonil group of the Miocene Pohang Basin. As a result, various minerals were identified such as quartz, plagioclase, orthoclase opal-CT, smectite, mica, illite, kaolin mineral, chlorite, calcite, gypsum, pyrite, dolomite, and siderite. Smectite was detected in almost all of core samples, and relatively large amounts of smectite were observed in the cores from deeper strata. Opal-CT, mainly occurred in the upper interval of cores, was formed by diagenesis of amorphous diatoms. It shows a tendency that d101 value of cristobalite decreases with depth from $4.10{\AA}$ to $4.05{\AA}$. The almost identical variations in mineral composition with depth are observed at the two sites. This fact indicates that rocks distributed at the two sites were probably deposited in the similar depositional environments. It is determined that the strata in the study area can play roles of cap-rock for $CO_2$ storage, because the considerable amounts of smectite were contained in the rocks through the cores.