• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.175-184
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• 2008

In this study, state-of-the-art of $CO_2$ geological sequestration as a method of greenhouse gas reduction was reviewed. Thermal-Hydraulic-Mechanically(THM) coupled simulation technology and its application to a stability analysis of geological formation due to $CO_2$ injection as well as a leakage path analysis were investigated and introduced.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.203-212
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• 2005

Anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide($CO_2$) which arises mainly as wastes from the fossil fuel burning processes, are causing global warming. The effects of global warming become increasingly felt all over the world including sea level rise and extreme weather. The more direct consequences of the elevated atmospheric $CO_2$ on the ocean is the acidification of the surface ocean which brings a far reaching adverse impact on the life at sea and probably on the whole ecosystem of the planet. Improvement in energy efficiency and use of alternative energy sources are being made to reduce $CO_2$ emissions. However, a rapid transition to alternatives seems unachievable within a few decades due to the constraints on the associated technology and socio-economic factors in the world, since fossil fuels make up approximately 85% of the world's commercial energy demands. It has now been recognized that capture and geological sequestration of $CO_2$ could significantly reduce its emissions from fossil fuel utilization and therefore provides the means to rapidly achieve large reductions in $CO_2$ emissions(excerpts from London Convention, LC/SG 28, 2005). In Korea, well-developed sedimentary basins are spread over the vast continental shelf and slope regions, whereas, the land is densely populated and limited in area. Consequently, the offshore area is preferred to the land for the sites for geological sequestration. The utilization of the offshore area, however, may be subject to international agreements including London Convention. In this paper, the recent trends in technologies and regulations for $CO_2$ capture and geological sequestration are described to encourage its applications in Korea.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.173-178
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• 2007

Time-lapse electrical resistivity measurements have been made in a scale model experiment for geological $CO_2$ sequestration in aquifer. Three types of $CO_2$ injection are tested in a water tank filled with glass beads. These are $CO_2$ dissolved into filtered tap water, $CO_2$ gas, and mineral oil. The mineral oil is a substitute for liquid phase of supercritical $CO_2$. For reconstructing three-dimensional resistivity images, we measure potential differences at 32 potential dipoles on the top surface of the tank due to two current dipoles on the front and back sides. The resultant resistivity images clearly show the movement of injected $CO_2$ in aquifer.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.220.1-220.1
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• 2011

In recent years, the importance of Carbon Capture and Storage (hereafter CCS) is growing bigger and bigger. The development and commercialization of CCS technology are concerned for reducing carbon dioxide($CO_2$) emissions. For the most studies, the technology of $CO_2$ storage is known as the geological storage, ocean sequestration, mineral carbonation, industrial utilization, and so on. The geological storage is adjudged the most reasonable technology from economic and environmental aspects. Generally, the $CO_2$ geological storage is comprised of compression - transportation - drilling/injection - storage/management process. The critical problem is a leakage of $CO_2$ in all process. For resolving a leakage problem, it is necessary to predict and build a monitoring system. Those systems are proved safety of a leakage and received positive social perceptions of $CO_2$ geological storage. For those reasons, a risk assessment of $CO_2$ geological storage is required. A risk assessment is an estimated process of the possible effects when spilling $CO_2$. Although numerous studies of risk assessment have studied, it is incomplete to evaluate a risk and disaster quantitatively. The risk assessment will be developed for domestic application and safe $CO_2$ geological storage considering characteristics of Korea.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.46-55
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• 2016

This experimental study was aimed to estimate interfacial tension of brine-$CO_2$ by using a pendant bubble method and image analysis. Measurements were performed for wide ranges of temperatures, pressures, and salinities covering reservoir conditions in Pohang basin, a possible candidate for $CO_2$ storage operation in Korea. The profiles of $CO_2$ bubbles in brine obtained from image analysis with the densities of brine and $CO_2$ from previous studies were applied to Laplace-Young equation for calculating interfacial twnsion in brine-$CO_2$ system. The experimental results reveals that the interfacial tension is significantly affected by reservoir conditions such as pressure, temperature and water salinity. For conditions of constant temperature and water salinity, the interfacial tension decreases as pressure increases for low pressures (P < $P_c$), and approaches to a constant value for high pressures. For conditions of constant pressure and water salinity, the interfacial tension increases as temperature increases for T < $T_c$, with an asymptotic trend towards a constant value for high temperatures. For conditions of constant pressure and temperature, the interfacial tension increases with increasing water salinity. The trends in changes of interfacial tension can be explained by the effects of the reservoir conditions on the density difference of brine and $CO_2$, and the solubility of $CO_2$ in brine. The information on interfacial tensions obtained from this research can be applied in predicting the migration and distribution of injecting and residual fluids in brine-$CO_2$-rock systems in deep geological environments during geological $CO_2$ sequestrations.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.175-182
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• 2018

We analyze geological, petrophysical and geomechanical characteristics of a $CO_2$ sequestration test site, Pohang. The target reservoir exists at a depth of 750 m, where porous and permeable sandstones/conglomerates prevail. The reservoir is underlain by thick mudstone formations. We estimate in situ stress conditions using an exploratory wellbore drilled through the target reservoir. The in situ stress condition is characterized by a strike-slip faulting favored stress regime. We discuss various aspects of reservoir fracture pressures and fault reactivation pressures based on the stress magnitudes.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.1-22
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• 2005

Carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) is the greatest contributor among the major greenhouse gases covered by the Kyoto Protocol. Therefore, substantial efforts for the control and reduction of $CO_2$ emissions, including increased efficiency of fossil fuel energy usage, development of energy sources with lower carbon content, and increased reliability on alternative energy sources, are being performed worldwide. However, development and industrial application of $CO_2$ sequestration techniques are needed to meet the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol. Among the $CO_2$ sequestration methods developed, geological sequestration methods such as the storage in deep aquifers, deep coal seams and oil and gas reservoirs and the mineral carbonation is considered most favorable because of its stability and environmental effectiveness. In this review, geochemical concepts and technologic development of geologic sequestration technology, especially the storage in deep aquifers and the mineral carbonation, are discussed. The weakness and strengths for each of geologic sequestration methods, are also reviewed.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.307-319
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• 2009

Carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) technology has been regarded as one of the most possible and practical option to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) and consequently to mitigate the climate change. Korean government also have started a 10-year R&D project on $CO_2$ storage in sea-bed geological structure including gas field and deep saline aquifer since 2005. Various relevant researches are carried out to cover the initial survey of suitable geological structure storage site, monitoring of the stored $CO_2$ behavior, basic design of $CO_2$ transport and storage process and the risk assessment and management related to $CO_2$ leakage from engineered and geological processes. Leakage of $CO_2$ to the marine environment can change the chemistry of seawater including the pH and carbonate composition and also influence adversely on the diverse living organisms in ecosystems. Recently, IMO (International Maritime Organization) have developed the risk assessment and management framework for the $CO_2$ sequestration in sub-seabed geological structures (CS-SSGS) and considered the sequestration as a waste management option to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. This framework for CS-SSGS aims to provide generic guidance to the Contracting Parties to the London Convention and Protocol, in order to characterize the risks to the marine environment from CS-SSGS on a site-specific basis and also to collect the necessary information to develop a management strategy to address uncertainties and any residual risks. The environmental risk assessment (ERA) plan for $CO_2$ storage work should include site selection and characterization, exposure assessment with probable leak scenario, risk assessment from direct and in-direct impact to the living organisms and risk management strategy. Domestic trial of the $CO_2$ capture and sequestration in to the marine geologic formation also should be accomplished through risk management with specified ERA approaches based on the IMO framework. The risk assessment procedure for $CO_2$ marine storage should contain the following components; 1) prediction of leakage probabilities with the reliable leakage scenarios from both engineered and geological part, 2) understanding on physio-chemical fate of $CO_2$ in marine environment especially for the candidate sites, 3) exposure assessment methods for various receptors in marine environments, 4) database production on the toxic effect of $CO_2$ to the ecologically and economically important species, and finally 5) development of surveillance procedures on the environmental changes with adequate monitoring techniques.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.280-286
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• 2005

Geological sequestration of carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) is one of the most effective strategies far long-term removal of greenhouse gas from atmosphere. This paper reviews three projects for the $CO_2$ sequestration in geological formation. A unique $CO_2$ injection into a marine aquifer has been successfully monitored with repeated surface seismic measurements in the North Sea Sleipner West field. The seismic images reveal the extent and internal shape of the $CO_2$ bubble. Massive miscible $CO_2$ has been injected into a complex fractured carbonate reservoir at the Weyburn oil filed. High-resolution time-lapse P-wave data were successfully obtained to map the features of $CO_2$ movements within the two thin zones of different lithology. From the time-lapse crosswell EM imaging at the Lost Hills oil field in central California, U.S.A., the replacement of brine with $CO_2$ has been confirmed through a decrease of conductivity. The conductivity image was successfully compared with induction logs observed in the two wells.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.223-232
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• 2018

The viscous force of fluids and the capillary force acting on the pore network of the porous media are important factors determining the immiscible displacement during geological $CO_2$ sequestration, these were directly affected by geological formation conditions and injection conditions. This study aimed to observe the migration and distribution of injected fluid and pore water, and quantitatively investigate displacement efficiency on various injection temperatures. This study aimed to perform micromodel experiments by applying n-hexane used as a proxy fluid for supercritical $CO_2$. In this study, immiscible displacement process from beginning of n-hexane injection to equilibrium of the distribution of the n-hexane and pore water was observed. The images from experiment were used to observe the displacement pattern and estimate the areal displacment efficiency of the n-hexane. For investigate the affects of the injection temperatures on the migration in macroscopic, migration of n-hexane in single pore was analyzed. The measurement revealed that the displacement efficiency at equilibrium state decreases as the temperature increases. The result from experiments indicate that the temperatures can affect the displacement pattern by changing the viscous forces and the capillary forces. The experimental results could provide important fundamental information on reservoir conditions and fluid injection conditions during geological $CO_2$ sequestration.