Discovering the nature of fluid movement in the subsurface is our specialty. TBirdie Consulting has a highly experienced team of hydrogeologist to address complex issues related to aquifer testing and characterization, aquifer storage and recovery, wellfield design, underground injection control, and integrated surface-groundwater modeling. We specialize in coupling simulation models with optimization algorithms to address a wide range of problems including aquifer parameter estimation, wellfield energy optimization, and developing remediation strategies.
Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) is a climate change mitigation technology involving removal of carbon dioxide (CO2) from flue gas and reusing the same for production of industrial byproducts or permanently storing the gas deep in the earth. Geologic formations in which CO2 is stored include oil and gas reservoirs, coalbed seams and deep saline reservoirs – structures that have stored carbon dioxide along with crude oil, natural gas, and brine for millions of years. The captured CO2 can also be used to recover trapped oil and gas in depleted reservoirs, a process referred to as Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR).
Geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide in the United States is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) via the Class VI injection permit. As part of the permitting process, a detailed characterization of the injection and confining zones is required in order to ensure that the injected CO2 will remain permanently sequestered in the subsurface. For typical hydrocarbon extraction, derivation of the bulk petrophysical properties is adequate to predict hydrocarbon recovery rates.
However, for sequestration purposes, it is necessary to conduct detailed petrophysical analysis and characterization due to the buoyant nature of CO2, and to account for sequestration in each of the four primary trapping mechanisms in the subsurface: structural, residual, solubility, and mineralogical. We specialize in the application of advanced characterization techniques which have been approved by EPA for Class VI permitting. The data sets that we acquire at a sequestration site include:
involves capturing CO2 prior to combustion and is utilized at gasification-based plants where fuel is first converted into gas if necessary by applying heat under pressure in the presence of steam and oxygen. In post-combustion, CO2 is removed from the flue gas after combustion and is mainly applicable to conventional coal, oil, or gas fired power plants. In an oxy-combustion process, an oxygen source is used instead of air for combustion, yielding a stream that is mostly CO2 and without nitrogen. The resulting flue gas is mainly (low volume) CO2 which facilitates removal of pollutants such as mercury and sulfur oxides. This process has the potential to become the capture method of choice for new natural gas fired power plants, as there will be minimal expense for carbon capture.
of the injection permit, we develop the physical and electronic infrastructure necessary for injection, and install the equipment necessary for monitoring the plume and pressure fields, and ensuring safe operating conditions. We can also provide the staff necessary to oversee operations and respond to emergency conditions requiring remedial measures as outlined in the injection permit.
EPA requires the implementation of a broad set of monitoring technologies to track the plume and pressure front. Broadly speaking, the monitoring technologies are divided into two categories: Direct and Indirect monitoring. Direct monitoring refers to actual measurements of the system state such as pressure, temperature, and geochemical composition. Indirect monitoring refers to a set of auxiliary data from which the location of the plume and the pressure front can be deduced. Examples of indirect method of pressure monitoring include satellite based Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR), which measures land deformation from which the pressure distribution in the injection zone can be estimated in addition to detecting leakage in caprock. An example of an indirect plume monitoring technology would be Croswell Seismic Profile.
selling CO2 to support enhanced oil recovery (EOR) operations in depleted oil fields. Injecting (miscible) CO2 in mature fields reduces the surface tension and viscosity of the trapped oil, thereby facilitating its release. CO2 that is produced in gaseous phase along with oil is re-injected in a feedback loop. Some of the CO2 remains trapped as storage and contributes to the sequestration goal.
Our hydraulics and hydrology team has decades of experience dealing with a wide variety of problems and issues involving flow and storage of water. We find creative solutions to prevent floods, mitigate droughts, supply water for municipalities and industries, manage and redirect rivers, design hydraulic structures, and protect/prudently develop our water resources. We utilize advanced analytical and software tools to investigate, understand, and model fundamental flow and transport processes in a wide variety of hydraulic and hydrologic settings. Our surface water group works closely with our hydrogeology group to conduct integrated studies for addressing problems in all phases of the hydrologic cycle: terrestrial, geologic, and atmospheric. Our suite of services in water resources engineering include:
