Kansas Geological Survey experimenting with new technique for sequestering CO2

The Kansas Geological Survey, based at the University of Kansas, will use a $1.5 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy to test a technique that could cast light on the potential for sequestering carbon dioxide in the deep subsurface of south-central and southwestern Kansas.

The researchers will use a new tool, called volumetric curvature, to analyze data from seismic reflection, a technique commonly used in oil exploration to create images of underground rocks without the necessity of drilling.

If successful, the seismic data analysis tool would provide a cost-effective way to assess geologic CO₂ storage capacity and lead to a better understanding of the underground movement of CO₂ in the Arbuckle and other deep saline aquifers.