Developing a Data Management System for the Aquistore CO2 Storage Monitoring Program

Projects involving the injection of carbon dioxide (CO₂) for geological storage require implementation of monitoring, verification and accounting (MVA) plans to ensure long-term containment of CO₂ in a way that minimizes risks to the environment, natural resources, and human health.

Experience to date indicates that a variety of monitoring methodologies are likely to be used for any particular project, potentially incorporating atmospheric, near-surface and subsurface techniques. The aim of monitoring is to track, visualize, and verify the presence and movement of the CO₂ in the subsurface, and secondarily, to provide assurance that there are no shallow or environmental impacts of CO₂ injection. Monitoring will commence prior to the start up of a project to assess baseline conditions, and continue for a potentially significant period after injection has been completed.

Data from monitoring may be captured in a variety of ways, for example continuously from sensors, or through regular sampling and testing programs. In addition to the data collected from monitoring programs, CO₂ storage projects also collect operational data, for example on quantities and qualities of injected gas. Therefore, operators must manage and analyse large complex datasets on a daily basis over long project timescales.

An opportunity arose for SGS to develop a data management system capable of handling and manipulating the broad range of monitoring and operational data resulting from an active CO₂ injection project.  Aquistore is an independent research and monitoring project managed by the Regina, Saskatchewan based Petroleum Technology Research Centre. Aquistore is Canada’s first deep saline CO₂ storage project. CO₂ injection began in April 2015 and Aquistore is receiving CO₂ from SaskPower’s Boundary Dam Integrated CCS Project, for which it provides research, monitoring, and buffer storage protection. SGS has worked in association with the Aquistore project to develop a data management system. SGS E-Data utilises state of the art software, specifically designed to work with environmental data, with integrated database functionality and the central storage of data. The system can also interface with a range of 3rd party data analysis and visualisation tools, including GIS.

The SGS E-Data system has been utilised for many environmental data monitoring projects in the past, but CCS projects offer unique challenges in the array and types of data collected. The system for Aquistore is currently being developed to incorporate the full range of metrics for a variety of monitoring technologies.

A key benefit of implementing SGS E-Data for the Aquistore project will be to provide improved data integrity, transparency and accessibility, allowing data to be shared easily between relevant parties. SGS E-Data allows for the direct input and output of data, including a series of automatic QC data checks, leading to an overall improvement in data accuracy by reducing potential human error during the data transfer process. By centralising the data input and collation for any future works, more sophisticated data analysis will be achievable, which will lead to an improved technical understanding, whilst maintaining comprehensive QA/QC procedures.

The accompanying SGS E-Data web-based portal provides a platform that facilitates the need for visual representations of existing data and a range of reporting output options without high infrastructure costs. All data stored within SGS E-Data can be displayed interactively in the web-based portal, where users are able to easily track results, share data analysis outputs, and communicate with all project stakeholders.

The exact layout of the web dashboard will be configured in accordance with the defined reporting requirements of the Aquistore project. Typical outputs that can be added to the dashboard include data displayed in time-series charts, maps with a data overlay, maps with exceedences identified, real-time data from in-field data loggers and a variety of data and statistical reports for download. The flexibility of the system is beneficial in enabling effective analysis of multiple metrics within a single dashboard.

The E-Data system allows thresholds to be set up for different parameters so that the project team is immediately alerted when a threshold is exceeded. This enables timely action to be taken to manage potential incidents, which has particular value as an early alert system in a CO₂ storage monitoring program.

The implementation of the E-Data System in Aquistore is ongoing, with evaluations and assessment of the system expected in 2015.