Controlled Release Test Facility to Develop Environmental Monitoring Techniques for Geologically Stored CO₂ in Korea

Two sets of controlled release test facility (EIT) were constructed in unsaturated and saturated zones by the Korea CO₂ Storage Environmental Management (K-COSEM) Research Center to develop efficient and accurate environmental monitoring techniques required for secure geologic carbon storage. The unsaturated zone EIT consists of a 51 m long horizontal well for artificial CO₂ leakage at the depth of 2.5 m below the land surface, a surface injection control system, and diverse monitoring devices. Following baseline surveys, a preliminary CO₂ release test was first performed for 4 days in October 2015, with the released amount of about 390 kg CO₂. The saturated zone EIT to develop efficient monitoring techniques in intermediate depths was constructed in the end of 2015. It consists of an injection well at the depth of 24 m and 8 multi-level monitoring wells. In 2016, long-term CO₂ release tests using EITs have been performed. The outlines of EITs of K-COSEM are summarized in this paper.