Marte Gutierrez

Title : Geo-Sequestration of CO2

Abstract:

The majority of anthropogenic CO₂ released in the atmosphere comes from the use of fossil fuels that are extracted from deep underground reservoirs. So, it is natural to consider capturing and bringing CO₂ as the by-product of burning fossil fuels back where they came from - in deep geo-sequestration reservoirs, particularly existing or abandoned oil and gas fields, and saline aquifers. This is the essence of CO₂ Geo-Sequestration (or CO₂ GS). The presentation will give a complete overview of the scientific and engineering background, and the current state of CO₂ Geo-Sequestration, and the challenges it poses. The need for CO₂ GS is highlighted, and the key concepts and technology, and the risks behind it are discussed. Suitable CO₂ GS reservoirs in North America and Europe, including ongoing research and field test sites, will be identified. The presentation also covers improving the economics of CO₂ GS by finding usage for the CO₂ such in Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR). The presenter’s research efforts in a) computer simulation, b) risk assessment, and c) MVA (measurement, verification, and accounting) as applied to CO₂ GS are reviewed.

Biography:

Dr. Marte Gutierrez is the James R. Paden Distinguished Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Colorado School of Mines. He has held visiting professorships in China, Chile, France, Japan, Norway, South Korea, and UAE.  He has published more than 350 publications. He is a member of the Editorial Board of six International Journals and is the recipient of the Geotechnical Research Medal from UK’s Institute of Civil Engineers, and the Rock Mechanics Research Award and the Applied Rock Mechanics Research Award both from the American Rock Mechanics Association. Dr. Gutierrez’s main research interests are in Geomechanics, and Energy and Environmental Sustainability.