Geological Reservoir Characterization of a CO sub(2) Storage Site: the Utsira Sand, Sleipner, Northern North Sea

The first industrial-scale carbon dioxide storage operation has been operating since 1996 at the Sleipner field in the North Sea. The gas is being injected at a depth of about 1000 m into the Utsira Sand, a regional saline aquifer, and over 5 Mt of CO sub(2) have been injected to date, with a projected final target of about 20 Mt. Regional mapping and petrophysical profiling of the reservoir are based on two-dimensional and seismic data and enable gross storage potential to be assessed. Three-dimensional seismic coverage augmented by downhole samples are required for specific site characterization.