Spatial stochastic modeling of sedimentary formations to assess CO2 storage potential: A case study for the Pennsylvania part of the Appalachian Basin

There is a need to make more refined estimates of the distribution of storage resources and begin to identify viable storage capacity in the Appalachian basin. The goals of this study areas follows. (1) Build a regional geomodel for the Low Devonian Oriskany formation of the Appalachian Basin. (2) Develop a spatial stochastic tool to construct a detailed geostatistical formation model, which accounts for spatial parameter distribution. (3) Use the geomodel and spatial stochastic approach to probabilistically quantify the storage resource for the Pennsylvania part of the Oriskany formation. (4) Reduce uncertainty in estimates. The regional Oriskany geomodel is built using depth to top and thickness from 2,162 development wells, neutron porosity logs from 148 wells, and temperature and pressure measurements from 3,149 and 1,486 wells. The detailed Oriskany model integrates existing geologic and engineering data with spatial stochastic approach. This model helps to understand spatial variability of reservoir parameters, as well as relationship between these parameters critical to modeling sequestration resource.