Lessons Learned: The First In-Situ Laboratory Fault Injection Test

[enter Abstract Body]The CSIRO In-Situ Laboratory has been a world first injection of CO2 into large faulted zone at depth. A total 38 tonnes was injected the F10 fault approximately 330 m depth and process monitored in detail. The site uses well, Harvey-2, SW Western Australia (the South West Hub CCS Project area). top 400 section Harvey-2 available for instrumentation. An observation ISL OB-1 (400 depth) drilled 7 to north east Harvey-2. well cased with fibreglass provide greater monitoring options. designed integrate existing facilities infrastructure from managed by Australian Department Mines, Industry Regulation Safety. While new equipment deployed this specific project, were complemented range mobile deployable National Geosequestration (NGL). The geology area investigated poses interesting challenges: (F10) is estimated have up 1000 throw overall, presence packages paleosols rather than contiguous mudstone seal, 1500 vertical thickness Triassic sandstone as potential commercial storage interval. This unique provides abundant opportunities testing more challenging geological environments carbon other sites. While details project are described elsewhere, lessons learned during development execution project. rigorous risk register developed manage risk, but not all events encountered foreseen. paper describes some challenges team’s response. Relocation due changes landholder ownership) sensitivities resulted need rapid replanning activities short notice resulting relocation allowed research questions be addressed through activities, such ability consider shallow/controlled release experiment an extensive zone, did cause timing stress. test reconfigured address those knowledge gaps that experiments had yet address. Novel approaches drilling completing also threw unanticipated difficulties. Loss containment wellbore posed significant challenges, response unintended gas water conclusion field will discussed. Other we encountered, their impacts, our catalogued here (Table 1 below) enable broad exchange.