Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) or Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) is the process of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrial emitting sources before it enters the atmosphere and storing it permanently or at least for a lengthy period of time. The main intent of CCUS is to prevent the release in atmosphere of industry generated CO2 , a greenhouse gas that added to the atmosphere’s natural CO2 content may have a detrimental effect on planet’s climate and humanity’s quality of life.

Seismic data currently used for hydrocarbon exploration, and especially the 3D and dense 2D coverage, can depict the subsurface in sufficient detail for assuring the integrity of a CCUS project. For financial reasons, CCUS requires a 100% drilling success rate.

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The two key issues to consider during seismic interpretation are:

1. Ensuring trap integrity. This includes a) verifying caprock presence with strong sealing properties, b) evaluating the risk of small and sub-seismic faults and fractures in the caprock, and c) confirming long-term fault sealing and inactivity in case they have a role in defining the trap (lack of recent tectonism).
Z-Terra North proprietary software toolkit offers all the geophysical products that will
confirm trap integrity

2. Confirming presence and extent of reservoir rock formation with adequate porosity and permeability or defining a large volume for natural or induced salt cavern. In case that injection is to be done in a produced oil and gas reservoir, the risk of leakage from old wells should be evaluated.