Site-Scale Evaluation of Geologic Carbon Storage at the Matagorda Island Leasing Area, Offshore Texas

Geologic carbon storage is undergoing rapid commercialization with many projects planned or in the early stages of construction and/or permitting. The Gulf of Mexico is widely recognized as a promising geographic region for carbon storage because the geology is well characterized from oil and gas exploration and there are several metro areas such as Corpus Christi and Victoria along the Texas coast which are principal sites for refineries, petrochemicals, and LNG production. Additionally, two major growth faults in this region, the Corsair and Clemente-Tomas Faults, run parallel to the Texas coast and create structural trapping opportunities for CO 2 storage. As part of the SEG EVOLVE Carbon Solutions program, this study develops a site-scale evaluation of the Miocene sands within the Matagorda Island region, offshore Texas. This study builds a reservoir model based on 3D seismic data, completes static and dynamic modeling to assess reservoir storage capacity, and develops a cost estimate for long-term storage. This study utilizes 3D seismic reflection data combined with well-log data to identify potential reservoir and sealing units within Miocene age formations as well as major structural features such as the Corsair and Clemente-Thomas faults. Key formations are exported from the seismic to construct a static geomodel to assess potential storage volumes and property distributions. Dynamic simulations are run to assess the trapping characteristics of the saline reservoirs for CCS potential. Results from 3D seismic mapping demonstrate the extensive lateral distribution of potential high quality reservoir units within Miocene saline aquifers. Additionally, the Corsair and Clemente-Thomas faults create structural traps that are likely capable of storing millions of tonnes of CO 2 . Simulation results combined with economic projections provide evidence that Matagorda Island is capable of hosting a hub-scale CCS project, resulting in a positive project revenue under current tax credit systems. While many CCS projects are