CO2 Surface Monitoring

Eric Price
LI-COR Biosciences
June 12, 2015

Who We Are

LI-COR Biosciences
Scientific instrumentation manufacturer

What We Do

CO2 Surface Monitoring

Leaks from CO2 storage?

Why Surface Monitoring?

Demonstrate that carbon storage is a viable

permanent sequestration option
Track migration over time for validation and
calibration of model predictions and monitoring
tools
Assure the public that human health and the
environment are high priorities
Establish pre-injection baseline conditions
Refine early warning tools of storage leaks and diagnosis

of possible leak causes

Surface Monitoring Methods

Atmospheric

CO2 Mapping

Surface Flux

Atmospheric Measurements

Air flow can be imagined as a horizontal flow of

numerous rotating eddies of various sizes
Each eddy has 3D components
Each eddy is carrying a certain amount of
molecules of C02 and other gases

Eddy Covariance Method

Micrometeorological technique to measure

vertical turbulent flux of CO2 and other gases
Nearly direct measurement, proven method
Requires a number of mathematical
corrections and careful system design, but
provides year-round continuous data with
little maintenance and automated data
processing

Instrumentation
CO2/H2O Analyzers

LI-7500A
Open-Path

LI-7200
Enclosed

Sonic Anemometer

Instrumentation

Gas analyzer(s) and sonic

anemometer mounted on
tower or tripod
Measurement footprint is
100x height of analyzers
Ancillary measurements
add explanatory power and
can improve calculations

Eddy Covariance Method

Surface Flux

Accumulation Chamber Method

Accumulation Chamber Method

Instrumentation

LI-8100A Automated Soil CO2 Flux System

Spatial Sampling

Temporal Sampling

Spatial and Temporal Sampling

Requirements for a Good Measurement

FCO2 (CO2soil - CO2chamber) + mass flow

CO2soil not disturbed

Pbench ~ Pambient
CO2chamber = CO2air
Pchamber = Pambient
Good mixing
No disturbance to soil moisture,
temperature, or radiation

Illustration credit: Richard Esposito, Southern Company

CO2 Surface Mapping

Instrumentation

Surface Sampling Methods

500 ppm
450
400

Surface Monitoring Methods

Atmospheric Flux
Large scale (km)
Continuous monitoring

Surface Flux
Small scale (m)
Continuous monitoring

CO2 Mapping
Medium scale (m)

Non-continuous

Conclusions

Surface CO2 measurements can be an

important part of an MVA protocol
A baseline understanding of the ecosystem
CO2 flux is essential for any type of leak
detection
A combination of diurnal and spatial
measurements can answer the background
questions quickly and effectively
Public perception is key

Resources at www.licor.com/env

Carbon Sequestration

Surface Monitoring for Carbon Sequestration

http://www.licor.com/env/pdf/soil_flux/secarb.pdf

Mapping CO2 Concentrations and Fluxes

http://www.licor.com/env/pdf/soil_flux/ccs2013.pdf

Carbon Sequestration Pilot Studies

http://www.licor.com/env/applications/carbon_sequestration.html

http://www.licor.com/env/pdf/soil_flux/MappingCO2_with_LI8100A.pdf

Measuring High Flux Rates with the LI-8100A

http://www.licor.com/env/pdf/soil_flux/High_CO2_Note.pdf

Resources at www.licor.com/env

Eddy Covariance book

Webinars
LI-8100A Soil CO2 Flux
System manual
LI-COR Science and
Support Team
(envsupport@licor.com)