LSU Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Studies Impact of CO2 Storage on Groundwater
December 11, 2023
BATON ROUGE, LA – LSU Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Frank Tsai was recently awarded a $489,848 Experimental Research grant from the LSU Institute for Energy Innovation to study the potential impact of carbon dioxide (CO2) storage in Louisiana’s porous rocks on drinking water, water supplies, and the environment. Tsai, who is the director of the Louisiana Water Resources Research Institute, is working with a research team to uncover any hidden dangers.
“Louisiana’s geology, formed by fluvial-deltaic sedimentation over millions of years, introduces complexities such as faulting and shale layer discontinuity, which could create pathways for CO2 escaping to drinking water aquifers,” Tsai said. “Additionally, CO2 injection may induce artificial earthquakes and raise geopressure, potentially leading to ground-elevation changes.”
Tsai’s project proposes four modules. Module one, “Characterizing Geology and Groundwater,” entails analyzing well logs and conducting groundwater-flow simulation around injection sites.
“This will provide valuable information about aquifer and shale extents and identify potential fault planes,” Tsai said.
LSU CEE Professors Christopher Kees and Ahmed Abdalla are co-principal investigators on module two, “Simulating CO2 Transport,” which aims to simulate fate and transport of supercritical CO2 in the subsurface. They are also co-PIs on module four, “Monitoring Ground-Elevation Changes,” which will utilize Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) approaches to assess spatiotemporal ground deformation, respectively.
Another co-PI on the project is LSU Renewable Natural Resources Professor Yi-Jun Xu, who will conduct module three, “Monitoring CO2 Concentrations,” which will monitor CO2 concentrations in groundwater and surface water and differentiate between naturally occurring deposits and underground leakage sources.
Tsai’s project will collaborate with Air Products and Chemicals Inc., a world-leading hydrogen supplier, to conduct research at its CO2 permanent sequestration sites beneath Lake Maurepas in southeastern Louisiana. Tsai’s team will conduct independent research, utilizing available data while also incorporating Air Products’ data, which will include a Lake Maurepas seismic survey, Class V stratigraphic test wells, and lake water data. The research findings will be shared with Air Products and state regulatory and permitting agencies, such as the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.
Additionally, the project will communicate its results to the public through platforms like the Annual Louisiana Water Conference, workshops hosted by the LSU Institute for Energy Innovation, and professional conferences.
“By undertaking this comprehensive study, the project will provide crucial insights into the potential risks and benefits of CO2 storage in Louisiana’s geological formations, ensuring the safety of drinking water supplies and protecting the environment,” Tsai said.
Like us on Facebook (@lsuengineering) or follow us on Twitter and Instagram (@lsuengineering).
###
Contact: Libby Haydel
Communications Manager
225-578-4840
ehaydel1@lsu.edu
Latest College of Engineering News
- LSU Electrical, Computer Engineering Seniors Design Virtual Lab for Remote ExperimentsMay 13, 2024BATON ROUGE, LA - As part of their senior capstone project, four LSU Electrical and Computer Engineering seniors designed a virtual lab that will allow LSU Mechanical Engineering students to conduct pipe-flow experiments from a remote location. The project's sponsor, LSU Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department Chair and Professor Dimitris Nikitopoulos, thought of the project when students were stuck at home during the pandemic. The group's efforts are funded by Chevron.
- Mechanical Engineering Seniors Design Equipment for B-52s at Barksdale AFBMay 10, 2024BATON ROUGE, LA - As part of their senior capstone project, six LSU Mechanical Engineering seniors have been working with Barksdale Airforce Base in Bossier City, La., to design an apparatus that will enable airmen to more easily work on or change out the engines on their B-52 bombers. Considering Barksdale AFB houses 26 B-52s, and each B-52 has eight engines, the students' design should definitely come in handy.
- College of Engineering Honors Five at Evening of Engineering Excellence EventMay 8, 2024BATON ROUGE, LA - The LSU College of Engineering recently held its first Evening of Engineering Excellence event on April 25, inducting several new members into its Society for Engineering Excellence and Hall of Distinction.
- LSU Mechanical Engineering Instructor Creates ASPIRE Course for EducatorsMay 7, 2024BATON ROUGE, LA - Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's...a drone. Drones are literally taking off and LSU Mechanical Engineering Senior Instructor Andrew Becnel wants students to keep up. Becnel, who is a graduate of LSU's Mechanical Engineering program and has a master's degree and Ph.D. in aerospace engineering from the University of Maryland, understands the importance of drone technology, especially in Louisiana.
- LSU Research Team Working to Increase Supply of Affordable, Resilient Housing in High-Risk AreasMay 6, 2024BATON ROUGE, LA - With hurricane season around the corner, a team of LSU researchers is exploring the feasibility of FORTIFIED® elevated manufactured homes as a solution for lower- and middle-income residents in high-risk areas. The outcomes of the project have the potential to enhance housing supply significantly, particularly in areas prone to natural disasters, offer greater safety to residents, and reduce burden on the National Flood Insurance Program and other disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief endeavors.
- LSU Names Vicki Colvin New Dean of the College of EngineeringMay 6, 2024LSU has named Baton Rouge native Vicki Colvin the dean of the College of Engineering, effective August 1, pending approval by the LSU Board of Supervisors.