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Research Article

Analysis of Surface Displacement Time-Series Obtained in the SACROC Oil Field during CO2-EOR Using PSInSAR

PSInSAR를 이용한 CO2-EOR이 적용된 SACROC 유전의 시계열 지표변위 분석

Junbeom Park1
,
Hyangsun Han2*
,
Taewook Kim3
박 준범1
,
한 향선2*
,
김 태욱3
1Master Student, Interdisciplinary Program in Earth Environmental System Science & Engineering, Kangwon National University
2Associate Professor, Department of Geophysics, Kangwon National University
3Ph.D. Student, Interdisciplinary Program in Earth Environmental System Science & Engineering, Kangwon National University
1강원대학교 지구환경시스템융합학과 석사과정
2강원대학교 지구물리학과 부교수
3강원대학교 지구환경시스템융합학과 박사과정
*Corresponding Author
30 June 2025. pp. 283-294
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Abstract

Carbon dioxide-enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR) is a promising carbon capture and storage (CCS) technique that can simultaneously improve oil productivity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, large-scale injection of CO2 into subsurface reservoirs during CO2-EOR can induce surface displacement, potentially affecting the stability of CCS operations and surface infrastructure; therefore, precise monitoring of surface displacement in oil fields where CO2-EOR is used is essential. We applied persistent scatterer interferometric synthetic aperture radar (PSInSAR), a time-series InSAR technique, to Sentinel-1 SAR data acquired from October 2016 to June 2024 to monitor surface displacement and investigate the cause of displacement at the Snyder Area Canyon Reef Operating Committee (SACROC) oil field in Texas, United States, where CO2-EOR is being implemented. In the northern and northeastern parts of the oil field, localized uplift with line of sight (LOS) displacement velocities of up to 4.9 mm/yr and subsidence of up to 4.7 mm/yr in LOS were observed. These displacement velocities are likely due to imbalances between CO2 injection and oil extraction. In the central region of the oil field, the LOS displacement velocities remained less than ±1 mm/yr, suggesting a relative equilibrium between CO2 injection and oil extraction. In the nearby city of Snyder, minimal LOS displacement velocities (less than ±0.5 mm/yr) were observed, indicating stable ground conditions. This study demonstrates that PSInSAR can be used to effectively assess the stability and optimize the CCS operatons involving CO2-EOR.

Keywords
CO2-EOR
oil field
surface displacement
synthetic aperture radar
persistent scatterer interferometric SAR

이산화탄소 주입을 통한 원유 회수 증진(carbon dioxide-enhanced oil recovery, CO2-EOR)은 원유 생산성과 온실가스 감축을 동시에 달성할 수 있는 유망한 탄소 포집 및 저장(carbon capture and storage, CCS) 기술로 각광받고 있다. CO2-EOR을 적용할 때, 이산화탄소를 저류층에 대량 주입할 경우 지표 변형이 유발될 수 있으며, 이는 CCS의 안정성뿐만 아니라 지상의 다양한 인프라에도 위험을 초래할 수 있다. 따라서 CO2-EOR이 적용된 유전 지역의 정밀한 지표변위 모니터링이 필수적이다. 이 연구에서는 CO2-EOR 방식으로 원유를 생산하는 미국 텍사스 주의 Snyder Area Canyon Reef Operating Committee(SACROC) 유전을 대상으로 2016년 10월부터 2024년 6월까지 획득된 Sentinel-1 합성구경레이더(synthetic aperture radar, SAR) 자료에 시계열 레이더 간섭기법 중 하나인 고정산란체 간섭기법(persistent scatterer interferometric SAR, PSInSAR)을 적용하여 레이더 관측 방향(line of sight, LOS)의 지표변위를 관측하고, 변위의 발생 기작을 해석하였다. 유전의 북부 및 북동부 지역에서는 이산화탄소의 주입 및 원유 생산의 상대적 불균형에 기인하는 것으로 추정되는 국지적인 지표변위가 관측되었으며, 레이더 관측 방향에서 최대 4.9 mm/yr의 지반 융기와 최대 4.7 mm/yr의 침하가 확인되었다. 유전의 중부 지역에서는 LOS 변위속도가 ±1 mm/yr 이내로 작았으며, 이산화탄소 주입과 원유 생산에 의한 지표변위의 평형이 상대적으로 유지되고 있음을 추정할 수 있었다. 유전에 인접한 도시인 Snyder에서는 ±0.5 mm/yr 이내의 매우 작은 LOS 변위속도가 관측되어 지반이 안정적임을 확인하였다. 이 연구는 이산화탄소 주입과 원유 생산이 병행되는 지역에서 PSInSAR 기법이 CCS의 안정성 평가와 운영 최적화에 효율적으로 활용될 수 있음을 보여주었다.

키워드
CO2-EOR
유전
지표변위
합성구경레이더
고정산란체 간섭기법
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Information
  • Publisher :Korean Society of Engineering Geology
  • Publisher(Ko) :대한지질공학회
  • Journal Title :The Journal of Engineering Geology
  • Journal Title(Ko) :지질공학
  • Volume : 35
  • No :2
  • Pages :283-294
  • Received Date : 2025-06-12
  • Revised Date : 2025-06-25
  • Accepted Date : 2025-06-25
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.9720/kseg.2025.2.283
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