Wellbore Integrity

Wellbore Integrity Overview:

Wellbore integrity addresses the need to construct and assess wellbores to ensure safe and reliable injection operations, as well as long-term containment of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the storage complex. The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is supporting research to provide a better understanding of factors which impact wellbore integrity and improved methods for assessing integrity over the life of a storage project.

Wellbore Integrity research focuses on technologies to develop:

• Improved systems for detection and remediation of CO₂ leakage from wells and near-by natural pathways.
•  Advanced well construction materials for long-term wellbore integrity.
• Autonomous completions for long-term assessment of well-bore integrity issues.
• Advanced tools to ensure wellbore integrity in complex geologic settings.
• Novel well-completion techniques to increase reservoir injectivity without compromising containment.

This includes the development of lower-cost tools with higher resolution, such as advanced seismic and tracer technologies for leak identification, and novel methods, such as "self-healing" or externally activated cements, nanocomposites, and other materials, for permanent mitigation of release pathways.