Geophysical Monitoring As a Means to Carbon Capture and Storage and the Energy Transition

Geophysics and the Energy Transition involves four sections: What is the Energy Transition and why storage so important; selecting sites for storage; advanced monitoring technology; and moving forward to integrating Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) within the Energy Transition. Geophysics will also play a role in finding and developing alternatives to fossil fuels such as natural hydrogen and geothermal using much of the knowledge gained from the CO2 storage industry. To provide the public and others with the confidence to move forward with a structured and cost-effective energy transition, this book provides the necessary evidence that we can store CO2 safely and effectively and use this as a significant component of the energy transition. We can also find and store new energy sources.

Geophysics and the Energy Transition is written by experts in the field who have practiced the science and engineering associated with the subsurface for years. CCS is an integral component of the new energy transition but the application of Geophysics in the future will extend well beyond CCS if we are going to transition successfully to a carbon neutral environment. Science, engineering, and technology applications are important for site selection, characterization and monitoring to assure safe storage in the subsurface and energy sustainability in the future. 

• Presents an overview of the available technology, along with specific applications and scenarios in which to use the technology
• Features case studies to provide practical applications for those geoscientists and engineers in the energy industry
• Includes an overview to provide context for the energy transition

Malcolm was the Director of the Office of Energy and Environment at the University of Regina from 2000 - 2010, prior to which he worked for Saskatchewan Energy and Mines for twenty years. He was instrumental in the creation of the IEAGHG Weyburn-Midale CO2 Monitoring and Storage Project, a world recognised CO2 storage research project, including editing the final report of phase one. In the fall of 2012, another PTRC project was responsible for an historic event, the drilling of the deepest well in Saskatchewan’s history: 3396 metres. Malcolm was a member of Working Group III of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the scientific team awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Al Gore, and for which Malcolm was a lead author on the IPCC Special Report on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage. He also founded the Prairie Adaptation Research Collaborative (PARC), serving as its first head.



In 2009, Malcolm was awarded the University of Saskatchewan Alumni Award of Achievement for outstanding contributions to profession, community and the University of Saskatchewan. In the same year, Saskatchewan Business Magazine named him one of Saskatchewan's ten most influential men. In 2013 he was recognised as one of five influential people in the Province’s oil industry. He was the joint winner of the 2006 Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Synergy Award for his work with ITC.



Malcolm has numerous publications to his credit, including co-editing the book Geophysics and Geosequestration (Cambridge University Press).

Thomas L. Davis, PhD, is a University Professor Emeritus at the Colorado School of Mines and founded the Reservoir Characterization Project (RCP), an industry funded consortium now in its 35th year. RCP received the Distinguished Achievement Award from the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) in 2014. He is active member in SEG as an organizer for technical conferences, workshops and continuing education programs and has served as SEG’s Second Vice President, Technical Program Chairman, and Distinguished Lecturer. He received the C.J. Mackenzie Award from the Engineering College of the University of Saskatchewan, the Milton B. Dobrin Award from the University of Houston, and the Dean’s Excellence and Melvin F. Coolbaugh Memorial Awards from the Colorado School of Mines.

Martin Landro is a professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). He has worked as a research geophysicist and manager in petroleum research (IKU Petroleum Research) and also within Statoil’s (now Equinor) research centre in Trondheim, Norway. Some of his prestigious awards include the Norman Falcon award, the Louis Cagniard award, and the Conrad Schlumberger award from the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers. He has also received the Norwegian Geophysical Award, Statoil’s Research Prize, the SINTEF award for outstanding pedagogical activity, the ENI Award (New Frontiers in Hydrocarbons) and the IOR Award from the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate. His research interests include seismic inversion, marine seismic acquisition and 4D/4C seismic surveys.