A range of educational and communication activities have taken place to convey the key research findings and their implications for subsurface energy developments in the EU. A set of detailed talks, followed by discussion, have occurred, including webinars and online workshops. Topics ranged from the more technical to the more psychological and ethical.
This report compiles a series of five factsheets, each based on one principal risk posed by unconventional hydrocarbon extraction (UHE) activities, outlining a series of good practice recommendations based on (and linked to) the research completed in the SECURe programme of work. The report is complemented by deliverable report D6.8, which compiles a further four factsheets, with a focus on risks associated with CO2 storage activities.
This report compiles a series of four factsheets, each based on one principal risk posed by CO2 storage activities, outlining a series of good practice recommendations based on (and linked to) the research completed in the SECURe programme of work. The report is complemented by deliverable report D6.9, which compiles a further five factsheets, with a focus on risks associated with unconventional hydrocarbons activities.
This report:
SECURe mainly focused on four main domains that are of prime importance for risks associated with CCS and UHE:
There are three ways in which monitoring systems of geoenergy projects can be made more participatory: by changing the what, how and who in a participatory monitoring design.
A value-based approach is usedin this study to identify what local residents deem important about complex and large-scale geoenergy projects and what they would like to see monitored. We analysed which distributive, environmental and procedural values are at stake in four case studies (Netherlands, Norway, Poland and the UK). This report shows the overarching building blocks for designing participatory monitoring systems in order to better embed geo-energy projects in their societal context.
This report presents the software and data used for a training programme for researchers and students focusing on the analysis of induced seismicity. The training is done using the non-commercial software package, SeisAn, which has been revised during the SECURe project in order to improve the linking of handling of metadata to the parametric data catalogue. The data used for the training is typical of data collections one could expect to face during a monitoring programme for induced seismicity.
Dr Bagus Muljadi of the University of Nottingham narrates the second video produced as part of SECURe's knowledge exchange activities in WP6.
Dr Bagus Muljadi of the University of Nottingham narrates the first of two videos produced as part of SECURe's knowledge exchange activities in WP6.
Disseminating research to a wider audience and the organisation of training activities is an important part of scientific research. New opportunities and media can now be used in addition to more traditional means of dissemination, such as workshops. Here, the SECURe project has produced two videos to complement school curricula (for ages 15+) on the topic of environmental monitoring for shale gas/CCS operations.
This study outlines public perceptions of geothermal energy in the UK and Poland, and best practice in CCS public engagement. This work aims to understand perceptions of mine-water heat geothermal (MWHG) and CCS at a national UK scale using a survey, the results of which are statistically representative of the UK population. We used an informed survey approach in which a description of MWHG and its credible impacts is provided, given that existing knowledge of MWHG is likely to be very limited.
This report gives an overview of a workshop held 4 to 5 March in The Hague that introduced a framework for participatory monitoring and accompanying guidance on how the framework could be used in real practice.
This overview report of ethical and social issues associated with CO2 capture and storage (CCS) and with shale gas research and development is divided into two chapters that summarise the ethical and social issues raised in CCS and shale gas respectively, with comparison drawn out in the final chapter. This report improves the understanding of shale gas and CCS perceptions of stakeholders and local residents and is useful when considering how to communicate complex scientific and technical material with the public.
An increase in shale gas extraction in North America and the possibility of similar operations in Europe have raised public concern over potential environmental impacts. At the same time, carbon capture and storage (CCS) has been identified as a necessary part of climate action worldwide. Both operations utilise geological formations deep below ground.
This work package supports the development of commercial CCS and responsible exploitation of Europe’s shale gas reserves by testing and recommending strategies for engaging with stakeholders. This includes the dissemination of information to non-technical audiences, such as policymakers and citizens. It will also explore opportunities for participative monitoring of projects as an aspect of public engagement.
Our approach will draw together best-practice recommendations from the other work packages and share these with targeted groups of stakeholders, including project developers, policymakers, legislators and regulators, industry and early career researchers.
Good practices
SECURe has gathered unbiased, impartial scientific evidence for risk mitigation and monitoring for environmental protection to support subsurface geoenergy development. Our main research outputs underpin recommendations, which we have collated below as nine factsheets.
The risk framework developed by SECURe identified four principal hazards associated with geological carbon dioxide (CO2) storage (carbon capture and storage or CCS), and five associated with unconventional hydrocarbons extraction (UHE).
Our recommendations seek to provide a pragmatic and reasonable response to these concerns: they can be used to inform site development and management strategies from the perspective of multiple stakeholders:
Each headline recommendation is underpinned by project technical reports.
The project employed the 'bowtie' risk assessment approach, which identifies a series of barriers that prevent a principal hazard (‘top event’) from occurring. Each factsheet addresses a single top event that can occur if control of a hazard is lost and provides recommendations to help mitigate them.
The top events were identified through a literature review of hazards, threats, consequences and barriers associated with CO2 storage. The recommendations can be considered to inform preventative (e.g. a limit on operations) or mitigative (e.g. a technical measure that limits the chain of consequence arising from the top event) strategies for risk management.
Participatory monitoring formed a key part of SECURe’s research. The value of participatory monitoring approaches was captured and embedded within each bowtie risk assessment. Because participatory monitoring is relevant to the management of many aspects of the top events, we have created an overview participatory monitoring factsheet detailing our recommendations in this area.
Detailed recognition of the storage reservoir and confinement needs to be established, including identification of all existing faults in the possible injection operations’ influenced zone (see SECURe reports D3.7 and D3.8). A cost-effective and timely environmental baseline should always be established prior to any CCS activities commencing, supported by early site appraisals. Monitoring programmes demonstrate to stakeholders that sites are evolving as expected, or deviations in behaviour can identify anomalies.
Methodologies that can attribute the source of CO2 will also be needed. The baseline defines the environmental conditions prior to CCS activities and needs to account for natural and external anthropogenic temporal variation. Therefore, the use of continuous sampling methodologies for at least one year prior to the start of operations is recommended (D3.6).
In onshore storage operations, the sampling network for environmental baseline monitoring, ongoing monitoring throughout operation and post-operation monitoring should ensure that sampling is undertaken in all major hydrogeological units at suitable depths to protect groundwater from potential contamination. Existing relevant boreholes should be utilised and bespoke boreholes drilled where necessary.
Factsheets
Factsheet 1 [CCS]Release of CO2 at pressure from a well during injection Factsheet 2 [CCS]
Release of CO2/formation waters from the storage complex through wells Factsheet 3 [CCS]
Release of CO2 /formation waters from primary storage reservoirs through geological formations/discontinuities Factsheet 4 [CCS]
Induced/triggerred seismicity or aseismic earth movement associated with CO2 injection Factsheet 5 [UHE]
Release of natural gas from well during exploration, production and after closure Factsheet 6 [UHE]
Release of natural gas from shale production zone Factsheet 7 [UHE]
Release of hydraulic fracturing fluid or flowback waters under pressure during, between and following hydraulic fracturing Factsheet 8 [UHE]
Release of hydraulic fracturing/flowback or formation fluids from the shale production zone Factsheet 9 [UHE]
Induced/triggerred seismicity or aseismic earth movement associated with hydraulic fracturing