CO2 storage and utilization in tight hydrocarbon-bearing formations: a case study of the Bakken Formation in the Williston Basin

Little work has been done to examine the ability of tight hydrocarbon-bearing formations to serve as targets for CO2 storage and utilization. The Bakken Formation is one of the largest tight oil formations in North America. Laboratory experiments using Bakken rocks and fluids, evaluation of reservoir characterization data, and geomodeling activities were conducted to understand the potential for CO2 utilization and storage in tight oil formations. Results suggest that tight oil formations may serve as targets for geologic storage of CO2 and that the injection of CO2 may be effective in enhancing the productivity of oil from those formations. (C) 2014 Energy & Environmental Research Center, University of North Dakota. Published by Elsevier Limited. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).