Technologies for Detection and Characterization of Legacy Wellbores: Carbon Storage

a. Technologies for Detection and Characterization of Legacy Wellbores: Carbon Storage Grant applications are sought that develop technologies to (1) detect legacy wellbores that lack a steel surface casing or (2) assess the integrity of legacy wells in which conventional logging tools cannot provide the needed information. New, innovative methods, tools or sensors are sought that can be used remotely, for example from an aerial platform, to locate within an area of review the legacy wells that would not be readily detected by visual/photographic inspection, lidar imagery analysis, or aero-magnetic survey signatures. New sensors, tools, methods or combinations thereof, that can characterize the hydraulic integrity of a wellbore out to the formation face at high resolution or through/around a plug, no matter the age or condition of the well, are also sought. These sensors, tools, and methods should help the user to assess the integrity of the wellbore and quantify integrity uncertainties. Uncertainties can include channels in the cement (or uneven cement placement), cement contamination, cement coverage less than documented or required, poor cement bonding to casing or formation, corrosion in casing, and plug quality. Grant applications must include a succinct discussion of the potential technical and economic advantages of the proposed technology, as compared to existing state-of-the-art systems. Questions Contact: Kyle Smith, kyle.smith@netl.doe.gov