Evaluating the potential of co-located non-petroleum energy resources in the Gulf Coast using play fairwayaAnalysis

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Abstract

Geological resources critical to the energy transition, such as sedimentary geothermal, carbon storage potential, and lithium in brines, commonly struggle for economic feasibility as stand-alone developments but can have greater viability when the potential for more than one of these resources exist within the same reservoir or stacked in different stratigraphic intervals. There may also be instances where development of one resource inhibits development of others and decisions need to be made on how to best prioritize the use of those resources in the subsurface.

Subsurface data sets were analyzed and integrated to evaluate the distribution of non-petroleum energy and related resources in the onshore and nearshore U.S. Gulf Coast. Temperature, pressure, brine composition (lithium content), and reservoir quality data for thirty-four depositional units have been compiled and visualized to high-grade areas where multiple resource opportunities likely coexist. For sedimentary geothermal, possible resource areas are defined as low potential (<90°C), moderate potential (90–150°C), and high potential (>150°C). For CO2 storage, high potential areas exhibit supercritical CO2 conditions less than 80% of the fracture gradient. Areas with pore pressure between 80% and 100% of the fracture gradient are considered to exhibit moderate potential and areas where the fracture gradient is equal to or greater than 100% are assigned low potential. Lithium resources in brines were defined by lithium concentrations as low potential (<100ppm), moderate potential (100-200ppm), or high potential (>200ppm). Reservoir quality affects the viability of all three of these resources and is evaluated using depositional environment maps of each unit. The resulting play fairway maps can be used for regional scale screening evaluations of these resources and to identify areas of interest where more detailed, prospect-scale studies can be undertaken.

Suggested Citation

Gardner, R., and Birdwell, J.E., 2025, Evaluating the potential of co-located non-petroleum energy resources in the Gulf Coast using play fairwayaAnalysis, in GeoGulf transactions, v. 74, no. 1, p. 99-110.

Study Area

Publication type Conference Paper
Publication Subtype Conference Paper
Title Evaluating the potential of co-located non-petroleum energy resources in the Gulf Coast using play fairwayaAnalysis
Volume 74
Issue 1
Year Published 2025
Language English
Publisher Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies
Contributing office(s) Central Energy Resources Science Center
Description 12 p.
Larger Work Type Book
Larger Work Subtype Conference publication
Larger Work Title GeoGulf transactions
First page 99
Last page 110
Country United States
Other Geospatial Gulf Coast
Additional publication details