Geochemical monitoring using noble gases and carbon isotopes : study of a natural reservoir

To limit emissions of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, CO2 geological sequestration appears as a solution in the fight against climate change. <br />The development of reliable monitoring tools to ensure the sustainability and the safety of geological storage is a prerequisite for the implementation of such sites. <br />In this framework, a geochemical method using noble gas and carbon isotopes geochemistry has been tested on natural and industrial analogues.<br /><br />The study of natural analogues from different geological settings showed systematic behaviours of the geochemical parameters, depending on the containment sites, and proving the effectiveness of these tools in terms of leak detection and as tracers of the behaviour of CO2.<br /> <br />Moreover, an experience of geochemical tracing on a natural gas storage has demonstrated that it is possible to identify the physical-chemical processes taking place in the reservoir to a human time scale, increasing interest in the proposed tool and providing general informations on its use.