Atomized inversion of 4D gravity data for risk management of CO2 leakage

ABSTRACT A new approach for monitoring CO₂ storage sites and assessing leakage patterns through inversion of time-lapse gravity data was proposed. The focus was on leakage scenarios involving permeable faults and the formation of secondary plumes at shallow depths. The methodology is based on the concept of extremely compact sources, which provides a subsurface representation in terms of atomized sources. This framework enables the successful determination of plume locations, net mass changes, and CO₂ leakage rates. A case study using realistic multiphase simulations demonstrates the effectiveness of the method for reservoir management, including forecasting, operational planning, and safe management of the injection and postinjection phases.