CO2 Storage Site Screening on the Continental Shelf of South Korea Using Common Risk Segment Mapping

This study evaluates CO2 storage potential on the continental shelf of Korea using Common Risk Segment (CRS) analysis. Utilizing 2D multi-channel seismic data acquired from the Gunsan and Ulleung Basins, the research interprets subsurface geological features with Schlumberger’s Petrel software. CRS analysis, originally used in oil and gas exploration, assesses key criteria such as capacity, injectivity, and containment, with different sub-elements considered based on data confidence levels.

The Gunsan Basin’s Early Miocene formation contains three promising sites (SA1, SA2, SA3), with SA1 identified as the most favorable, offering 420 MtCO2 (P50 value) in storage potential. The Ulleung Basin’s Middle to Late Miocene formation features six potential sites, with MM/LM50-SA1 and LM60-SA1 emerging as the most suitable, possessing 2,053 MtCO₂ and 2,352 MtCO2 in prospective storage capacity.

Our study identifies South Korea’s offshore basins as promising CO2 storage sites and establishes a framework for evaluating and selecting offshore CO2 storage potential, supporting South Korea’s carbon neutrality goals.