REACTIVE MULTIPHASE BEHAVIOR OF CO2 IN SALINE AQUIFERS BENEATH THE COLORADO PLATEAU

Field and laboratory investigations of naturally occurring CO{sub 2}-reservoirs are being conducted to determine the characteristics of potential seal and reservoir units and the extent of the interactions that occur between the host rocks and the CO{sub 2} charged fluids. Efforts have focused on the Farnham Dome field, located in central Utah, the Springerville-St. Johns field in Arizona and New Mexico, and most recently, the Crystal Geyser-Salt Wash graben areas with their CO{sub 2}-charged geysers and springs in central Utah. At both the Springerville-St. Johns field and the central Utah CO{sub 2} spring area, there is evidence of extensive travertine deposits that document release of CO{sub 2} to the atmosphere. At Farnham Dome, calcite debris fields appear to be remnants of vein calcite and an earlier period of fluid leakage. The main achievements during this quarter are (1): preparation for a soil gas flux survey in October at the Crystal Geyser --Little Grand Wash fault zone, and the Salt Wash graben; (2) submission of an abstract to the upcoming Measurement, Monitoring and Verification session at the Fall AGU meeting; (3) submission of an invited abstract to the Gordon Conference on Hydrocarbon Resources; and (4) receipt of initial radiocarbon dates of travertine from the Springerville-St Johns field. Analytical results and interpretations of both the travertine deposition and the soil gas surveys are still in progress, and will be included in future quarterly reports