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A multilevel U-tube sampler for subsurface environmental monitoring

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Abstract

Sampling fluid in boreholes is always challenging from the standpoints of maintaining integrity and minimizing contamination. This paper focused on the U-tube sampling technology. Firstly, according to initial development motivation, briefly comparison was conducted with available fluid sampling technologies based on driving forces and sample quality. Then, the development history of the U-tube sampling technology was introduced, as well as a comprehensive investigation of its site applications around the world. In particular, a novel multilevel U-tube sampler was designed in China specifically for shallow subsurface, and it had been proven both technically reliable and economically feasible in several carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCS/CCUS) projects, including the Shengli CO2-enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR) project, the Shenhua CCS demonstration project, and the Jilin CO2-EOR project. Finally, the benefits, drawbacks, and future developments of U-tube sampling technology were pointed out as a conclusion. The U-tube sampler used in shallow subsurface is quite suitable in dedicated monitoring projects which specifically require three-dimensional tracing and accurate fluid analysis in a long term.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the members of the large interdisciplinary team working on several CCUS projects in China for their significant contributions to this work. In addition, Zhang Yuanyuan from the Shengli oilfield, Wang Yongshen from the Shenghua CCS demonstration project, Zhang Deping and Li Qing from the Jilin oilfield, and Wei Ning, Wang Haibin and Xiao Wei from the Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics are acknowledged with great appreciation for their coordination of the pilot tests and field sampling activities. Li Qi is grateful for the financial support provided by the Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41274111).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiaohongshan 2, Wuchang, Wuhan, 430071, China

    Xuehao Liu, Qi Li, Ranran Song, Zhiming Fang & Xiaochun Li

  2. Wuhan Center of Geological Survey, 69 Guanggu Road, Wuhan, 430502, China

    Xuehao Liu

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  1. Xuehao Liu
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  2. Qi Li
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  3. Ranran Song
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  4. Zhiming Fang
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  5. Xiaochun Li
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Correspondence to Qi Li.

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This article is part of a Topical Collection in Environmental Earth Sciences on “Subsurface Energy Storage”, guest edited by Sebastian Bauer, Andreas Dahmke, and Olaf Kolditz.

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Liu, X., Li, Q., Song, R. et al. A multilevel U-tube sampler for subsurface environmental monitoring. Environ Earth Sci 75, 1194 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-016-5997-3

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