Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SECURe (Subsurface Evaluation of Carbon capture and storage and Unconventional Risk) Reporting period: 2019-12-01 to 2021-05-31 Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project Subsurface Evaluation of CCS and Unconventional Risks (SECURe) has gathered unbiased, impartial scientific evidence for risk mitigation and monitoring for environmental protection to underpin subsurface geoenergy development. The research outputs of SECURe have been distilled into a set of recommendations for good practice for unconventional hydrocarbon production and geological CO2 storage; and some of these are applicable to other novel energy technologies (e.g. geothermal exploitation; subsurface energy storage). The project was active between 2018 and 2021.The project has developed monitoring and mitigation strategies for the full geoenergy project lifecycle; an important foundation to the project was a bow-tie risk assessment of Unconventional Hydrocarbon exploitation and CCS, which assessed plausible hazards and environmental monitoring strategies. An associated program of experimental research and advanced technology development was completed, partly demonstrated at commercial and research facilities; this has advanced innovative techniques (e.g. down-hole samplers and analytical method and model development), and the dataset underpins good practice recommendations. There has been close interaction with stakeholder groups throughout the project; this has been important in the development of monitoring and mitigation strategies relevant to operators and regulators, and in the development of communication strategies to provide a greater level of understanding of the potential impacts.The SECURe partnership comprised major research and commercial organisations from countries that host shale gas and CCS industries at different stages of operation (from permitted to closed). A major outcome of the project was the establishment of the International Platform for Environmental Monitoring, a forum for research groups and others with an interest in the sustainable and environmentally sensitive development associated with subsurface energy exploitation. Project objectives have been met by:1. Formulation and development of a bowtie risk-assessment framework and monitoring and mitigation strategies for the full geo-energy project lifecycle 2. Generation of a technical research base, from which main pieces of disseminated output were developed and built upon as a series of ‘good practice’ guidelines3. 10 research methods and new technologies within the project have been identified to have potential for innovation4. New methods for remediation of potential environmental impacts of geo-energy projects to reduce leakage from wells or naturally occurring permeable pathways have been developed5. The project has developed good practice guidelines in environmental baseline assessment and monitoring6. We have progressed the development of tailor-made strategies for stakeholder engagement through participatory monitoring and established European and world-wide networks for growing and supporting expertise in environmental monitoring for subsurface monitoring for subsurface geo-energy projects7. We have formed a durable international partnership with non-European groups; providing international access to study sites, creating links between projects and increasing our collective capability through exchange of scientific staff (e.g. instigation of the International Platform for Environmental Monitoring). Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far Highlights of impact of the SECURe project are:• Good practice recommendations for establishing baseline conditions and undertaking environmental monitoring were established. They are rooted in extensive scientific research and summarised in 9 factsheets; 4 on carbon capture and storage and 5 on unconventional hydrocarbon extraction, with an additional factsheet focussing on the benefits of embedding participatory monitoring in geo-energy projects (https://securegeo-energy.eu/work-packages/wp6-sharing-best-practice-and-knowledge).• The SECURe project strengthened scientific and technical collaboration internationally through two fact finding missions (US and Canada; Australia), that visited examples of good practice in CO2 storage and unconventional hydrocarbons projects.• To deepen international collaboration between subsurface geo-energy researchers, the International Platform for Environmental Monitoring for geo-energy projects (IPEM) was launched. The IPEM launch event resulted in a clear mandate to maintain IPEM beyond the life of the SECURe project, with an initial focus on environmental monitoring and effective community engagement for low carbon geo-energy projects and related activities. • During the course of the SECURe Project, the TRL of ten innovations was advanced considerably. Most notable are a noble gas downhole sensor which is close to be brought into the market and the development of techniques to use unmanned aerial vehicles to trace point sources of methane and CO2.• Participatory monitoring studies were conducted in the UK and Poland to gauge public perception of subsurface geo energy projects, with an emphasis on CO2 storage projects and mine water heat generation. Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far) On the SECURe website, a section dedicated to Innovations (https://www.securegeo-energy.eu/innovations) graphically summarises the development of SECURe innovations, using Technology Readiness Levels (TRL’s). It includes summaries of the research undertaken as part of each WP which demonstrates the increase in TRL.This programme of work has extend the state-of-the-art by deploying monitoring techniques at field sites (both focussed on shale exploration and CCS reservoir characterisation). This research has generated a robust dataset, the interpretations of which have allowed a series of recommendations and best practice to be compiled. The active participation of industry and overseas experts has ensured that the experimental program addressed impacts that are relevant and realistic to Europe and elsewhere.The development of novel communication strategies has been central to the SECURe research programme. Participatory monitoring has the potential to combine different models of collaboration between project initiators and (local) stakeholders: co-knowing, co-thinking, co- working and co-deciding. These models represent the relation between the initiator(s) of the project communication and the target groups of communication efforts, mainly (local) stakeholders. Through participatory monitoring (local) stakeholders can at least co-think, and for some parts, also co-work and co- decide on the development of monitoring networks and communication about the outcomes of the monitoring program. As such, the level of understanding of (local) stakeholders can be increased, laying the groundwork for potential public acceptance for the envisaged project and technology. SECURe project: image of multi-disciplinary field surveys SECURe project: image of Boreal aerial gas sensor on Helikite Image of SECURe website landing page Image showing concept of overall SECURe project
