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Mahnaz Rezvanikhalilabad defended her MSc thesis 29 September

3.10.2008 Mahnaz Rezvanikhalilabad a MSc student in the department of Geology defended her thesis 29 September. Mahnaz has been a MSc Student at the University of Iceland and United Nation University Geothermal Training Programme from 2006 until now. The title of her thesis: Characterization of the Hellisheidi-Threngsli CO2 sequestration target aquifer by tracer testing. Her supervisors: Guðni Axelsson and Sigurður R. Gíslason. Her MSc project is part of the CarbFix Project.


Abstract: Mineral sequestration is among several promising methods of CO2 reduction. It involves incorporation of CO2 into a solid phase via precipitation of carbonate minerals. A prerequisite to carbonate precipitation is the availability of aqueous metal cations and a network of porous media for fluid flow and water rock interactions. The Hellisheidi-Threngsli lava field in SW Iceland comprises ideal conditions for studying the feasibility of permanent CO2 storage as minerals in basaltic rocks. In this study we report on a tracer test conducted between two wells at the Hellisheidi-Threngsli site to characterize the physical properties of the main aquifers. The results suggest that most of the water flow between the wells is through a homogenous thick layer with high tortuosity along flow paths and a high reactive surface area for water rock interactions. 

Keywords: Tracer test; Na-fluorescein; mineral sequestration; basaltic aquifer; Iceland