Materials and Corrosion Experience in Quest Carbon Capture and Storage Wells

Abstract Quest Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is an operating CO2 capture facility near Edmonton, Alberta. The facility is designed to capture and store CO2 produced during the manufacture of H2 in Shell’s Scotford Upgrader. The facility is operated by Shell Canada on behalf of the Athabasca Oil Sands Project (AOSP) and aims to capture and store 1 million tons per annum (MTPA) of CO2. The operation began CO2 injection in August 2015 and had stored 9.8 MT CO2 as of December 2024. Quest CCS utilizes three wells for injection of CO2. The wells were constructed using API 5CT Grade L80-Type 1 above the injection zone and duplex stainless steels at the injection zone. This design prioritizes corrosion resistance in the areas critical to containing the target reservoir while lessening capital expenditures associated with corrosion-resistant alloy throughout the well. Online monitoring and thorough inspections have demonstrated this well design is robust for Quest conditions with only minor corrosion findings being documented for future learnings. This paper provides a summary of Quest wells materials of construction, exposure environments, and findings related to corrosion from the to-date successful operation. Limitations of the success of the design for other CCS wells are also discussed.