Heidelberg Materials North America is excited to announce a significant milestone at its Mitchell, Indiana, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) CarbonSAFE project led by the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) kicked off test well drilling on January 22, 2025. The goal of the project is to characterize the subsurface geology at Heidelberg Materials’ Mitchell cement plant in southern Indiana. The plant is located in the Illinois Basin which is well known for its carbon storage potential.
The objective of the study is to collect data to confirm the suitability of the geology to store carbon dioxide (CO2) as part of the proposed CCS project. In late January, the first drill rig began the drilling process for the geologic test well. This included installation of the conductor, surface casing and wellhead, which will be followed by drilling and installation of intermediate casing and ultimately drilling to an approximate depth of 7,250’. Various tests will be performed and samples collected including geophysical logging, injection tests and rock core and fluid sampling. Three potential carbon storage formations and their caprocks or seals are being evaluated to safely trap and secure the CO2. Once testing is complete, this well will be plugged and abandoned in accordance with the State of Indiana Drilling and Operating Permit.
The geologic testing will characterize several prospective reservoirs under the Mitchell cement plant property for safe storage of more than 50 million metric tons of CO2 over a 30-year timeframe. ISGS at the University of Illinois (UoI), in coordination with the Indiana State Geological Survey, serves as the recipient for this project, with the company acting as a technical and industrial partner and cost share provider.
The project, which is the result of a DOE CarbonSAFE award, has been underway since early 2023. It began with two-dimensional seismic data collection on over 54 miles of public roadways in June 2023. This preliminary work has led to the installation of the geologic test well. The data gathered during this process will not only yield important information about the geologic characteristics beneath the Mitchell cement plant but will further expand researchers’ understanding of the Illinois Basin in southern Indiana.
