Maria Camila Sierra, a Ph.D. student, delivered a captivating presentation at the ARMA Symposium 2023, held in Atlanta, US, from 25 June to 28 June 2023. The symposium attracted a large audience, and Maria skillfully addressed several questions raised during her talk.

Maria's research focused on evaluating the potential of the Hith formation as a regional seal for CO2 sequestration in the Arabian Peninsula.

Given the inherent risks associated with CO2 sequestration, such as induced microseismicity and chemical reactions, the initial step in assessing the suitability of the Hith involved conducting a hydro-chemo-mechanical analysis. To accomplish this evaluation, a series of experiments were conducted. Micro- and macro-scratch tests were performed alongside XRF, acoustic transit time, and leeb hardness measurements.

These experiments provided valuable insights into the Hith formation, including its unconfined compressive strength (UCS), compressional and shear wave velocities, mineral composition, and changes in strength when exposed to deionized water (representing the chemical reaction to CO2).

Maria's research sheds light on the potential of the Hith formation as a reliable seal for CO2 sequestration