Integrated petrophysical and seal characterization of the heterogeneous jurassic plover formation for CO2 storage assessment in Northwest Australia.

Geological storage of carbon dioxide is critical to mitigate emissions; however, subsurface heterogeneity poses a major challenge. This study investigates the Jurassic Plover Formation in the Browse Basin, Northwest Australia, a region underexplored for carbon storage potential. An integrated petrophysical workflow was applied to the Kronos-1 and Poseidon-1 wells, combining borehole logs, petrographic analysis, and core measurements. The workflow included refined porosity-permeability modeling, shale volume estimation, water saturation calibration, and evaluation of top seal capacity under reservoir conditions. Results highlight that intraformational heterogeneity enables diverse trapping mechanisms. Poseidon-1 contains a vertically extensive, quartz-rich reservoir with average porosity of 0.10, permeability of 64.9 mD, and water saturation of 0.27, supporting strong injectivity and both structural and stratigraphic trapping. Kronos-1 exhibits compartmentalized high-quality zones influenced by lithological variability, showing an average porosity of 0.10, water saturation of 0.24, and permeability of 49 mD, favoring localized capillary trapping. Seal evaluation confirms excellent integrity, with column heights exceeding the reservoir thickness. These findings demonstrate how heterogeneity within the Plover Formation governs reservoir quality, injectivity, and seal performance, and directly support Australia's strategic vision for advancing low-emissions technologies. Future work should integrate additional wells and dynamic modeling to optimize storage design.