Integration of distributed and heterogeneous information for public-private policy analyses

Databases and analysis tools currently being used to study carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) options are managed by diverse organizations and are heterogeneous in format. Tools to study the various components of a CCS system have been developed in several fields including chemistry, geology, and economics. Data being used to run analyses are being obtained from an equally diverse set of organizations, from data collected for environmental assessments to data on oil and gas exploration. These variations in tools and data cause complications in systems-level analyses, resulting in additional effort expended in data collection and opportunities for human error. A geographic information system has been implemented to automate and support robust studies of both component and system options. Context management and information integration techniques have been designed into the system. The system improves the availability and quality of information by automatically managing the distributed and heterogeneous data sources. The resulting information is being used to advance research and development of CCS systems through efforts such as the NETL sponsored Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnerships. This paper will present an overview of the system and initial results of its application to CCS-related data. Thesis Supervisors: Howard J. Herzog Principal Research Engineer, Laboratory for Energy and the Environment Stuart E. Madnick John Norris Maguire Professor of Information Technology and Professor of Engineering Systems