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New geologic data for central
Illinois
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[October 10, 2012]
CHAMPAIGN -- The
Illinois State Geological
Survey, a division of the
Prairie Research Institute, will
release new seismic reflection
data Wednesday for a continuous
120-mile east-west line from
Meredosia to southwestern
Champaign County (see
map). It is the only seismic
line known to have been
collected in that region of
Illinois. Like ultrasound
medical imaging, seismic
reflection uses sound waves to
produce its images, but of rocks
and sediments in the earth's
subsurface. |
 "This
is higher quality technical data
than we have ever had for this
part of Illinois," said Don
McKay, director of the ISGS. "It
was funded with federal stimulus
money, and we are releasing it
now to the private sector
because of its potential value
for energy development."
The seismic reflection survey
is part of a U.S. Department of
Energy-sponsored research
project and was originally
acquired to help evaluate the
suitability of rocks in central
Illinois for large-scale storage
of carbon dioxide produced by
electric generating plants and
industrial processes such as
biofuel production. However, the
seismic reflection data also can
be used in the exploration for
oil and gas.
The seismic data were
collected for the ISGS by
WesternGeco, a division of
Schlumberger Limited, in order
to characterize the properties
and thicknesses of sedimentary
rocks that overlie granitic
basement.
The research project was
funded by the U.S. Department of
Energy's National Energy
Technology Laboratory and the
Illinois Department of Commerce
and Economic Opportunity's
Office of Coal Development,
through the Illinois Clean Coal
Institute.
The ISGS will discuss and
distribute the data Wednesday at
the headquarters of the Illinois
Oil and Gas Association in Mount
Vernon to those preregistered.
People unable to attend the
event may request the data
online at
www.isgs.illinois.edu.
___
The Illinois State Geological
Survey, part of the Prairie
Research Institute, is an
applied research and service
organization serving the needs
of Illinois with earth science
information relevant to the
state's environmental quality,
economic vitality and public
safety. ISGS is a global leader
in carbon capture and storage
research technology and
education. For more information,
visit
www.isgs.illinois.edu.
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The Prairie Research
Institute at the University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is
the home of the Illinois Natural
History Survey, Illinois State
Archaeological Survey, Illinois
State Geological Survey,
Illinois State Water Survey and
Illinois Sustainable Technology
Center. The institute is a
unique source of research,
expertise and data, providing a
sound basis for independent
scientific analysis and
decision-making. It was
established by state statute in
2008 to bring together these
century-old institutions and to
sustain and expand their basic
and applied research and service
roles. Prairie Research
Institute scientists apply
cutting-edge science to grow the
economy, promote public health
and safety, and steward the vast
resources of Illinois. For more
information, visit
www.prairie.illinois.edu.
___
Source:
E. Donald McKay, Ph.D.,
director of the Illinois
Geological Survey, 217-333-0044,
emckay@illinois.edu
[Text from file received from
the
Illinois State Geological Survey]
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