Carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects must commit to long-term containment and regulatory compliance while operating under significant subsurface uncertainty. The monitoring, measurement and verification (MMV) plan should specifically address those challenges. This paper presents a pragmatic workflow that integrates ensemble-based reservoir modelling with frequent, targeted focused seismic acquisitions to transform MMV into the model validation process. The ensemble captures a large range of plausible plume behaviours, guiding the selection of high value monitoring locations where sparse observations can eliminate entire families of model scenarios at minimal operational cost. Focused seismic provides repeat-able, low impact measurements that confirm or reject model predictions and trigger escalation when deviations arise. Two synthetic case studies demonstrate how this workflow rapidly narrows uncertainty, improves predictive confidence, and offers early warning when key assumptions do not hold. By coupling ensemble modelling with the unique strengths of focused seismic, the approach delivers a practical, scalable framework that enhances storage assurance, strengthens regulatory defensibility, and increases investor confidence.
Cosson et al. (Sun,) studied this question.