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Experimental assessment of pore fluid distribution and geomechanical changes in saline sandstone reservoirs during and after CO2 injection

Experimental assessment of pore fluid distribution and geomechanical changes in saline sandstone reservoirs during and after CO2 injection
Experimental assessment of pore fluid distribution and geomechanical changes in saline sandstone reservoirs during and after CO2 injection

Responsible CO2 geosequestration requires a comprehensive assessment of the geomechanical integrity of saline reservoir formations during and after CO2 injection. We assessed the geomechanical effects of CO2 injection and post-injection aquifer recharge on weakly cemented, synthetic-sandstone (38% porosity) sample in the laboratory under dry and brine-saturated conditions, before and after subjecting the sample to variable pore pressure brine-CO2 flow-through tests (∼170 h). We measured ultrasonic P- and S-wave velocities (Vp Vs) and attenuations, electrical resistivity and volumetric strain (εv). Vs was found to be an excellent indicator of mechanical deformation during CO2 injection; Vp gives mechanical and pore fluid distribution information, allowing quantification of the individual contribution of both phenomena when combined with resistivity. Abrupt strain recovery during imbibition suggests that aquifer recharge after ceasing CO2 injection might affect the geomechanical stability of the reservoir. Static and dynamic parameters indicate the sample experienced minor geomechanical changes during CO2 exposure, with an increase of Δεv <3% and a drop in ΔVs ∼1%. In contrast, due to brine-induced hydro-mechanical alteration, Δεv increased by ∼10% and ΔVs by ∼6%. This study provides a multiparameter, thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical database needed to validate monitoring tools and simulators, for prediction of the geomechanical behaviour of CO2 storage reservoirs.

Deformation, Elastic moduli, Electrical resistivity, Geomechanics, Geosequestration, Ultrasonic attenuation, Ultrasonic velocities
1750-5836
356-369
Falcon-Suarez, Ismael
f5cdbc61-326b-424d-a90f-593a8698a4d2
Marín-Moreno, Héctor
e466cafd-bd5c-47a1-8522-e6938e7086a4
Browning, Fraser
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Lichtschlag, Anna
ffd85568-4585-4eab-a599-4125607b921d
Robert, Katleen
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North, Laurence J.
086e30f4-b8be-429c-b6a0-5cc0c3902e53
Best, Angus I.
f962ede8-2ff2-42b6-baa1-88d93dfb08dd
Falcon-Suarez, Ismael
f5cdbc61-326b-424d-a90f-593a8698a4d2
Marín-Moreno, Héctor
e466cafd-bd5c-47a1-8522-e6938e7086a4
Browning, Fraser
7cfd21db-eca6-48e7-9b7e-d542592edce1
Lichtschlag, Anna
ffd85568-4585-4eab-a599-4125607b921d
Robert, Katleen
49e4bfa2-0999-41ec-b50d-65c0f8896583
North, Laurence J.
086e30f4-b8be-429c-b6a0-5cc0c3902e53
Best, Angus I.
f962ede8-2ff2-42b6-baa1-88d93dfb08dd

Falcon-Suarez, Ismael, Marín-Moreno, Héctor, Browning, Fraser, Lichtschlag, Anna, Robert, Katleen, North, Laurence J. and Best, Angus I. (2017) Experimental assessment of pore fluid distribution and geomechanical changes in saline sandstone reservoirs during and after CO2 injection. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 63, 356-369. (doi:10.1016/j.ijggc.2017.06.019).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Responsible CO2 geosequestration requires a comprehensive assessment of the geomechanical integrity of saline reservoir formations during and after CO2 injection. We assessed the geomechanical effects of CO2 injection and post-injection aquifer recharge on weakly cemented, synthetic-sandstone (38% porosity) sample in the laboratory under dry and brine-saturated conditions, before and after subjecting the sample to variable pore pressure brine-CO2 flow-through tests (∼170 h). We measured ultrasonic P- and S-wave velocities (Vp Vs) and attenuations, electrical resistivity and volumetric strain (εv). Vs was found to be an excellent indicator of mechanical deformation during CO2 injection; Vp gives mechanical and pore fluid distribution information, allowing quantification of the individual contribution of both phenomena when combined with resistivity. Abrupt strain recovery during imbibition suggests that aquifer recharge after ceasing CO2 injection might affect the geomechanical stability of the reservoir. Static and dynamic parameters indicate the sample experienced minor geomechanical changes during CO2 exposure, with an increase of Δεv <3% and a drop in ΔVs ∼1%. In contrast, due to brine-induced hydro-mechanical alteration, Δεv increased by ∼10% and ΔVs by ∼6%. This study provides a multiparameter, thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical database needed to validate monitoring tools and simulators, for prediction of the geomechanical behaviour of CO2 storage reservoirs.

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Accepted/In Press date: 27 June 2017
e-pub ahead of print date: 7 July 2017
Published date: 7 July 2017
Additional Information: Funding Information: This work was carried out as part of the DiSECCS project with funding from the United Kingdom’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRCgrant EP/K035878/1 ) and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) . The data associated with this article can be found at http://www.bgs.ac.uk/discoverymetadata/13607105.html .
Keywords: Deformation, Elastic moduli, Electrical resistivity, Geomechanics, Geosequestration, Ultrasonic attenuation, Ultrasonic velocities
Organisations: Marine Geoscience, National Oceanography Centre

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 412019
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/412019
ISSN: 1750-5836
PURE UUID: 1d91b223-5941-4ca3-9931-2349a8b1c342
ORCID for Héctor Marín-Moreno: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3412-1359

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Date deposited: 05 Jul 2017 16:31
Last modified: 06 Jun 2024 02:16

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Contributors

Author: Ismael Falcon-Suarez
Author: Héctor Marín-Moreno ORCID iD
Author: Fraser Browning
Author: Anna Lichtschlag
Author: Katleen Robert
Author: Laurence J. North
Author: Angus I. Best

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