Maximizing CO2 Accumulation in Storage Reservoirs: Interplay between Permeability Retardation and Capillary Trapping of Rising CO2
- Authors
- Bo Ren (the University of Texas at Austin) | Jennifer M. Delaney (the University of Texas at Austin) | Larry W. Lake (the University of Texas at Austin) | Steven L. Bryant (University of Calgary)
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.2118/187356-MS
- Document ID
- SPE-187356-MS
- Publisher
- Society of Petroleum Engineers
- Source
- SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, 9-11 October, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- Publication Date
- 2017
- Document Type
- Conference Paper
- Language
- English
- ISBN
- 978-1-61399-542-6
- Copyright
- 2017. Society of Petroleum Engineers
- Disciplines
- 5.1 Reservoir Characterisation, 5 Reservoir Desciption & Dynamics, 5.1.1 Exploration, Development, Structural Geology
- Keywords
- Geological carbon sequestration, Capillary-trapping, Permeability-retardation, CO2 buoyant flow
- Downloads
- 5 in the last 30 days
- 197 since 2007
- Show more detail
- View rights & permissions
SPE Member Price: | USD 8.50 |
SPE Non-Member Price: | USD 25.00 |
The main objective of this work is to understand, by analytical and numerical study, how permeability retardation interacts with capillary barrier trapping to cause accumulation as CO2 migrates upward in saline aquifers during geological sequestration.
The study is of one-dimensional two-phase (CO2 and water) countercurrent flow. The analytical model describes CO2 buoyant migration and accumulation at a "flow barrier zone" (low permeability) above a "flow path zone" (high permeability). The relative importance of permeability retardation and capillary trapping is examined under different magnitudes of buoyant source fluxes and porous media properties. In the limiting case of zero capillary pressure, the model equation is solved using the method of characteristics. Permeability-retarded accumulation, induced by the permeability difference between the flow path and the barrier zone, is illustrated through CO2 saturation profiles and time-distance diagrams. Capillary trapping is subsequently accounted for by graphically incorporating a capillary pressure curve and capillary threshold effect.
Results demonstrate that the accumulation contributions from both the permeability hindrance and capillary trapping are convolved at sufficiently large fluxes. At a given time, the total CO2 accumulated is greater than for capillary trapping, but the former approaches the latter at large time. The low permeability zone need not be completely impermeable for accumulation to occur. We demonstrate that considering only capillary trapping understates the amount of CO2 accumulated beneath low permeability structures during significant periods of a sequestration operation.
File Size | 2 MB | Number of Pages | 21 |
Bachu, S. 2008. CO2 Storage in Geological Media: Role, Means, Status and Barriers to Deployment. Progress In Energy And Combustion Science 34 (2): 254–273. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pecs.2007.10.001.
Bryant, S.L., Lakshminarasimhan, S., Pope, G.A. 2008. Buoyancy-Dominated Multiphase Flow and Its Effect on Geological Sequestration Of CO2. SPEJ 13 (4): 447–454. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/99938-ms.
Bryant, S.L., Schechter, R.S., Lake, L.W. 1986. Interactions of Precipitation/Dissolution Waves and Ion Exchange in Flow Through Permeable Media. AICHE Journal 32 (5): 751–764. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aic.690320505.
Buckley, S.E., Leverett, M.C. 1942. Mechanism of Fluid Displacement in Sands. Transactions of the AIME 146(01): 107–116. https://doi.org/10.2118/942107-G.
Dicarlo D.A., Mirzaei M., Aminzadeh B., Dehghanpour H. 2012. Fractional Flow Approach to Saturation Overshoot. Transport In Porous Media 91 (3): 955-971. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11242-011-9885-8.
Hayek M., Mouche E., Mugler C. 2009. Modeling Vertical Stratification of CO2 Injected into a Deep Layered Aquifer. Advances in Water Resources 32 (3): 450-462. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2008.12.009.
Krevor S.C.M., Pini R., Li B., Benson S.M. 2011. Capillary Heterogeneity Trapping of CO2 in A Sandstone Rock at Reservoir Conditions. Geophysical Research Letters 38, L15401. http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2011GL048239.
Meckel T.A., Bryant S.L., Ravi Ganesh P. 2015. Characterization and Prediction of CO2 Saturation Resulting from Modeling Buoyant Fluid Migration in 2D Heterogeneous Geologic Fabrics. International Journal Of Greenhouse Gas Control 34: 85-96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016Zj.ijggc.2014.12.010.
Peters E.J., Hardham W.D. 1990. Visualization ff Fluid Displacements in Porous Media Using Computed Tomography Imaging. Journal Of Petroleum Science And Engineering 4 (2): 155168. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0920-4105(90)90023-v.
Ren B., Bryant S.L., Lake L.W. 2015. Fast Modeling of Local Capillary Trapping during CO2 Injection into A Saline Aquifer. Paper CMTC-439486-MS presented at Carbon Management Technology Conference, Sugar Land, Texas, 17-19 November. http://dx.doi.org/10.7122/439486-ms.
Ren B., Sun Y., Bryant S. 2014. Maximizing Local Capillary Trapping during CO2 Injection. Energy Procedia 63: 5562-5576. http://dx.doi.org/10.10167j.egypro.2014.11.590.
Riaz A., Tchelepi H.A. 2008. Dynamics of Vertical Displacement in Porous Media Associated with CO2 Sequestration. SPE Journal 13 (3): pp. 305-313. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/103169-PA.
Saadatpoor E., Bryant S.L., Sepehrnoori K. 2008. Effect of Heterogeneous Capillary Pressure on Buoyancy-Driven CO2 Migration. Paper SPE-113984-MS presented at the SPE/DOE Symposium On Improved Oil Recovery, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Usa, 20-23 April 2008. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/113984-ms.
Saadatpoor E., Bryant S.L., Sepehrnoori K. 2010. New Trapping Mechanism In Carbon Sequestration. Transport In Porous Media 82 (1): 3-17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11242-009-9446-6.
Siddiqui F.I., Lake L.W. 1992. A Dynamic Theory of Hydrocarbon Migration. Mathematical Geology 24 (3): 305-327. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/bf00893752.
Siddiqui F.I., Lake L.W. 1997. A Comprehensive Dynamic Theory of Hydrocarbon Migration and Trapping. Paper SPE-38682-MS presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference And Exhibition, San Antonio, Texas, 5-8 October, http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/38682-ms.
Silin D., Patzek T.W., Benson S.M. 2009. A One-Dimensional Model of Vertical Gas Plume Migration Through A Heterogeneous Porous Medium. International Journal Of Greenhouse Gas Control 3 (3): 300-310. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2008.09.003.
Welge H.J. 1952. A Simplified Method for Computing Oil Recovery by Gas or Water Drive. Journal Of Petroleum Technology 4 (04): 91-98. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/124-g.
Yuan B., Moghanloo R.G., Zheng D. 2016. Analytical Evaluation of Nanoparticle Application to Mitigate Fines Migration in Porous Media. SPE Journal 21 (6): 2317-2332. https://doi.org/10.2118/174192-PA.