Numerical simulation of the dispersion of supercritical CO2 storage in saline aquifers

GAO Cheng; XU Ruina; JIANG Peixue

doi:10.16511/j.cnki.qhdxxb.2015.22.020

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Journal of Tsinghua University(Science and Technology) ›› 2015, Vol. 55 ›› Issue (10) : 1105-1109,1116. DOI: 10.16511/j.cnki.qhdxxb.2015.22.020

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Numerical simulation of the dispersion of supercritical CO₂ storage in saline aquifers

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Abstract

Supercritical CO₂ storage in saline aquifers results in a density gradient which causes dispersion and sedimentation due to CO₂ dissolving in the brine during the CO₂ migration. This density gradient plays a significant role in promoting the geological storage capacity, reducing pressures on the caprock, and reducing the CO₂ leakage risk. This paper describes numerical investigations of the influence of key parameters such as the salinity, temperature, and pressure on the amount of CO₂ dissolved in brine per unit volume over time. The results show that, for the same permeability and porous structure of the saline aquifer, a higher salinity leads to weak fingering with small amounts of dissolved CO₂. Higher temperatures contribute to strong fingering and small amounts of dissolved CO₂. Higher pressures also produce fingering with large amounts of dissolved CO₂.

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carbondioxide storage / fingering phenomenon / dispersion

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GAO Cheng, XU Ruina, JIANG Peixue. Numerical simulation of the dispersion of supercritical CO₂ storage in saline aquifers[J]. Journal of Tsinghua University(Science and Technology). 2015, 55(10): 1105-1109,1116 https://doi.org/10.16511/j.cnki.qhdxxb.2015.22.020

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