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Title: Investigation of CO2 plume behavior for a large-scale pilot test of geologic carbon storage in a saline formation

Abstract

The hydrodynamic behavior of carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) injected into a deep saline formation is investigated, focusing on trapping mechanisms that lead to CO{sub 2} plume stabilization. A numerical model of the subsurface at a proposed power plant with CO{sub 2} capture is developed to simulate a planned pilot test, in which 1,000,000 metric tons of CO{sub 2} is injected over a four-year period, and the subsequent evolution of the CO{sub 2} plume for hundreds of years. Key measures are plume migration distance and the time evolution of the partitioning of CO{sub 2} between dissolved, immobile free-phase, and mobile free-phase forms. Model results indicate that the injected CO{sub 2} plume is effectively immobilized at 25 years. At that time, 38% of the CO{sub 2} is in dissolved form, 59% is immobile free phase, and 3% is mobile free phase. The plume footprint is roughly elliptical, and extends much farther up-dip of the injection well than down-dip. The pressure increase extends far beyond the plume footprint, but the pressure response decreases rapidly with distance from the injection well, and decays rapidly in time once injection ceases. Sensitivity studies that were carried out to investigate the effect of poorly constrained model parametersmore » permeability, permeability anisotropy, and residual CO{sub 2} saturation indicate that small changes in properties can have a large impact on plume evolution, causing significant trade-offs between different trapping mechanisms.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
Earth Sciences Division
OSTI Identifier:
966121
Report Number(s):
LBNL-2243E
Journal ID: TPMEEI; TRN: US200922%%562
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC02-05CH11231
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Transport in Porous Media
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: DOI 10.1007/s11242-009-9396-z; Related Information: Journal Publication Date: 2009
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54; 58; ANISOTROPY; CARBON; CARBON DIOXIDE; FOCUSING; HYDRODYNAMICS; INJECTION WELLS; METRICS; PERMEABILITY; PLUMES; POWER PLANTS; SATURATION; SENSITIVITY; STABILIZATION; STORAGE; TRAPPING

Citation Formats

Doughty, C. Investigation of CO2 plume behavior for a large-scale pilot test of geologic carbon storage in a saline formation. United States: N. p., 2009. Web.
Doughty, C. Investigation of CO2 plume behavior for a large-scale pilot test of geologic carbon storage in a saline formation. United States.
Doughty, C. 2009. "Investigation of CO2 plume behavior for a large-scale pilot test of geologic carbon storage in a saline formation". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/966121.
@article{osti_966121,
title = {Investigation of CO2 plume behavior for a large-scale pilot test of geologic carbon storage in a saline formation},
author = {Doughty, C},
abstractNote = {The hydrodynamic behavior of carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) injected into a deep saline formation is investigated, focusing on trapping mechanisms that lead to CO{sub 2} plume stabilization. A numerical model of the subsurface at a proposed power plant with CO{sub 2} capture is developed to simulate a planned pilot test, in which 1,000,000 metric tons of CO{sub 2} is injected over a four-year period, and the subsequent evolution of the CO{sub 2} plume for hundreds of years. Key measures are plume migration distance and the time evolution of the partitioning of CO{sub 2} between dissolved, immobile free-phase, and mobile free-phase forms. Model results indicate that the injected CO{sub 2} plume is effectively immobilized at 25 years. At that time, 38% of the CO{sub 2} is in dissolved form, 59% is immobile free phase, and 3% is mobile free phase. The plume footprint is roughly elliptical, and extends much farther up-dip of the injection well than down-dip. The pressure increase extends far beyond the plume footprint, but the pressure response decreases rapidly with distance from the injection well, and decays rapidly in time once injection ceases. Sensitivity studies that were carried out to investigate the effect of poorly constrained model parameters permeability, permeability anisotropy, and residual CO{sub 2} saturation indicate that small changes in properties can have a large impact on plume evolution, causing significant trade-offs between different trapping mechanisms.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/966121}, journal = {Transport in Porous Media},
number = ,
volume = DOI 10.1007/s11242-009-9396-z,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2009},
month = {Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2009}
}