Brine flow up a borehole caused by pressure perturbation from CO2 storage: Static and dynamic evaluations

Journal Article · Sun May 01 04:00:00 EDT 2011 · International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2011.01.003· OSTI ID:1050709

Birkholzer, J T; Nicot, J -P; Oldenburg, C M; Zhou, Q; Kraemer, S; Bandilla, K W

Industrial-scale storage of CO{sub 2} in saline sedimentary basins will cause zones of elevated pressure, larger than the CO{sub 2} plume itself. If permeable conduits (e.g., leaking wells) exist between the injection reservoir and overlying shallow aquifers, brine could be pushed upwards along these conduits and mix with groundwater resources. This paper discusses the potential for such brine leakage to occur in temperature- and salinity-stratified systems. Using static mass-balance calculations as well as dynamic well flow simulations, we evaluate the minimum reservoir pressure that would generate continuous migration of brine up a leaking wellbore into a freshwater aquifer. Since the brine invading the well is denser than the initial fluid in the wellbore, continuous flow only occurs if the pressure perturbation in the reservoir is large enough to overcome the increased fluid column weight after full invasion of brine into the well. If the threshold pressure is exceeded, brine flow rates are dependent on various hydraulic (and other) properties, in particular the effective permeability of the wellbore and the magnitude of pressure increase. If brine flow occurs outside of the well casing, e.g., in a permeable fracture zone between the well cement and the formation, the fluid/solute transfer between the migrating fluid and the surrounding rock units can strongly retard brine flow. At the same time, the threshold pressure for continuous flow to occur decreases compared to a case with no fluid/solute transfer.

• Research Organization: Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: Earth Sciences Division
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 1050709
• Report Number(s): LBNL-4864E
• Journal Information: International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, Journal Name: International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 5; ISSN 1750-5836
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AQUIFERS
BOREHOLES
BRINES
CARBON SEQUESTRATION
CEMENTS
FLOW RATE
FRACTURES
HYDRAULICS
MASS BALANCE
PERMEABILITY
PLUMES
RESERVOIR PRESSURE
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
STORAGE
WELL CASINGS