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Title: CO2 Leakage Into Shallow Aquifers: Modeling CO2 Gas Evolution and Accumulation at Interfaces of Heterogeneity

Journal Article · · Energy Procedia (Online)
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The physicochemical processes associated with CO2 leakage into shallow aquifer systems are complex and span multiple spatial and time scales. Continuum-scale numerical models that faithfully represent the underlying pore-scale physics are required to predict the long-term behavior and aid in risk analysis regarding regulatory and management decisions. This study focuses on benchmarking the numerical simulator, FEHM, with intermediate-scale column experiments of CO2 gas evolution in homogeneous and heterogeneous sand configurations. Inverse modeling was conducted to calibrate model parameters and determine model sensitivity to the observed steady-state saturation profiles. It is shown that FEHM is a powerful tool that is capable of capturing the experimentally observed out ow rates and saturation profiles. Moreover, FEHM captures the transition from single- to multi-phase flow and CO2 gas accumulation at interfaces separating sands. We also derive a simple expression, based on Darcy's law, for the pressure at which CO2 free phase gas is observed and show that it reliably predicts the location at which single-phase flow transitions to multi-phase flow.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC52-06NA25396
OSTI ID:
1829151
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1246338
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-14-28232; S1876610214021675; PII: S1876610214021675
Journal Information:
Energy Procedia (Online), Journal Name: Energy Procedia (Online) Vol. 63 Journal Issue: C; ISSN 1876-6102
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
Netherlands
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 5 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (9)

Stabilization Wedges: Solving the Climate Problem for the Next 50 Years with Current Technologies journal August 2004
CO2 leakage in shallow aquifers: A benchmark modeling study of CO2 gas evolution in heterogeneous porous media journal August 2015
Experimental study of gas evolution in heterogeneous shallow subsurface formations during leakage of stored CO2 journal March 2014
A benchmark study on problems related to CO2 storage in geologic formations: Summary and discussion of the results journal July 2009
Heterogeneity-enhanced gas phase formation in shallow aquifers during leakage of CO 2 -saturated water from geologic sequestration sites journal December 2014
CO 2 /Brine Transport into Shallow Aquifers along Fault Zones journal July 2012
A Closed-form Equation for Predicting the Hydraulic Conductivity of Unsaturated Soils1 journal January 1980
CO2 leakage impacts on shallow groundwater: Field-scale reactive-transport simulations informed by observations at a natural analog site journal March 2013
An improved model calculating CO2 solubility in pure water and aqueous NaCl solutions from 273 to 533 K and from 0 to 2000 bar journal February 2003

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