Effects of CO2 on mechanical variability and constitutive behavior of the Lower Tuscaloosa Formation, Cranfield Injection Site, USA
We characterize geomechanical constitutive behavior of reservoir sandstones at conditions simulating the “Cranfield” Southeast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership injection program. From two cores of Lower Tuscaloosa Formation, three sandstone lithofacies were identified for mechanical testing based on permeability and lithology. These include: chlorite-cemented conglomeratic sandstone (Facies A); quartz-cemented fine sandstone (Facies B); and quartz- and calcite-cemented very fine sandstone (Facies C). We performed a suite of compression tests for each lithofacies at 100 °C and pore pressure of 30 MPa, including hydrostatic compression and triaxial tests at several confining pressures. Plugs were saturated with supercritical CO2-saturated brine. Chemical environment affected the mechanical response of all three lithofacies, which experience initial plastic yielding at stresses far below estimated in situ stress. Measured elastic moduli degradation defines a secondary yield surface coinciding with in situ stress for Facies B and C. Facies A shows measurable volumetric creep strain and a failure envelope below estimates of in situ stress, linked to damage of chlorite cements by acidic pore solutions. Furthermore, the substantial weakening of a particular lithofacies by CO2 demonstrates a possible chemical-mechanical coupling during injection at Cranfield with implications for CO2 injection, reservoir permeability stimulation, and enhanced oil recovery.
- Research Organization:
- Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Center for Frontiers of Subsurface Energy Security (CFSES); Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC0001114; AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 1374638
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 1338303
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-2015-9659J; S1750583616304947; PII: S1750583616304947
- Journal Information:
- International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, Journal Name: International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control Vol. 53 Journal Issue: C; ISSN 1750-5836
- Publisher:
- ElsevierCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- Netherlands
- Language:
- English
Web of Science
The Role of Chemistry in Fracture Pattern Development and Opportunities to Advance Interpretations of Geological Materials
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journal | July 2019 |
Fracture Propagation in Heterogeneous Porous Media: Pore-Scale Implications of Mineral Dissolution
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journal | April 2019 |
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