Assessment of CO2 Storage Potential in Naturally Fractured Reservoirs With Dual–Porosity Models

March, Rafael; Doster, Florian; Geiger, Sebastian

doi:10.1002/2017wr022159

Title: Assessment of CO₂ Storage Potential in Naturally Fractured Reservoirs With Dual–Porosity Models

Journal Article · Fri Feb 23 00:00:00 EST 2018 · Water Resources Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/2017wr022159· OSTI ID:1537335

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Heriot‐Watt Univ., Edinburgh (United Kingdom)

Abstract Naturally Fractured Reservoirs (NFR's) have received little attention as potential CO ₂ storage sites. Two main facts deter from storage projects in fractured reservoirs: (1) CO ₂ tends to be nonwetting in target formations and capillary forces will keep CO ₂ in the fractures, which typically have low pore volume; and (2) the high conductivity of the fractures may lead to increased spatial spreading of the CO ₂ plume. Numerical simulations are a powerful tool to understand the physics behind brine‐CO ₂ flow in NFR's. Dual‐porosity models are typically used to simulate multiphase flow in fractured formations. However, existing dual‐porosity models are based on crude approximations of the matrix‐fracture fluid transfer processes and often fail to capture the dynamics of fluid exchange accurately. Therefore, more accurate transfer functions are needed in order to evaluate the CO ₂ transfer to the matrix. This work presents an assessment of CO ₂ storage potential in NFR's using dual‐porosity models. We investigate the impact of a system of fractures on storage in a saline aquifer, by analyzing the time scales of brine drainage by CO ₂ in the matrix blocks and the maximum CO ₂ that can be stored in the rock matrix. A new model to estimate drainage time scales is developed and used in a transfer function for dual‐porosity simulations. We then analyze how injection rates should be limited in order to avoid early spill of CO ₂ (lost control of the plume) on a conceptual anticline model. Numerical simulations on the anticline show that naturally fractured reservoirs may be used to store CO ₂ .

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Research Organization:: Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)

Grant/Contract Number:: FE0023323

OSTI ID:: 1537335

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1424804

Journal Information:: Water Resources Research, Vol. 54, Issue 3; ISSN 0043-1397

Publisher:: American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 52 works

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