The effect of stratigraphic dip on multiphase flow at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant
The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a US Department of Energy research and development facility for the underground disposal of transuranic waste from US defense-related activities. The WIPP repository is located within the Salado Formation, which is comprised of beds of pure and impure halite with thin interbeds of anhydrite and related clay seams. This formation is brine saturated with a pore pressure of approximately 12.5 MPa at the repository horizon. The Salado Formation dips gently southeast, on the average approximately 1{degree}, with steeper dips locally. Elevated repository pressures, caused by gas generated as emplaced waste corrodes and degrades, may drive brine and gas out of the repository into the surrounding formation. Stratigraphic dip may cause increased brine inflow to the repository through countercurrent flow in the interbeds and enhanced gas migration distances in the updip direction due to buoyancy. Two-dimensional simulations of isolated WIPP repository room have been performed using TOUGH2 for horizontal and 1{degree} dipping stratigraphy. The impact of dip on multiphase flow at the WIPP may be significant. With dip, an additional mechanism for brine inflow may occur, namely the formation of a cell of countercurrent brine and gas flow in the interbeds. The additional volume of brine inflow resulting from the countercurrent flow cell may be of similar magnitude to brine inflow without dip. Therefore, dip must be included in any repository model to include the countercurrent brine inflow mechanism. Gas migration may also be significantly influenced due to dip. Gas migration distances may increase dramatically with preferential migration updip.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 46598
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-95-0565C; SAND-95-2257C; CONF-9503116-6; CONF-950828-20; ON: DE95009591; TRN: 95:010988
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 1995 TOUGH workshop, Berkeley, CA (United States); Portland, OR (United States), 20-22 Mar 1995; 5-9 Aug 1995; Other Information: PBD: [1995]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
The effect of stratigraphic dip on brine inflow and gas migration at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant
The effect of stratigraphic dip on multiphase flow at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant