Uncertainty in fault seal parameters: implications for CO<sub>2</sub> column height retention and storage capacity in geological CO<sub>2</sub> storage projects
Item
Title (Dublin Core)
Uncertainty in fault seal parameters: implications for CO<sub>2</sub> column height retention and storage capacity in geological CO<sub>2</sub> storage projects
Description (Dublin Core)
<p>Faults can act as barriers to fluid flow in sedimentary
basins, hindering the migration of buoyant fluids in the subsurface,
trapping them in reservoirs, and facilitating the build-up of vertical fluid
columns. The maximum height of these columns is reliant on the retention
potential of the sealing fault with regards to the trapped fluid. Several
different approaches for the calculation of maximum supported column height
exist for hydrocarbon systems. Here, we translate these approaches to the
trapping of carbon dioxide by faults and assess the impact of uncertainties
in (i) the wettability properties of the fault rock, (ii) fault rock
composition, and (iii) reservoir depth on retention potential. As with
hydrocarbon systems, uncertainties associated with the wettability of a
<span class="inline-formula">CO<sub>2</sub></span>–brine–fault rock system for a given reservoir have less of an
impact on column heights than uncertainties of fault rock composition. In
contrast to hydrocarbon systems, higher phyllosilicate entrainment into the
fault rock may reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that can be securely
retained due a preferred <span class="inline-formula">CO<sub>2</sub></span> wettability of clay minerals. The
wettability of the carbon dioxide system is highly sensitive to depth, with
a large variation in possible column height predicted at 1000 and 2000 m
of depth, which is the likely depth range for carbon storage sites. Our results show
that if approaches developed for fault seals in hydrocarbon systems are
translated, without modification, to carbon dioxide systems the capacity of
carbon storage sites will be inaccurate and the predicted security of
storage sites erroneous.</p>
basins, hindering the migration of buoyant fluids in the subsurface,
trapping them in reservoirs, and facilitating the build-up of vertical fluid
columns. The maximum height of these columns is reliant on the retention
potential of the sealing fault with regards to the trapped fluid. Several
different approaches for the calculation of maximum supported column height
exist for hydrocarbon systems. Here, we translate these approaches to the
trapping of carbon dioxide by faults and assess the impact of uncertainties
in (i) the wettability properties of the fault rock, (ii) fault rock
composition, and (iii) reservoir depth on retention potential. As with
hydrocarbon systems, uncertainties associated with the wettability of a
<span class="inline-formula">CO<sub>2</sub></span>–brine–fault rock system for a given reservoir have less of an
impact on column heights than uncertainties of fault rock composition. In
contrast to hydrocarbon systems, higher phyllosilicate entrainment into the
fault rock may reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that can be securely
retained due a preferred <span class="inline-formula">CO<sub>2</sub></span> wettability of clay minerals. The
wettability of the carbon dioxide system is highly sensitive to depth, with
a large variation in possible column height predicted at 1000 and 2000 m
of depth, which is the likely depth range for carbon storage sites. Our results show
that if approaches developed for fault seals in hydrocarbon systems are
translated, without modification, to carbon dioxide systems the capacity of
carbon storage sites will be inaccurate and the predicted security of
storage sites erroneous.</p>
Creator (Dublin Core)
J. M. Miocic
G. Johnson
C. E. Bond
Subject (Dublin Core)
Geology
QE1-996.5
Stratigraphy
QE640-699
Publisher (Dublin Core)
Copernicus Publications
Date (Dublin Core)
2019-06-01T00:00:00Z
Type (Dublin Core)
article
Identifier (Dublin Core)
10.5194/se-10-951-2019
1869-9510
1869-9529
https://doaj.org/article/4f09285ccc7742dd95d69cd69671205c
Source (Dublin Core)
Solid Earth, Vol 10, Pp 951-967 (2019)
Language (Dublin Core)
EN
Relation (Dublin Core)
https://www.solid-earth.net/10/951/2019/se-10-951-2019.pdf
https://doaj.org/toc/1869-9510
https://doaj.org/toc/1869-9529
Provenance (Dublin Core)
Journal Licence: CC BY