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A simulation workflow for large-scale CO2 storage in the Norwegian North Sea

Computational Geosciences volume 20, pages 607–622 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

Large-scale CO2 injection problems have revived the interest in simple models, like percolation and vertically-averaged models, for simulating fluid flow in reservoirs and aquifers. A series of such models have been collected and implemented together with standard reservoir simulation capabilities in a high-level scripting language as part of the open-source MATLAB Reservoir Simulation Toolbox (MRST) to give a set of simulation methods of increasing computational complexity. Herein, we outline the methods and discuss how they can be combined to create a flexible tool-chain for investigating CO2 storage on a scale that would have significant impact on European CO2 emissions. In particular, we discuss geometrical methods for identifying structural traps, percolation-type methods for identifying potential spill paths, and vertical-equilibrium methods that can efficiently simulate structural, residual, and solubility trapping in a thousand-year perspective. The utility of the overall workflow is demonstrated using real-life depth and thickness maps of two geological formations from the recent CO2 Storage Atlas of the Norwegian North Sea.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. SINTEF ICT, Department of Applied Mathematics, P.O. Box 124 Blindern, N–0314, Oslo, Norway

    Knut-Andreas Lie, Halvor Møll Nilsen, Odd Andersen & Olav Møyner

Authors
  1. Knut-Andreas Lie
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  2. Halvor Møll Nilsen
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  3. Odd Andersen
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  4. Olav Møyner
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Correspondence to Knut-Andreas Lie.

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Lie, KA., Nilsen, H.M., Andersen, O. et al. A simulation workflow for large-scale CO2 storage in the Norwegian North Sea. Comput Geosci 20, 607–622 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10596-015-9487-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10596-015-9487-6

Keywords

  • CCS
  • Vertical equilibrium simulations
  • Spill-point analysis
  • Long-term migration
  • Storage capacity
  • Basin-scale injection