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Analytical Model for CO2 Injection into Brine Aquifers-Containing Residual CH4

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Abstract

During CO2 injection into brine aquifers-containing residual and/or dissolved CH4, three distinct regions develop: (1) a single-phase, dry-out region around the well-bore filled with pure supercritical CO2; (2) a two-phase, two-component system containing CO2 and brine; and (3) a two-phase, two-component system containing CH4, and brine. This article extends an existing analytical solution, for pressure buildup during CO2 injection into brine aquifers, by incorporating dissolved and/or residual CH4. In this way, the solution additionally accounts for partial miscibility of the CO2–CH4–brine system and the relative permeability hysteresis associated with historic imbibition of brine and current drainage due to CO2 injection and CH4 bank development. Comparison of the analytical solution results with commercial simulator, CMG-GEM, shows excellent agreement among a range of different scenarios. The presence of residual CH4 in a brine aquifer summons two competing phenomena, (1) reduction in relative permeability (phase interference), which increases pressure buildup by reducing total mobility, and (2) increase in bulk compressibility which decreases pressure buildup of the system. If initial CH4 is dissolved (no free CH4), these effects are not as important as they are in the residual gas scenario. Relative permeability hysteresis increased the CH4 bank length (compared to non-hysteretic relative permeability), which led to further reduction in pressure buildup. The nature of relative permeability functions controls whether residual CH4 is beneficial or disadvantageous to CO2 storage capacity and injectivity in a candid brine aquifer.

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Abbreviations

α :

Dimensionless compressibility parameter [−]

μ a :

Dynamic viscosities of brine with dissolved CO2 [ML−1T−1]

μ a :

Dynamic viscosity of the aqueous phase [ML−1T−1]

μ b :

Dynamic viscosities of brine with dissolved CH4 [ML−1T−1]

μ c :

Dynamic viscosities of water-free CO2 [ML−1T−1]

μ g :

Dynamic viscosities of CO2-rich gas [ML−1T−1]

μ g :

Dynamic viscosity of the gas phase [ML−1T−1]

μ m :

Dynamic viscosities of CH4-rich gas [ML−1T−1]

ω ca :

Mass fractions of CO2 in the aqueous phase [−]

ω cg :

Mass fractions of CO2 in the gas phase [−]

ω ma :

Mass fractions of CH4 in the aqueous phase [−]

ω mg :

Mass fractions of CH4 in the gas phase [−]

ω wa :

Mass fractions of water in the aqueous phase [−]

ω wg :

Mass fractions of water in the aqueous phase [−]

\({\phi}\) :

Porosity [−]

ρ a :

Density of the aqueous phase [ML−3]

ρ c :

Density of CO2 [ML−3]

ρ g :

Density of the gas phase [ML−3]

c b :

Brine compressibility [M−1LT2]

c m :

CH4 compressibility [M−1LT2]

c r :

Rock compressibility [M−1LT2]

E 1 :

First-order exponential integral function [−]

f a :

Fractional flow of aqueous phase [−]

f g :

Fractional flow of gas phase [−]

h :

Thickness of the formation [L]

k :

Permeability [L2]

k ra0 :

End-point relative permeability for aqueous phase [−]

k ra :

Relative permeabilities of the aqueous phase [−]

k rg0 :

End-point relative permeability for gas phase [−]

k rg :

Relative permeabilities of the gas phase [−]

m :

Power-law exponents for the aqueous phase [−]

M 0 :

Mass injection rate [MT−1]

n :

Power-law exponents for the gas phase [−]

P :

Fluid pressure [ML−1T−2]

P 0 :

Initial brine aquifer pressure [ML−1T−2]

q a :

Volumetric flux of the aqueous phase [LT−1]

q D :

Ratio of volumetric flow rate at each region to injection flow rate [−]

q g :

Volumetric flux of the gas phase [LT−1]

r :

Radial distance [L]

r E :

Radial extent of aquifer [L]

S a :

Volumetric saturation of the aqueous phase [−]

S g :

Volumetric saturation of the gas phase [−]

S s :

Volumetric saturation of precipitated salt [−]

S ar :

Residual aqueous phase saturation [−]

S gc :

Critical gas saturation [−]

t :

Time [T]

z :

Similarity transform parameter [−]

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA

    Seyyed Abolfazl Hosseini & Farzam Javadpour

  2. Department of Earth Sciences, Durham University, Durham, UK

    Simon A. Mathias

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  1. Seyyed Abolfazl Hosseini
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  2. Simon A. Mathias
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  3. Farzam Javadpour
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Correspondence to Seyyed Abolfazl Hosseini.

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Hosseini, S.A., Mathias, S.A. & Javadpour, F. Analytical Model for CO2 Injection into Brine Aquifers-Containing Residual CH4 . Transp Porous Med 94, 795–815 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11242-012-0025-x

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