Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

A Novel Testing Apparatus for Hydromechanical Investigation of Rocks: Geo-Sequestration of Carbon dioxide

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper presents the design, development and application of a new multi-phase high-pressure and elevated temperature rock hydromechanical testing apparatus for the investigation of reservoir and cap rock behaviour in carbon geo-sequestration projects. The triaxial apparatus is designed to support high confining stress, injection pressures and higher temperatures to imitate the natural thermo-hydro-geomechanical conditions of deep underground geological formations. The apparatus also includes an acoustic emission device for the study of the mechanical failure behaviour of rocks under compression. The apparatus is designed to support a range of different rock specimen sizes from 34 to 54 mm in diameter. Since sequestration projects involve the injection of supercritical carbon dioxide, which is extremely sensitive to temperature and pressure, and is highly corrosive in nature, special precautions were taken in the design and manufacture of the apparatus. The data acquisition system is powered and calibrated in accordance with each of the sensors and is guided by a series of in-house developed and commercial softwares for data storage and analysis. The methodology for conducting advanced testing on cap rock and reservoir rocks with the injection of water and supercritical CO2 is presented with the appropriate theory. Some preliminary tests have been carried out on sandstone specimens sourced from the Melbourne region using the newly designed apparatus and the results are presented in this paper.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Al-Bazali T, Zhang J, Chenevert ME, Sharma MM (2008) Experimental and numerical study on the impact of strain rate on failure characteristics of shales. J Pet Sci Eng 60:194–204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bachu S (2000) Sequestration of CO2 in geological media: criteria and approach for site selection in response to climate change. Energy Convers Manag 41(9):953–970

  • Cai M, Kaiser PK, Morioka H, Minami M, Maejima T, Tasaka Y, Kurose H (2007) FLAC/PFC coupled numerical simulation of AE in large-scale underground excavations. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 44(4):550–564

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cook JM, Sheppard MC, Houwen OH (1990) Effects of strain rate and confining stress on the deformation and failure of shale. SPE Drill Conf Houst 6(2):100–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Dong J-J, Hsu J-Y, Wu W-J, Shimamoto T, Hung J-H, Yeh E-C, Wu Y-H, Sone H (2010) Stress-dependence of the permeability and porosity of sandstone and shale from TCDP Hole-A. Int J Rock Mech Sci (47)1141–1157

  • Eberhardt E, Stimpson B, Stead D (1999) Effects of grain size on the initiation and propagation thresholds of stress-induced brittle fractures. Rock Mech Rock Eng 32(2):81–99

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gray DH, Fatt I, Bergamini G (1963) The effect of stress on permeability of sandstone cores. Soc Pet Eng J 3(2):531

    Google Scholar 

  • Indraratna B, Ranjith PG (2001) Laboratory measurement of two-phase flow parameters in rock joints based on high pressure triaxial testing. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng, ASCE 127(6):530–542

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jouniaux L, Pozzi JP (1995) Streaming potential and permeability of saturated sandstones under triaxial stress: consequences for electrotelluric anomalies prior to earthquakes, J Geophys Res 100(B6):10,197–10,209

    Google Scholar 

  • Lei X-L, Kusunose K, Rao MVMS, Nishizawa O, Satoh T (2000) Quasi-static fault growth and cracking in homogeneous brittle rock under triaxial compression using acoustic emission monitoring. J Geophys Res 105:6127–6139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nygard R, Gutierrez M, Bratli RK, Høeg K (2006) Brittle–ductile transition, shear failure and leakage in shales and mudrocks. Marine Pet Geol 23:201–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ranjith PG, Jasinge D, Song JY, Choi SK (2008) A study of the effect of displacement rate and moisture content on the mechanical properties of concrete: use of acoustic emission. Mech Mat 40(6):453–469

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ranjith PG, Jasinge D, Choi SK, Mehic M, Shannon B (2010) The effect of CO2 saturation on mechanical properties of Australian black coal using acoustic emission. Fuel 89:2110–2117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson LH (1958) Effects of pore and confining stress on failure characteristics of sedimentary rocks. Presented at 33rd annual fall meeting of society of petroleum engineers in Houston, TX, 5–8 Oct

  • Shukla R, Ranjith PG, Haque A, Choi X (2010) A review of studies on CO2 sequestration and cap rock integrity. Fuel 89(10):2651–2664

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smart BGD (1995) A true triaxial cell for testing cylindrical rock specimens. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abst 32(3):269–275

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang CA, Kaiser PK (1998) Numerical simulation of cumulative damage and seismic energy release during brittle rock failure—Part I: fundamentals. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 35(2):113–121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu W, Montesi LGJ, Wong TF (1997) Shear-enhanced compaction and permeability reduction: triaxial extension tests on porous sandstone. Mech Mat 25(3):199–214

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia

    R. Shukla, P. G. Ranjith, S. K. Choi & A. Haque

Authors
  1. R. Shukla
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. G. Ranjith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. K. Choi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. Haque
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. G. Ranjith.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Shukla, R., Ranjith, P.G., Choi, S.K. et al. A Novel Testing Apparatus for Hydromechanical Investigation of Rocks: Geo-Sequestration of Carbon dioxide. Rock Mech Rock Eng 45, 1073–1085 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-012-0241-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-012-0241-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation