Geological Society of America

T4 Fracture, Faulting, and Reactive Fluid Flow in Tight Rocks: Coupled Processes in Shale, CO2 Sequestration, and Geothermal Energy I

Sunday, 25 September 2016
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Room 506

CONTROL OF PROCESS FOR SUBSURFACE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING: EXAMPLES FROM GEOLOGIC CARBON STORAGE

Paper number: T4-2
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:05 AM – 8:20 AM

Authors

Thomas Dewers Presenting Author
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM
Ruijie Liu
The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
Ed Matteo
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM
Alex Rinehart
New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM
Steve Sobolik
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM
John Stormont
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
Mahmoud Taha
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
Pania Newell
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM
Peter Eichhubl
The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
Ben Ganis
University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
Mary Wheeler
University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
Deandra White
University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
Jonathan Major
The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
Jason Heath
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM
Mohamad Jammoul
University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
Peter Kobos
Sandia National Laboratory, Albuquerque, NM

Abstract

Subsurface engineering for waste storage or resource extraction aims for controllable outcomes. In geologic carbon storage, these include using pore space with unprecedented efficiency, sustaining injectivity over the lifetime of an injection project, and avoiding unwanted or emergent risky consequences. We discuss field, experimental, and modeling examples of these and the challenges posed for research and implementation. Observed changes in reservoir response accompanying CO₂

injection at the Cranfield site, along with a suite of lab tests, shows potential for use of injectate chemistry as a means to alter fracture permeability (with concomitant improvements for sweep and storage efficiency). Further control of reservoir sweep attends brine extraction from reservoirs, with further benefit for pressure control, mitigation of reservoir and wellbore damage, and water use. State-of-the-art validated models predict the extent of damage and deformation associated with pore pressure hazards in reservoirs, timing and location of networks and cascades of fractures, and development of localized leakage pathways in caprock. Experimentally validated geomechanics models can show where wellbore failure occurs during injection, and efficiency of repair methods using nanocomposites. Perhaps the simplest route to control is knowledge of heterogeneity and where best to inject (or not). An example is use of waste zones or leaky seals to both reduce pore pressure hazards and enhance residual trapping. Together, these examples highlight current research aimed at prevention of emergent subsurface failure modes, assurance of caprock integrity, and subsurface storage security.

This work was supported as part of the Center for Frontiers of Subsurface Energy Security (CFSES), an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences under Award Number DE-SC0001114. Additional funding is from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 48, No. 7

doi: 10.1130/abs/2016AM-286486

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