An experimental investigation of coupled chemico-mineralogical and mechanical changes in varyingly-cemented sandstones upon CO2 injection in deep saline aquifer environments

T.D. Rathnaweera, P.G. Ranjith, M.S.A. Perera, A.S. Ranathunga, W.A.M. Wanniarachchi, S.Q. Yang, A. Lashin and N. Al Arifi

Energy, 2017, vol. 133, issue C, 404-414

Abstract: Although CO2 storage in deep saline aquifers is now accepted as a potential option for atmospheric CO2 mitigation, the chemico-mineralogical property alterations in the aquifer formation associated with CO2/brine/rock mineral interactions, the corresponding influence on formation hydro-mechanical properties and the effect of rock mineral structure, are not yet fully understood. This study was therefore conducted to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the effect of long-term CO2 exposure on the chemico-mineralogical structure and corresponding strength characteristics of saline aquifer rock formations using silicate cement (SS) and carbonate cement (CS) Hawkesbury sandstone samples collected from the Sydney basin. Sandstone samples were first reacted with brine+CO2 under different injection pressures (both sub-critical (4, 6 MPa) and super-critical (8, 10 MPa)) under a constant temperature of 35 °C. A comprehensive chemico-mineralogical analysis (ICP-AES and XRD) was first conducted on both the rock mass pore fluid and the rock matrix over the saturation period of one year, giving special attention to the alteration of dominant rock minerals (quartz, calcite and kaolinite). The overall influence after 12 months of saturation with brine and CO2 on the strength characteristics of the two types of sandstones (SS and CS) was then investigated and correlated with the chemico-mineralogical reaction, in order to understand the coupled process.

Keywords: Chemical; Mineralogical; Mechanical; Sequestration; Carbonate; Silicate (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:133:y:2017:i:c:p:404-414

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2017.05.154

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