CO 2 Sequestration in a Carbonate Saline Aquifer: An Investigation into the Roles of Natural Fractures and Well Placement

Abdulrahim K. Al Mulhim, Mojdeh Delshad () and Kamy Sepehrnoori
Additional contact information
Abdulrahim K. Al Mulhim: Hildebrand Department of Petroleum & Geosystems Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
Mojdeh Delshad: Hildebrand Department of Petroleum & Geosystems Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
Kamy Sepehrnoori: Hildebrand Department of Petroleum & Geosystems Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 2, 1-21

Abstract: CO 2 sequestration is considered one of the main pillars in achieving the ongoing decarbonization efforts. A myriad of CO 2 sequestration projects targeted sandstone reservoirs since carbonate reservoirs appeared to be unpropitious due to their geological complexity and unfavorable mineralogy and properties. This study investigates CO 2 sequestration potential in a carbonate saline aquifer while considering various geological complexities by capitalizing on numerical simulation. A synthetic anticline reservoir model examined the optimum well location and landing zone for CO 2 sequestration. Additionally, the model evaluated the role of natural fractures in the migration path of CO 2 plume and geochemical reactions throughout the storage process. The study demonstrates that placing the injection well away from the top of the structure in a low-dip region while injecting in the bottom interval would yield the optimum design. After applying a plethora of analyses, geological complexity could impede the migration path of CO 2 but eventually produce a similar path when injected in a similar region. The geochemical interactions between the injected CO 2 and reservoir fluids and minerals reduce the free and trapped CO 2 quantities by dissolving calcite and precipitating dolomite. Furthermore, natural fractures impact the CO 2 quantities during early times only when the fractures cross the top layers. Similarly, the CO 2 migration differs due to the higher permeability within the fractures, resulting in slightly different CO 2 plumes. Consequently, the role of natural fractures should be limited in carbon storage projects, specifically if they do not cross the top of the reservoir. This study reflects a unique perspective on sequestering CO 2 while capturing the roles of natural fractures and well placement in depicting the migration path of the CO 2 plume. A similar systematic workflow and holistic approach can be utilized to optimize the subsurface storage process for potential formations.

Keywords: CO 2 sequestration; numerical simulation; CCS in carbonate reservoirs; CCS with natural fractures; well placement; risk assessment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/2/242/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/2/242/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:2:p:242-:d:1562246

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().