Computational Modeling of Carbon Dioxide in Saline Reservoirs Caitlin M. Augustin Peter K. Swart Timothy H. Dixon Augustin et al., 2010

Carbon Capture and Sequestration CCS is a method of capturing carbon dioxide from large point sources and storing it in such a way that it never enters the atmosphere CCS is a method of capturing carbon dioxide from large point sources and storing it in such a way that it never enters the atmosphere Augustin et al., 2010 Farnham Dome, Utah Injection Site/ NETL

Carbon Capture and Sequestration There are three major outcomes of carbon sequestration in reservoirs 1.Deformation, fracture and leakage on the surface 2.Viscous fingering and negative downward migration 3.Stable sequestration within reservoir (no leakage, no migration) Augustin et al., 2010

Why Modeling? Replicate the existing conditions in reservoirs conditioned and de- stressed by prior extraction of oil, water or gasReplicate the existing conditions in reservoirs conditioned and de- stressed by prior extraction of oil, water or gas Understand the geomechanical effects of injection of the fluid into reservoirs and other storage environmentsUnderstand the geomechanical effects of injection of the fluid into reservoirs and other storage environments Guarantee with very high levels of certainty that CO 2 will never escapeGuarantee with very high levels of certainty that CO 2 will never escape Augustin et al., 2010

Discrete Element Method Detailed visualization ofDetailed visualization of explicit time steppingexplicit time stepping changes in forces and velocities of individual particleschanges in forces and velocities of individual particles post-injection outcomespost-injection outcomes It is particularly useful for modeling forces, particle reactions, and flowIt is particularly useful for modeling forces, particle reactions, and flow DEM has been used by scientists focused on micro-level events (e.g. pore fluid displacement, molecular reactions)DEM has been used by scientists focused on micro-level events (e.g. pore fluid displacement, molecular reactions) Commercial software includes: TOUGH/TOUGHREACT, Xtools, Geochemists’ WorkbenchCommercial software includes: TOUGH/TOUGHREACT, Xtools, Geochemists’ Workbench Augustin et al., 2010

Finite Element Method Detailed visualization of Detailed visualization of where structures bend or twist where structures bend or twist indicates the distribution of stresses indicates the distribution of stresses Displacements of volume Displacements of volume It is particularly useful for modeling the geophysical effects of CCS It is particularly useful for modeling the geophysical effects of CCS FEM has been used primarily by scientists focused on macro-level events (e.g. surface deformation, stress fracturing of the seal) FEM has been used primarily by scientists focused on macro-level events (e.g. surface deformation, stress fracturing of the seal) Commercial software includes SolidWorks, GTectin, etc. Commercial software includes SolidWorks, GTectin, etc. Augustin et al., 2010

University of Miami Project We hypothesis that a integrated model is vital to accurately understand the sequestration environment. Ground deformation signal Poroelastic behavior of rocks We will originate a code dedicated to modeling the impact of the micro-level reactions on the entire system Augustin et al., 2010 Numerical Models -Replicate field observations -Use as input parameters data generated from laboratory core-level experiments -Originate code Field Observations Provide data on: Seismic, GPS, InSAR, geochemical composition, geology of region -Validates numerical models -provides data for laboratory experiments Core-Level Experiments -steady state core flood experiments that replicate reservoir injection -provide deeper understanding of field observations -generates parameters for numerical models

Further Applications Subsurface fluid flow Subsurface fluid flow Deep injection of solid waste Deep injection of solid waste Nuclear waste storage Nuclear waste storage Carbon dioxide emissions policy Carbon Capture and Storage industry standards Augustin et al., 2010