Managing Fault-Related Risks in Gigatonne-Scale CO₂ Storage with Multiscale Modeling and Simulation
S.E. Gasda (NORCE Norwegian Research Centre AS)
I. Al-Kafaji (Norske Shell AS)
W. Boon (NORCE Norwegian Research Centre AS)
A. Busch (Heriot-Watt University)
A. Cartwright-Taylor (Heriot-Watt University)
A. Cihan (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)
F. Doster (Heriot-Watt University)
N. Forbes Inskip (Heriot-Watt University)
S. Geiger (TU Delft - Geoscience and Engineering)
S. Glubokovskikh (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)
Y. Guglielmi (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)
C. Imrie (Storegga)
M. Naumann (Equinor ASA)
F. Radu (University of Bergen)
T. Shinohara (TU Delft - Applied Geology)
R. Sheikhansari (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas CSIC)
S. De Simone (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas CSIC)
Å. Synnevåg (University of Bergen)
S. Tveit (NORCE Norwegian Research Centre AS)
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Abstract
Achieving climate neutrality requires rapid scale-up of CO2 storage to gigatonne scale. Storage clusters—multiple injection sites sharing regional aquifers—offer economic benefits but introduce new challenges in subsurface pressure management. Elevated reservoir pressures can lead to fault slip and leakage, generating environmental and operational risks that span beyond individual license areas. Current site-focused workflows are insufficient for characterizing such cross-boundary effects.
This work introduces the research activities and key ideas of the international research project MuPSI which develops an integrated, multiscale screening and simulation approach to assess geomechanical risks in storage clusters. We present results of a new screening workflow that enables rapid evaluation of pressure interference and fault activation risk across regional aquifers. This is coupled with high-resolution modeling of fault response and new software to bridge region-, project-, and fault-scales. A new highly efficient approach for pressure-stress coupling offers greater software flexibility in geomechanical assessment of individual projects.
The approach is demonstrated using North Sea case studies, including the Horda Platform (Norway) and East Mey (UK). Outputs will support operators and regulators in improving investment decisions, permitting, and cross-license coordination. MuPSI also delivers stakeholder training and knowledge-transfer tools to accelerate adoption of robust, risk-informed storage cluster design.