CO₂ migration and distribution in multiscale-heterogeneous deep saline aquifers

Abstract

Large volumes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) captured from carbon emission source can be stored in deep saline aquifers as a mean of mitigating climate change. The deep saline aquifers are naturally heterogeneous at multiple scales. It is important to generate representative multiscale heterogeneous fields of various hydrogeologic properties and understand storage safety by studying CO₂ migration and distribution in such fields. In this work, a new multiscale heterogeneous model with partly fine multi-facies heterogeneous domain is proposed. A method based on transition probability theory is referred to establish a multi-facies model. A new multiscale heterogeneous model with partly fine multi-facies heterogeneous domain is built up according to the categorized permeability data obtained from the Geological Carbon Storage Frio site in USA. TOUGH2/ECO2N is applied to simulate CO₂ migration and distribution in such a multiscale heterogeneous model. The CO₂ plume shows obvious viscous fingering and non-uniform migration both in layered and vertical directions, implying vertical and horizontal heterogeneity which cannot be represented by a single-scale model or simulated with the assumption of homogeneous formation. The profile of CO₂ migration shown in the numerical simulation at a time of 10 days is in a good accordance with the seismic data of Frio situ in qualitative and quantitative aspects.