A coupled geomechanical reservoir simulation analysis of carbon dioxide storage in a saline aquifer in the Ohio River Valley

Geomechanical modeling for CO2 storage in Nisku aquifer in Wabamun Lake area in Canada

“…It is important to realize that the assumption of the constant initial gradient of the minimum horizontal stress is likely a pessimistic scenario for height growth. The simulation of fracture propagation for CO 2 storage in Ohio River Valley, where minimum horizontal stress in the caprock is larger than in the reservoir, has shown that such initial stress contrast increases greatly the likelihood of fracture containment within the reservoir (Goodarzi et al, 2011). On the other hand, the pressurization of the Nisku will increase the stress in this zone and therefore reduce any stress contrast provided by the caprock, having an unfavorable effect on fracture containment.…”

Optimization of a CO2 storage project based on thermal, geomechanical and induced fracturing effects

“…After completing a geomechanical characterization of the Mountaineer site, Lucier et al (2006) simulated CO 2 injection into relatively low permeability Rose Run sandstone using a conventional reservoir simulator considering the pressure for fault reactivation as an upper boundary on reservoir pressures. Goodarzi et al (2011) extended this previous study utilizing an isothermal reservoir model that explicitly couples pressure changes to geomechanics as CO 2 is injected using Geosim. GEOSIM™ is a modular software system that combines a 3D, 3-phase thermal reservoir simulator with a general 3D finite element stress-strain simulator (Taurus, 2015).…”

“…Since geomechanical effects induced by injection could lead to formation or reactivation of fracture network, rock shear failure and fault movements which could potentially provide pathways for CO 2 leakage, geomechanical modeling plays a very important role in risk assessment of geological storage of CO 2 . Thermal effects of cold CO 2 injection has been studied by Goodarzi et al (2011Goodarzi et al ( , 2012Goodarzi et al ( , 2013, Gor et al (2013) and Peters et al (2013). All the mentioned studies have shown stress reduction in the reservoir and caprock due to cold injection of CO 2 .…”

“…This reduction is due to rock thermal contraction resulting from heat transfer associated with cold injection of CO 2 . The reduction of stresses has the potential to cause tensile fracturing in the reservoir and/or caprock as a result of lowered minimum effective stress (Goodarzi et al, 2011(Goodarzi et al, , 2012(Goodarzi et al, , 2013Gor et al, 2013;Peters et al, 2013). This effect has been observed in one of the injection wells at In Salah (KB-502).…”

“…Initiation of fracture below the apparent fracture opening pressure could be an indication of the cooling effects of CO 2 injection. Goodarzi et al (2011) have introduced the controversial idea of injecting CO 2 for storage at fracturing conditions in order to improve injectivity and economics. Here we examine the thermal aspects of such process.…”