CO2 charged brines changed rock strength and stiffness at Crystal Geyser, Utah: Implications for leaking subsurface CO2 storage reservoirs

Espinoza, D. Nicolas; Jung, Hojung; Major, J. R.; Sun, Zhuang; Ramos, Matthew J.; Eichhubl, Peter; Balhoff, Matthew T.; Choens, Robert Charles; Dewers, Thomas

doi:10.1016/j.ijggc.2018.03.017

Cited by 52 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“… All the CO2 containing samples showed reduced bulk modulus and increased compressibility compared to the brine saturated sample consistent with Espinoza et al (2018). The highest change in bulk modulus and compressibility was seen in scCO2-br (22 and 27 %) followed by both gCO2-br and gCO2 at (13 and 14 %) respectively.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 69%

Static fatigue of saline rocks under different CO2 phase conditions

Ameh

Jin

Sheng

et al. 2020

Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering

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Static fatigue tests were conducted on core samples saturated with different phase CO2 to evaluate the fatigue rate and bulk modulus under constant but stepped stress increment. There was re-appearance of primary fatigue at higher stress in all the samples. In the brine saturated sample, for a 4 MPa deviatoric stress increase, there was about 89% increase in primary fatigue rate with up to 16% more strain, up to 88% reduction in fatigue rate when fatigue goes from primary to secondary fatigue and a reduction in primary fatigue duration by 39% with a bulk modulus of 1.050 GPa. Also, the secondary fatigue rate in stress conditions that had the initial primary fatigue portion was up to 16% higher than the secondary fatigue rate for stress conditions that do not have a primary fatigue portion. Saturating the rock with different phase CO2-brine caused a significant change in the fatigue behaviour and bulk modulus depending on the phase of the CO2. While the effect of CO2 phase on bulk modulus is most pronounced in the supercritical CO2 phase (decrease of 22 %), change in fatigue rate is most pronounced on gaseous CO2 phase (an increase of up to 45 %) especially when it is combined with brine (an increase of up to 93 %). The results of this study provide new insights into the deformation and response of rock's bulk moduli to different states of CO2-brine that could exist in a CO2 storage site and will be useful for the future site selection and maintenance of the geological storage projects.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 69%

Static fatigue of saline rocks under different CO2 phase conditions

Ameh

Jin

Sheng

et al. 2020

Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering

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“…Although a well‐studied area, there are few measurements of mechanical properties and permeability for the LGW Fault in the Entrada Sandstone, which can document impacts of the relict CO 2 fluid system on basic mechanical and flow properties (Espinoza et al, 2018; Major et al, 2018). Effects of chemical alteration in rock material with low permeability are challenging to document and quantify in experimental work due to slow reaction kinetics.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental Investigation of Natural Fracture Stiffness and Flow Properties in a Faulted CO₂Bypass System (Utah, USA)

et al. 2020

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Fracture stiffness and flow properties have been measured in the laboratory using naturally fractured fault rock samples from the Little Grand Wash fault, Utah, USA. We compare fracture closure and related flow change during isotropic loading of two fractures which have been subject to various amounts of paleoreactive flow. The two tested fractures are described as (i) a small‐aperture fracture (0.1 mm) with negligible geochemical alterations of the fracture surface and (ii) a large‐aperture fracture (0.53 mm) where precipitates are observed on the fracture surface. X‐ray imaging is used for quantification of fracture aperture and fracture surface contact distribution. The petrographical characterization using scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray powder diffraction is performed pretest and describes burial and uplift diagenesis as well as pulses of reactive fluid flow within the fault. The stress‐dependent flow and deformation experiment provides new data on fracture stiffness and flow for naturally developed fractures in siliciclastic rock. Fracture stiffness is found to be highest for the small‐aperture fracture due to its high‐fracture contact ratio and well‐developed surface mating during closure. For the naturally altered and rougher, large‐aperture fracture, fracture stiffness is lower and a highly stress dependent decay in flow is observed during initial closure. The results illustrate that a natural fracture with high contact ratio and well‐mated surfaces will close during loading, whereas a fracture associated with high flow rates and affected by previous geochemical alteration maintains a high flow rate compared to the host rock during similar loading.

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“…Furthermore, a number of studies have examined the mechanical changes induced from saturation with CO 2 ‐rich fluid or scCO 2 under a low water‐to‐rock mass ratio environment, but minor dissolution or reaction was observed in their experiments (Hangx et al, ; Rathnaweera et al, , ; Rinehart, Dewers, et al, ). Field observations from the Crystal Geyser site showed that long‐term natural CO 2 ‐related alteration in sandstone produced decreases in fracture toughness and supercritical fracture propagation index in silicate‐ and carbonate‐cemented sandstones and siltstones but increases in strength due to precipitation of secondary minerals in shales (Espinoza et al, ; Major et al, ; Major et al, ). However, there is still a lack of understanding regarding the role that cement texture and composition play in chemo‐mechanical coupling processes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemo‐mechanical Alterations Induced From CO₂ Injection in Carbonate‐Cemented Sandstone: An Experimental Study at 71 °C and 29 MPa

Luhmann

Rinehart

et al. 2020

JGR Solid Earth

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Carbon capture, utilization, and storage may lead to mechanical degradation of the subsurface reservoir from fluid‐rock interaction, which could lead to wellbore instability or reservoir compaction. To better understand potential relationship between mechanical degradation with various carbonate cement textures and compositions in sandstone reservoirs, six flow‐through experiments were conducted. Formation water (TDS = 5,390 mg/L) enriched with CO2 flowed through two types of Pennsylvanian Morrow B Sandstone: an ankerite‐siderite‐cemented sandstone (disseminated cement texture) and a calcite‐cemented sandstone (poikilotopic cement texture). The experiments produced little change in permeability in the ankerite‐siderite‐cemented sandstone, but permeability increased up to more than 1 order of magnitude in the calcite‐cemented sandstone. Ultrasonic measurements and cylinder‐splitting tests (also known as Brazilian tests) suggested negligible mechanical degradation of the ankerite‐siderite‐cemented sandstone. Variable changes, with significant mechanical degradation in the static moduli, were observed in the calcite‐cemented sandstone. Thus, dissolution of the disseminated ankerite‐siderite cement (0.28–0.30%) had minimal impact on modifying the flow network and the mechanical integrity of the sandstone, whereas dissolution of the poikilotopic calcite cement (0.89–1.13%, quantified with fluid chemistry and visualized with X‐ray microcomputed tomography) impacted the mechanical strength of the sandstone by disconnecting framework grains. With the high water‐to‐rock mass ratios (7.3–8.2) and number of pore volumes (147–675) employed in these experiments, potential risks are most relevant to regions near injection wells. Ultimately, the chemo‐mechanical effects induced by CO2 injection are strongly influenced by the cement texture and composition and the burial history of the reservoir rock.

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CO2 charged brines changed rock strength and stiffness at Crystal Geyser, Utah: Implications for leaking subsurface CO2 storage reservoirs

Cited by 52 publications

References 57 publications

Static fatigue of saline rocks under different CO2 phase conditions

Static fatigue of saline rocks under different CO2 phase conditions

Experimental Investigation of Natural Fracture Stiffness and Flow Properties in a Faulted CO₂Bypass System (Utah, USA)

Chemo‐mechanical Alterations Induced From CO₂ Injection in Carbonate‐Cemented Sandstone: An Experimental Study at 71 °C and 29 MPa

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CO2 charged brines changed rock strength and stiffness at Crystal Geyser, Utah: Implications for leaking subsurface CO2 storage reservoirs

Cited by 52 publications

References 57 publications

Static fatigue of saline rocks under different CO2 phase conditions

Static fatigue of saline rocks under different CO2 phase conditions

Experimental Investigation of Natural Fracture Stiffness and Flow Properties in a Faulted CO2Bypass System (Utah, USA)

Chemo‐mechanical Alterations Induced From CO2 Injection in Carbonate‐Cemented Sandstone: An Experimental Study at 71 °C and 29 MPa

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Experimental Investigation of Natural Fracture Stiffness and Flow Properties in a Faulted CO₂Bypass System (Utah, USA)

Chemo‐mechanical Alterations Induced From CO₂ Injection in Carbonate‐Cemented Sandstone: An Experimental Study at 71 °C and 29 MPa