A review on pore-scale modeling and CT scan technique to characterize the trapped carbon dioxide in impermeable reservoir rocks during sequestration

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2021.110986Get rights and content

Highlights

  • CO2 capture, transport, and sequestration for long-term storage are depicted.

  • CO2 trapping and geochemical reaction process mechanisms are reviewed.

  • Mineralogy dominates CO2 trapped in sandstone as well as carbonate reservoirs.

  • Molecular simulation tools interpreting CO2-EOR and sequestration are discussed.

  • The main imminent zones allied to long term CO2 storage survey are addressed.

Abstract

Global warming is increasing at a perpetual rate due to the emission of greenhouse gases in recent years. This spectacle has been mainly caused by the increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the environment. It is in need to find a path to reduce the greenhouse gases along with the additional benefit of energy demand in a sustainable way. A favorable long-term way out to mitigate global warming is to inject CO2 into geological formations of oil fields to achieve a goal of a combination of CO2 sequestration and enhanced oil recovery by CO2 flooding. Understanding the mechanism of CO2 sequestration under impermeable rock formation requires the knowledge of the pore-scale modeling concept. This review article provides an overview of pore-scale modeling and micro-CT scan imaging technique for CO2 sequestration including a background of basic concepts related to storage, CO2 enhanced oil recovery, simulators used, and storage estimation. Trapping mechanisms, geological description of the formation for CO2 sequestration, and reactions that have taken place during the trapping in underground formation are also discussed elaborately. Macro-scale and pore-scale modeling are depicted based on the current literature available. This review also presents petrophysical data that comes from the pore network modeling of CO2-brine pore structure for the formation of carbon-containing sandstone reservoirs. A discussion on the challenges of CO2 sequestration and modeling in pore-scale is also furnished to point out the problems and solutions in near future. Finally, the prospect of CO2 sequestration and pore-scale modeling are described for its uncountable value in greenhouse gas reduction from the environment.

Introduction

Human activities since the modern upheaval have provoked an expansion in convergences of ozone-depleting substances, for example, carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane, which has prompted a worldwide temperature alteration and climate changes [1,2]. Electricity generation from petroleum derivatives represents around 55% of worldwide anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Regardless of all endeavors to decrease outflows, the utilization of non-renewable energy sources is as yet to expand by around 2.5% every year. The report expresses that seeking after the current objective level as set out in the national commitments of the nations under the Paris Agreement would adequately put us making a course for a warmer world at 3 °C more [3]. The developing nations need to on a very basic level change in their present way to deal with the environmental change and not sit tight for an industrialized nation like the United States to start to lead the pack in scaling outflows decreases and overseeing recorded emissions.

The significance of future carbon capture and storage (CCS) to relieve environmental change relies upon various elements, including monetary motivators for use and whether the storage dangers can be effectively overseen [3]. Geo-sequestration of CO2 is one of the choices for a long haul decrease of CO2 emissions. Notwithstanding some cost issues, this has so far been an improbable formation because of down-to-earth and unsure factors up ‘til now [4]. At present, CO2-enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR) includes injection of CO2 into an oil reservoir, frequently with water injection in the middle of, to improve the oil stream from the reservoir. This incorporates enhanced gas recovery (EGR), enhanced coal bed methane recovery (ECBM), and enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The injected CO2 serves to lessen the thickness of the oil and to improve the recovery productivity of the remaining unproduced oil. A segment of the CO2 is recuperated with the oil and can be isolated and reused, and some remaining parts for all time are sequestered in the reservoir. Three sorts of CO2 sequestration are in progress: terrestrial sequestration, geologic sequestration, and mineralization which are appeared in Fig. 1. Geologic sequestration is the storage of CO2 inside geological developments under the world's surface. Oil, gas, unmineable coal, and saline water supplies are those most appropriate for CO2 sequestration.

In geosequestration, concoction responses of CO2-stacked formation waters with supply minerals to hasten CO2-containing carbonate minerals can additionally improve storage integrity [3,6]. Observing geological hydrocarbon reservoirs will be basic to improve the comprehension of their conduct and to show their proceeded with trustworthiness. There are currently an extensive modest number of CO2 injection tries different things with a sum of a few thousand tons and a few injection plans on a size of one million tons for every year [3,7]. To get the most ideal comprehension of the frameworks in a brief timeframe, little analyses ought to be injected into progressively complex geological conditions, in which perceptions and samplings are conceivable through a progression of perception wells and pore-scale modeling and observing [3,7]. EOR and CCS ventures are both confused errands that require a tremendous comprehension of the objective reservoir to upgrade the storage strategy and time of CO2, just as hydrocarbon production. These could spill, yet numbness and mystery about the outcomes of CO2 storage are probably not going to persuade a dubious open as this is a practical choice [8]. To drive the procedure of CO2-EOR and CO2-storage monetarily and progressively appealing the costs engaged with the procedure should be lowered carbon credit considered. Right now, the cost appraisal of CCS innovation is extremely high. This innovation is probably not going to be tried viably with no financial inspiration or tax motivators. Financially it turns out to be increasingly doable on the off chance that it is joined with the procedure of CCS, this is a result of re-injection of produced CO2 into the storage and may achieve less CO2 essential from different sources [9].

At the point of CO2 injection into a geological formation with a supercritical structure, a lot of development liquids, for example, oil, water (saline solution), or gaseous petrol are truly uprooted [[10], [11], [12]]. In this manner, a superior comprehension of the removal components of CO2 and developed liquids in permeable media is expository to evaluate the risk of CO2 leakage and to foresee the measure of CO2 can be retained, just as oil exploration [13]. Anticipating species in the stream and transit properties of CO2 and developed liquids in permeable rocks are as yet difficult subjects because of the multiphase stream, the multifaceted nature of the liquid-rock communications, and the inherent heterogeneity of permeable rocks [14]. Broad explorations on CO2 switching have been completed on a few spatial scales, going from a couple of nanometers to tens or several kilometers, and it is likewise evident that the fitting techniques shift between various scales. Normal properties must be utilized on the full scale since an unequivocal portrayal of the wonders on the pore scale is incomprehensible [13]. In a very long time, pore-scale modeling of CO2 flooding liquid translation has been advanced by three variables such as late advances in portraying permeable channel through perception procedures, fluid flow concept, and some numerical hypotheses on transport phenomena [15].

Pore-scale modeling is turning into standard assistance in the gas and oil industry and has likely exertions in the transport of toxins towards the storage of CO2 [16]. In the first work on 3D X-ray micro-computed tomography (μCT), the scientists said, “We accept that it will be conceivable to look at limited frameworks under pressure, temperature, and encompassing conditions that are illustrative of the procedure conditions” [17]. So in this innovative work, there has been an eruption in the utilization of μCT with the fast improvement of table recognition and an unmistakable fascination for the exploration of permeable rocks, as in the first work, applied to CO2 storage and hydrocarbon production [18]. As of late, μCT is the most significant technique for the non-damaging imaging of reservoir cores under surrounding conditions, which is utilized for demonstrating and exploratory understanding [16,19,20]. Nonetheless, fabling under conditions illustrative of underground stream and movement, counting the impacts of concoction balance, has stayed a test [21].

Micromodels can be made to present a miniature variant of a somewhat soaked stone with raw oil [22,23]. In the CO2-EOR cycles, for example, carbon dioxide infused into raw petroleum-filled micromodels with water immersion is considered. The progression of front created among dislodging and displaced liquids, the presence of high porousness streak, and the fingering impacts are noticed [24,25]. The capacity limit of lingering catching was enhanced while CO2 was infused downwards along the porous bed. X-beam μCT was ended up being a viable strategy for the examination of CO2 storage in center example and a novel technique for the assessment of CO2 storage limit [26,27]. Likewise, pore network models have been utilized widely to reenact multiphase and single-stage liquid stream in permeable media, and these models will keep on giving significant understanding and data in the future [28,29].

The structure of the review paper follows the parts of a CCS framework. A presentation diagrams for the general structure of the appraisal gives an outline of the CCS framework and CO2-EOR application. At that point foundation and inspiration with oddity and significance of review with the importance of CCS are examined broadly, while emphasizing on capturing instruments. In the following, exploratory endeavors of CO2 sequestration and demonstrating of CO2 sequestration at various scales with petrophysical properties influenced during CO2 sequestration are clarified. In to wrap things up, difficulties of CO2 sequestration and the future possibility of CO2 storage with Computer Modeling Group (CMG) programming and determinations followed by the researchers have been depicted to provide adequate information.

Section snippets

Background and motivation of the review

The sensational environmental change making the world over has been to a great extent ascribed to the extraordinary ascent of the CO2 concentration in the air. Incredible endeavors have been made to create options in contrast to petroleum derivatives; for example, coal, oil, and gaseous petrol which right now spread around 85% of worldwide vitality needs. Unfortunately, the consumption of these petroleum products is the principal wellspring of anthropogenic CO2, which is additionally the

Novelty and importance of the review

In a large portion of the review articles, researchers have focused on the conventional trapping methodology and ongoing activities. The use of μCT-based research is gaining interest for CO2 storage in a geological formation, where the worry is to plan vaccines with the end goal that CO2 stays hypogeal for hundreds to thousands of years. A sedimentary basin is possibly appropriate for CO2 storage locales that incorporate profound bicarbonate springs [37]. Significant component constraints grow

Importance of CO2 capture and storage

EOR is utilized to separate incurable oil saves. It includes the injection of various substances into the reservoir, including alkali, polymers, CO2, and surfactants, to expel the trapped oil from the rocks [45]. EOR can separate 30–60% a greater amount of the crude initially accessible in the well, contrasted with essential and optional extraction which recoup 20–40%. Among the various operators, normally happening CO2 is utilized most usually as a result of its ease and wide accessibility [46

Trapping mechanisms

One of the most significant geological imperatives when searching for the opportune spot for CO2 reserve is a permeable and porous sedimentary rock that is overlaid by an impenetrable shale rock. The difference in prevailing trapping systems and expanding CO2 storage security with time appears in Fig. 3.

Since the kept CO2 is less thick than the disposition water, it normally ascends to the head of source and trap is expected to guarantee and it doesn't arrive at the surface. The CO2 can be

Geochemical reactions during CO2 trapping

While trapped underground, CO2 is dependent upon various geochemical connections with the source rock, which are constrained by developing brine synthesis, pH, temperature, pressure, and rock mineralogy, further expanding storage security [58].

In the first place, it breaks down in the water and ferments it, which is classified as “dissolvability capture”. At that point, it structures ionic species (particle capture) when the source rock disintegrates, joined by an increase in pH, and in the

Geological description of the formation for CO2 storage

The perfect portrayal of geological storage areas for CO2 requires an exhaustive combination of all geological information. The information types change contingent upon the portrayal stage. Notwithstanding, increasingly itemized information is required for the site-explicit evaluation, for example, high-thickness 3D or 2D seismic tremor, and logging [71]. These various sorts of information are commonly accessible from oil exploration and production. The local informational indexes ought to be

Experimental efforts of CO2 sequestration in laboratory

A few exploratory works identified with this examination, which comprised of various sorts of core flooding tests, was performed utilizing the cutting edge, three-stage, high pressure-high temperature consistent state core flooding device outfitted with μCT scan. To accomplish the destinations of this examination study, different sorts of flood tests were structured and done utilizing the core flooding gadget referenced. Right off the bat, an itemized depiction of the exploratory mechanical

Modeling of CO2 sequestration

Mineral condensation and disintegration in a permeable channel and related species of transport boundaries for liquid motion and solute fetch are significant enthusiasm for common habitats just as in anthropogenic frameworks, for instance, as geological archives for electro-smog squanders, subsurface impurity movement, CO2 sequestration, and EOR [78,96]. An improvement of receptive rapture rules fit for the exact portrayal of integrated procedures together with the porosity development and

Petrophysical properties affected during CO2 sequestration

The main petrophysical properties like porosity, permeability, wettability, capillary pressure, gas saturation, and pressure and temperature are significantly influenced during the CO2 sequestration.

Challenges of CO2 sequestration

While every component of carbon capture and sequestration innovation chain has been created and extent demonstrated, huge holes despite everything should be tended in the incorporated organization of the whole framework. The direness of tending to the test of environmental change doesn't permit to follow the conventional and consecutive exploration, improvement, and exhibit way, which would require maybe as much as 30 years for CCS to become business [159].

Challenges for modeling CO2 sequestration in pore-scale

During late advancement, it is so far an amazing test to mimic the multiphase stream and responsive transfer related to geologic CO2 sequestration at the pore-scale considering the extraordinary, effectively creating geologic arrangements, coupled physicochemical systems occurring in the composite [170]. Various physicochemical procedures include collaborations between the inserted CO2, the saline solution in the pore spaces, and the minerals coating pores [170]. These procedures directly

Future prospect of CO2 storage

The captured CO2 is usually injected in the profound underground at profundities of around 1000 m or more. This is to guarantee that it can't get away, just being at adequate strain to melt gas, producing it a progressively and lot denser proficient to the reservoir, since a given mass of CO2 involves less volume under these conditions. The CO2 can be infused into sedimentary stone. While there stays a lot of field approval to be performed encompassing worldwide geologic CO2 storage potential

Conclusions

In a referenced contextual analysis, injected CO2 with the immersed saline solution into a composite core which is made of two coordinating grain-stone carbonate core fittings with a tight circle is kept in between them to make a forcing factor that looking like and prevailing in the reservoir during CO2 infusion. At that point, it is investigated the effects of liquid stone co-operations at pore and continuum scale utilizing clinical X-ray CT, modern imaging strategy, and scanning electron

Declaration of competing interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the Drilling, Cementing, and Stimulation Research Core, School of Petroleum Technology, Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India. The Scheme of Developing High Quality (SHODH) research is also gratefully acknowledged for providing the facilities and funds to work on CO2 Sequestration project. Copyrights for all the figures used in this review article are approved through the proper channel.

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