Comparison of Pore Network Simulation and X-ray Computed Microtomography Imaging on Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Injection to Sandstone

Abstract

Geologic carbon storage is one of the methods to reduce the concentration of carbon dioxide in atmosphere by injecting carbon dioxide into the permeable layer such as marine aquifer and depleted gas reservoir. The injected carbon dioxide was captured by several mechanisms. Capillary trapping is the most important mechanism, which determine the quantity of carbon storage. Carbon dioxide injection process was difficult to reproduce because reservoirs have high-pressure condition and more than two fluids were involved. Therefore, the simulation methods were adapted in this study focused on capillary trapping effect. Among various simulation methods, pore network modeling methods were used which was based on Hagen-Poiseuille equation and Young-Laplace equation. By simplify the pore geometry into cylinders and spheres, it can reduce the computation time. Using the pore network modeling, carbon dioxide displacement into brine-filled Domengine sandstone was simulated. Simulation result was compared with the microCT experiment results in order to verify the pore network system.