Wettability, pore occupancy, connectivity and Ostwald ripening of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen in carbonate rocks: a comparative study
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Published version
Author(s)
AlZaabi, Ahmed
Alzahrani, Hussain M
Alhosani, Abdulla
Bijeljic, Branko
Blunt, Martin J
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
High-resolution three-dimensional X-ray imaging was employed to evaluate the injection of nitrogen (N2), carbon dioxide (CO2), and hydrogen (H2) in a reservoir carbonate rock. The imaging data were analyzed to determine key properties, including wettability, gas saturation, pore occupancy, ganglia size, and connectivity throughout the sample. The experiment was conducted on a water-wet carbonate rock saturated with synthetic brine prior to and between each gas injection cycle. The work demonstrates key differences in the behavior of the gases: H2 undergoes more significant rearrangement and improved connectivity after injection compared to N2, while CO2 remains well connected but exhibits the least rearrangement. This is advantageous of hydrogen withdrawal, whereas improved connectivity is not favorable for long-term CO2 sequestration. These findings are critical when considering the design and optimization of subsurface storage projects, where enhanced gas mobility benefits H2 recovery but poses risks for CO2 leakage.
Date Issued
2025-06-06
Date Acceptance
2025-04-22
Citation
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2025, 135, pp.596-608
ISSN
0360-3199
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
596
End Page
608
Journal / Book Title
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
Volume
135
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Subjects
3-PHASE FLOW
CAPILLARY-PRESSURE
Carbon dioxide storage
Carbonate rock
Chemistry
Chemistry, Physical
CURVATURE
Electrochemistry
Energy & Fuels
Hydrogen storage
IN-SITU CHARACTERIZATION
INTERFACIAL-TENSIONS
Ostwald ripening
Physical Sciences
Pore-scale X -Ray imaging
SCALE
Science & Technology
STORAGE
Technology
WATER
Wettability
X-RAY MICROTOMOGRAPHY
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2025-05-15