Effect of cold CO2 injection on fracture apertures and growth
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Published version
Author(s)
Salimzadeh, Saeed
Paluszny Rodriguez, A
Zimmerman, Robert W
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The injection of cold CO2 is modelled in three dimensions using a two-stage coupled thermoporoelastic model, with the aim of evaluating changes in apertures and potential growth of fractures. Non-isothermal flow is considered within the fractures and the rock matrix, and the two flow domains are coupled through a mass transfer term. The numerical model has been developed using standard finite elements, with spatial discretisation achieved using the Galerkin method, and temporal discretisation using finite differences. A full-scale field case geometric model, based on the Goldeneye depleted hydrocarbon reservoir in the North Sea, is developed and used for simulations. The in situ faults are modelled discretely as discontinuous surfaces in a three-dimensional matrix, including basement, reservoir, caprock and overburden layers. The faults are assumed initially to be low-permeable faults, with the same permeability as the caprock. However, the simulations show that their apertures (and as a result, their permeabilities) vary due to the thermoporoelastic effects caused by the injection of the relatively cold CO2. The change in the fracture apertures is mainly due to thermal effects; the reservoir layer undergoes contractions due to the cooling, significantly increasing fault aperture in the region of the fault within the reservoir, whereas the fault aperture is reduced in regions within the caprock. Propagation of fractures under thermoporoelastic loading is investigated. Results show that the distance to the injection well, as well as spatial orientation of fractures with respect to the injection well, affect aperture evolution and potential growth of fractures. A sensitivity analysis is performed on the parameters affecting the fracture growth: minimum normal stress acting on the fracture plane, dip angle of the fracture, and the contact friction coefficient. It is found that low friction, low normal contact stress, or high in situ shear stress on the fracture surfaces may trigger propagation under combined mode II and III within the reservoir layer, or at the interface of the reservoir and caprock.
Date Issued
2018-07-01
Date Acceptance
2018-04-13
Citation
International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 2018, 74, pp.130-141
ISSN
1750-5836
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
130
End Page
141
Journal / Book Title
International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control
Volume
74
Copyright Statement
© 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/BY/4.0/)
Sponsor
Commission of the European Communities
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Grant Number
309067
EP/K036025/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Technology
GREEN & SUSTAINABLE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Energy & Fuels
Engineering, Environmental
Science & Technology - Other Topics
Engineering
Caprock integrity
CO2 injection
Coupled THM model
Fracture propagation
Out-of-plane shear
MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
GEOLOGICAL STORAGE
ROCK
DEFORMATION
MODEL
RESERVOIR
CONTACT
CONDUCTIVITY
EARTHQUAKES
04 Earth Sciences
05 Environmental Sciences
09 Engineering
Energy
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2018-05-05