journal article·2024-05-10Open access

Unveiling Valuable Geomechanical Monitoring Insights: Exploring Ground Deformation in Geological Carbon Storage

Gabriel Serrão Seabra, Marcos Vitor Barbosa Machado, Mojdeh Delshad, Kamy Sepehrnoori, Denis Voskov, Femke C. Vossepoel

Applied Sciences· Volume 14· Issue 10

Abstract

Geological Carbon Storage (GCS) involves storing CO2 emissions in geological formations, where safe containment is challenged by structural and stratigraphic trapping and caprock integrity. This study investigates flow and geomechanical responses to CO2 injection based on a Brazilian offshore reservoir model, highlighting the critical interplay between rock properties, injection rates, pressure changes, and ground displacements. The findings indicate centimeter-scale ground uplift and question the conventional selection of the wellhead as a monitoring site, as it might not be optimal due to the reservoir’s complexity and the nature of the injection process. This study addresses the importance of comprehensive sensitivity analyses on geomechanical properties and injection rates for advancing GCS by improving monitoring strategies and risk management. Furthermore, this study explores the geomechanical effects of modeling flow in the caprock, highlighting the role of pressure dissipation within the caprock. These insights are vital for advancing the design of monitoring strategies, enhancing the predictive accuracy of models, and effectively managing geomechanical risks, thus ensuring the success of GCS initiatives.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: CO2 Sequestration and Geologic Interactions · Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena · Geothermal Energy Systems and Applications

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, Stevinweg 1, 2628 CN Delft, The Netherlands

PETROBRAS, Rio de Janeiro 20231-030, Brazil

Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA

Energy, Science and Engineering Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA

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