Pore‐scale trapping of supercritical CO2 and the role of grain wettability and shape. Issue 15 (1st August 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chaudhary, Kuldeep; Bayani Cardenas, M.; Wolfe, William W.; Maisano, Jessica A.; Ketcham, Richard A.; Bennett, Philip C.
• Is Part Of: Geophysical research letters. Volume 40:Issue 15(2013:Aug.)
• Page Start: 3878
• Page End: 3882
• Publication Date: 2013-08-01
• Subjects: CO2 capillary trapping -- wettability -- X‐ray CT scanning -- pore‐scale -- grain shape -- two‐phase flow; Geophysics -- Periodicals; Planets -- Periodicals; Lunar geology -- Periodicals; 550
• DOI: 10.1002/grl.50658
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0094-8276

Abstract

Abstract: [1] The capillary trapping of supercritical CO2 (s‐CO2 ) is postulated to comprise up to 90% of permanently trapped CO2 injected during geologic sequestration. Successive s‐CO2 /brine flooding experiments under reservoir conditions showed that water‐wet rounded beads trapped 15% of injected s‐CO2 both as clusters and as individual ganglia, whereas CO2 ‐wet beads trapped only 2% of the injected s‐CO2 as minute pockets in pore constrictions. Angular water‐wet grains trapped 20% of the CO2 but flow was affected by preferential flow. Thus, capillary trapping is a viable mechanism for the permanent CO2 storage, but its success is constrained by the media wettability. Key Points: Novel evidence of CO2‐wet media controls on capillary trapping of CO2 Evidence of CO2‐wet media will critically limit its capillary trapping potential Capillary trapping of CO2 will be a viable mechanism in water‐wet media