Two-phase flow characterization of CO2-brine-rock systems: complementary experimental and numerical approaches

Abstract

Global warming has sped up during the last decades due to huge anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, among them carbon dioxide (CO2). With the current trajectory of burning fossil fuels as the main source of producing CO2, global warming threatens life on Earth. Therefore, shifting toward carbon-free energy sources, such as solar, wind and geothermal energy, should be set as a priority. However, the latest studies suggest that we need a faster CO2 emission reduction than what can be achieved just by shifting to renewables. To speed up the reduction, CO2 can be captured and stored in deep geological formations. Geologic CO2 Storage (GCS) provides a promising mitigation strategy by its potential to store thousands of gigatonnes of CO2 in suitable underground geologic structures. Besides high storage capacity and injectivity, given the CO2 buoyancy, a prosperous storage site requires an overlaying low-permeability and thick caprock to prevent upward migration of CO2 to the surface over long geological periods. This necessitates precise investigation of the caprock sealing capacity in contact with CO2.Peer reviewe