Mineralogical controls on porosity and water chemistry during O-2-SO2-CO2 reaction of CO2 storage reservoir and cap-rock core

摘要

Reservoir and cap-rock core samples with variable lithology's representative of siliciclastic reservoirs used for CO2 storage have been characterized and reacted at reservoir conditions with an impure CO2 stream and low salinity brine. Cores from a target CO2 storage site in Queensland, Australia were tested. Mineralogical controls on the resulting changes to porosity and water chemistry have been identified. The tested siliciclastic reservoir core samples can be grouped generally into three reiponses to impure CO2-brine reaction, dependent on mineralogy. The mineralogically clean quartzose reservoir cores had high porosities, with negligible change after reaction, in resolvable porosity or mineralogy, calculated using X-ray micro computed tomography and QEMSCAN. However, strong brine acidification and a high concentration of dissolved sulphate were generated in experiments owing to minimal mineral buffering. Also, the movement of kaolin has the potential to block pore throats and reduce permeability. The reaction of the impure CO2-brine with calcite-cemented cap-rock core samples caused the largest porosity changes after reaction through calcite dissolution; to the extent that one-sample developed a connection of open pores that extended into the core sub-plug. This has the potential to both favor injectivity but also affect CO2 migration. The dissolution of calcite caused the buffering of acidity resulting in no sig- nificant observable silicate dissolution. Clay-rich cap-rock core samples with minor amounts of carbonate minerals had only small changes after reaction. Created porosity appeared mainly disconnected. Changes were instead associated with decreases in density from Fe-leaching of chlorite or dissolution of minor amounts of carbonates and plagioclase. The interbedded sandstone and shale core also developed 'increased porosity parallel to bedding through dissolution of carbonates and reactive silicates in the sandy layers. Tight interbedded cap-rocks could be expected to act as baffles to fluids preventing vertical fluid migration. Concentrations of dissolved elements including Ca, Fe, Mn, and Ni increased during reactions of several core samples, with Mn, Mg, Co, and Zn correlated with Ca from cap-rock cores. Precipitation of gypsum, Fe-oxides and clays on seal core samples sequestered dissolved elements including Fe through co-precipitation or adsorption. A conceptual model of impure CO2-water-rock interactions for a siliciclastic reservoir is discussed. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.