Los Alamos National Laboratory has recently released new research in the prestigious journal Nature Communications that proposes a more advanced method for monitoring CO2 storage.
The study introduces a novel rock physics model that allows for a better understanding of how CO2 affects the properties of rocks in geologic storage sites. By delving into the intricacies of these processes, scientists at Los Alamos hope to improve the accuracy and reliability of monitoring techniques for carbon storage.
The prevailing method currently used to track the underground CO2 storage involves utilizing a model that relies on the Biot-Gassmann equation. This approach effectively characterizes the rock’s elasticity when it is filled with a fluid, and in this case CO2.
While effective, this method doesn’t take into consideration the impact of prolonged exposure to carbon dioxide over the flexibility of shear and bulk moduli in CO2-soaked rocks. The fact that these behaviors remain unaccounted for with this monitoring method can cause inaccuracies in the data in rock physics modeling.
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Neala Creasy, the first author on the research, commented, “Biot-Gassmann’s equation is used quite commonly (especially for geologic carbon storage). Based on experimental work, this approach doesn’t consider nonlinear stress dependence and chemical reactions that weaken the rock frame.”
The research team at Los Alamos has identified this limitation and has proposed a new monitoring approach that takes into account more details of the storage process.
The newly proposed rock physics model captures significant variations in elastic properties, especially in shear-wave velocity, in contrast to the predictions made by the Biot-Gassmann equation. The findings of the research team align with results from lab tests, marking a milestone improvement in the accuracy of CO2 accounting through seismic tracking.
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This innovative approach will allow scientists to better understand how CO2 moves through underground reservoirs, using rock physics models as a guide. This knowledge will also help detect any possible leaks, leading to safer and more reliable planning for carbon storage projects in the future.
