Dynamic Evaluation Method of Caprock Microscopic Sealing in CO2 Sequestration Project

Abstract

The existing statistical evaluation methods of caprock sealing ability in CO2 sequestration engineering only take into account the sealing ability of caprocks before sequestration but cannot reflect the retained sealing ability of caprock after hydrochemical reactions. A microscopic sealing evaluation method of caprock was established based on the microscopic mechanism of chemical reaction and the breakthrough pressure of caprock which, changes with the time of CO2 sequestration, was taken as the dynamic evaluation index. The results show that the change of microstructure parameters such as the average pore radius after dissolution is the essential reason that affects the variation of the caprock microscopic sealing property. Dissolution or precipitation of different caprock minerals during the chemical reaction process is the key factor that determines the decrease or increase of caprock microscopic sealing property. The evaluation method can reflect the change of microscopic sealing property of the caprocks in different areas as the sealing time goes and provides an efficient and practical quantitative evaluation method for the initial formation site selection and safety sealing in the later stage.