Micro-Scale Lattice Boltzmann Simulation of Two-Phase CO2–Brine Flow in a Tighter REV Extracted from a Permeable Sandstone Core: Implications for CO2 Storage Efficiency

Abstract

Deep saline permeable sandstones have the potential to serve as sites for CO2 storage. However, unstable CO2 storage in pores can be costly and harmful to the environment. In this study, we used lattice Boltzmann (LB) simulations to investigate the factors that affect steady-state CO2–brine imbibition flow in sandstone pores, with a focus on improving CO2 storage efficiency in deep saline permeable sandstone aquifers. We extracted three representative element volumes (REVs) from a digital rock image of a sandstone core and selected a tighter REV in the upper subdomain so that its permeability would apparently be lower than that of the other two based on single-phase LB simulation for further analysis. The results of our steady-state LB simulations of CO2–brine imbibition processes in the tighter REV under four differential pressures showed that a threshold pressure gradient of around 0.5 MPa/m exists at a differential pressure of 200 Pa, and that higher differential pressures result in a greater and more linear pressure drop and stronger channelization after the flow are initiated. Furthermore, we conducted simulations over a range of target brine saturations in the tighter REV at the optimal differential pressure of 400 Pa. Our findings showed that the relative permeability of CO2 is greatly reduced as the capillary number falls below a certain threshold, while the viscosity ratio has a smaller but still significant effect on relative permeability and storage efficiency through the lubrication effect. Wettability has a limited effect on the storage efficiency, but it does impact the relative permeability within the initial saturation range when the capillary number is low and the curves have not yet converged. Overall, these results provide micro-scale insights into the factors that affect CO2 storage efficiency in sandstones.