Combining brine extraction, desalination, and residual-brine reinjection with CO2 storage in saline formations: Implications for pressure management, capacity, and risk mitigation

Buscheck, Thomas A.; Sun, Yunwei; Ye, Hao; Wolery, Thomas J.; Bourcier, William L.; Tompson, Andrew F. B.; Jones, Edwin D.; Friedmann, S. Julio; Aines, Roger D.

doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2011.02.378

Cited by 111 publications

(94 citation statements)

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Section: Pressure Management Scenariosmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pressure management will be conducted with four brine extraction wells designed in a line pattern about 4 or 5 kilometers away from the injection wells. Buscheck et al (2011aBuscheck et al ( , 2011b introduced "Active CO 2 Reservoir Management (ACRM)", a brine extraction concept that utilizes complex extraction schemes to control pressure buildup and manipulate CO 2 plume behavior. The authors assumed an extraction ratio of one, meaning that the volume of extracted brine is equal to the injected CO 2 volume.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The possibility of CO 2 being pulled into brine extraction wells is not addressed in this study, which we will need to keep in mind when comparing the two well placement options. Based on work by Buscheck et al (2011a), we may expect that the near-injection scheme is unlikely to function over the full 50-year injection period without CO 2 arrival in extraction wells.As mentioned above, the generic example assumes that the performance criterion for IDPM is a maximum head change of 40 m in the fault zone located about 20 km west of the CO 2 injection field. Of course, the basic concept of IDPM illustrated by this example could be applied to other potential pressurization impacts that need to be avoided or minimized.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is obvious that decisions about pressure management will need to be made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account reservoir characteristics, pressure relief needs and objectives, and economic drivers. IDPM, with the objective of minimizing extraction volumes and cost, is one possible approach complementing other approaches that pursue different goals, such as the ACRM concept suggested by Buscheck et al (2011aBuscheck et al ( , 2011b.Page 7 …”

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Impact-driven pressure management via targeted brine extraction—Conceptual studies of CO2 storage in saline formations

Birkhölzer

Cihan

Zhou

2012

International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control

120

104

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Large-scale pressure buildup in response to carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) injection in the subsurface may limit the dynamic storage capacity of suitable formations, because elevated pressure can impact caprock integrity, induce reactivation of critically stressed faults, drive CO 2 and/or brine through conductive features into shallow groundwater resources, or may affect existing subsurface activities such as oil and gas production. It has been suggested that pressure management involving the extraction of native fluids from storage formations can be used to control subsurface pressure increases caused by CO 2 injection and storage, thereby limiting the possibility of unwanted effects. In this study, we introduce the concept of "impact-driven pressure management (IDPM)", which involves optimization of fluid extraction to meet local (not global) performance criteria (i.e., the goal is to limit pressure increases primarily where environmental impact is a concern). We evaluate the feasibility of IDPM for a hypothetical CO 2 storage operation in an idealized multi-formation system containing a critically stressed fault zone. Using a newly developed analytical solution, we assess alternative fluid extraction schemes and test whether a predefined performance criterion can be achieved, in this case the maximum allowable pressure near the fault zone. Alternative strategies for well placement are evaluated, comparing near-injection arrays of extraction wells with near-impact arrays. Extraction options include active extraction wells and (passive) pressure relief wells, as well as combinations of both, with and without reinjection into the subsurface. Our results suggest that strategic well placement and optimization of extraction may allow for a significant reduction in the brine extraction volumes. Additional work is required in the future to test the general concept of IDPM for more complex and realistic CO 2 storage scenarios.Page 2 IntroductionFor geologic carbon sequestration (GCS) to have a positive effect on reducing or at least stabilizing atmospheric carbon levels, the anticipated volume of CO 2 that would need to be injected in the subsurface is very large (e.g., Zhou and Birkholzer, 2011). One single coal-fired power plant alone may emit as much as 5-10 million tons of CO 2 per year. Unless storage is conducted in depleted oil or gas reservoirs, where fluids have been previously extracted as a result of production, the pore space in suitable storage formations is already filled with saline water. The CO 2 volume injected into saline formations then needs to be accommodated by expansion of reservoir pore space and compression of fluid in response to pressure buildup and, if reservoir boundaries are open, by pressure-driven migration of native brines into neighboring formations. Large and lasting pressure perturbation in the subsurface is an expected feature of GCS operations (e.g., Nicot, 2008;, and careful monitoring and management of pressure increases is generally considered of great importance to the saf...

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Section: Pressure Management Scenariosmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Impact-driven pressure management via targeted brine extraction—Conceptual studies of CO2 storage in saline formations

Birkhölzer

Cihan

Zhou

2012

International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control

120

104

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AbstractThe risk associated with storage of carbon dioxide in the subsurface can be reduced by removal of a comparable volume of existing brines (e.g., Buscheck et al, 2011). In order to avoid high costs for disposal, the brines should be processed into useful forms such as fresh and low-hardness water.

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confidence: 99%

A preliminary cost and engineering estimate for desalinating produced formation water associated with carbon dioxide capture and storage

Bourcier

Wolery

Wolfe³

et al. 2011

International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control

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The risk associated with storage of carbon dioxide in the subsurface can be reduced by removal of a comparable volume of existing brines (e.g., Buscheck et al., 2011). In order to avoid high costs for disposal, the brines should be processed into useful forms such as fresh and low-hardness water. We have carried out a cost analysis of treatment of typical subsurface saline waters found in sedimentary basins, compared with conventional seawater desalination. We have also accounted for some cost savings by utilization of potential well-head pressures at brine production wells, which may be present in some fields due to CO 2 injection, to drive desalination using reverse osmosis. Predicted desalination costs for brines having salinities equal to seawater are about half the cost of conventional seawater desalination when we assume the energy can be obtained from excess pressure at the well head. These costs range from 32 to 40¢ per cubic meter permeate produced. Without well-head energy recovery, the costs are from 60 to 80¢ per cubic meter permeate. These costs do not include the cost of any brine production or brine reinjection wells, or pipelines to the well field, or other sitedependent factors.Keywords: carbon capture and storage, desalination, brines, reverse osmosis, osmotic pressure, produced waters 3 IntroductionA major risk associated with geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide is the buildup of pressure in the subsurface due to injection. The maximum sustainable pressure is limited by the ability of the cap-rock to contain the CO 2 as a low permeability barrier, and also the potential for the overpressure to create new fractures, or to reactivate existing fractures, which would then open new flow paths for CO 2 escape (Rutqvist et al., 2007). Moreover, emplacement of CO 2 could drive the existing brine into useful aquifers where potable water would be contaminated, and could also increase the likelihood of induced seismicity (Bachu, 2008).A method to avoid these potential problems is to withdraw the saline fluid existing in the subsurface and thus reduce the amount of overpressure. However, the outstanding problem with this approach is the disposition of the withdrawn fluids. Because of their high salinities (>10,000 mg/L TDS), these fluids are generally not useful for either domestic or agricultural use. The large volume of CO 2 to be emplaced implies a similarly large fluid volume must be produced. Such a large volume of brine cannot be disposed of as-is without significant cost.Desalinating the produced brines using membrane-based technologies is a potential solution that would allow brine withdrawal, with disposal partly accounted for by production of useful low salinity water. Moreover, some of the energy needed to drive desalination could be obtained directly from the overpressure present in the subsurface generated by the emplacement of CO 2 for some sequestration sites. This would allow a re-capture of some fraction of the energy used to pressurize and inject CO 2 into the subsurface to...

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Active CO₂ reservoir management for sustainable geothermal energy extraction and reduced leakage

2013

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Subsurface storage space is gaining recognition as a commodity for industrial and energy recovery operations. Geologic carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration (GCS), wherein supercritical CO2 is injected into subsurface storage space, is under broad development in sedimentary reservoirs – particularly for hydrocarbon production, which uses supercritical CO2 as part of a carbon capture utilization and sequestration (CCUS) scheme. A novel CCUS operation is presented whereby we investigate the staged deployment of a coupled geothermal energy extraction (GEE)‐GCS operation in geothermal sedimentary reservoirs that re‐circulates extracted fluids. We identify sedimentary resources of the continental USA that have significant temperature at depths suitable for GCS. To predict the impact of a GEE‐GCS operation, a reservoir‐scale semi‐analytical model is used to simulate brine and CO2 migration through existing leakage pathways. With the goal of integrating GEE and GCS, a well‐site design exercise is undertaken, where we develop an idealized configuration for CO2 and brine production/reinjection wells. Results show potential geothermal sedimentary reservoirs suitable for GEE deployment exist in the continental USA; however the characteristics of each site should be investigated through a first stage GEE‐operation to determine GCS capacity. Our active CO2 reservoir management simulations demonstrate a decrease in injection and reservoir overpressures, a reduced migration of CO2 within the reservoir during active injection/extraction, and a reduced risk of brine and CO2 migration. With the use of the developed concentric‐ring well pattern, we demonstrate the longevity of thermal productivity from an ideal GEE site, while providing sufficient CO2 storage volume and trapping to act as a sequestration operation. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

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Combining brine extraction, desalination, and residual-brine reinjection with CO2 storage in saline formations: Implications for pressure management, capacity, and risk mitigation

Cited by 111 publications

References 5 publications

Impact-driven pressure management via targeted brine extraction—Conceptual studies of CO2 storage in saline formations

Impact-driven pressure management via targeted brine extraction—Conceptual studies of CO2 storage in saline formations

A preliminary cost and engineering estimate for desalinating produced formation water associated with carbon dioxide capture and storage

Active CO₂ reservoir management for sustainable geothermal energy extraction and reduced leakage

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Combining brine extraction, desalination, and residual-brine reinjection with CO2 storage in saline formations: Implications for pressure management, capacity, and risk mitigation

Cited by 111 publications

References 5 publications

Impact-driven pressure management via targeted brine extraction—Conceptual studies of CO2 storage in saline formations

Impact-driven pressure management via targeted brine extraction—Conceptual studies of CO2 storage in saline formations

A preliminary cost and engineering estimate for desalinating produced formation water associated with carbon dioxide capture and storage

Active CO2 reservoir management for sustainable geothermal energy extraction and reduced leakage

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Active CO₂ reservoir management for sustainable geothermal energy extraction and reduced leakage