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Designing Micromodel Experiments for Pore Scale Analysis of CO2 Storage in Deep Saline Aquifers
- Publisher: European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers
- Source: Conference Proceedings, Sixth EAGE Global Energy Transition Conference & Exhibition (GET 2025), Oct 2025, Volume 2025, p.1 - 4
Abstract
Summary
This paper explores a critical approach to enhancing CO2 storage in subsurface formations, a key strategy for mitigating global climate change. Focusing on deep saline aquifers, which pose unique challenges due to limited prior research, the study builds on previous core and field-scale investigations ( Malik, 2024a , 2024b) by targeting pore-scale processes such as residual and solubility trapping. Micromodels, fabricated on borosilicate glass and fused silica to mimic Lithuanian subsurface formations with 50–100 µm pore sizes and 20% porosity, provide real-time, high-resolution insights into fluid flow, chemical reactions, and transport phenomena. The methodology outlines fabrication, experimental setup with syringe pumps and high-resolution cameras, and analysis under ambient and reservoir conditions, using synthetic brines and cyclic CO2-brine injections to study displacement, trapping, and salt precipitation effects. Results from uniform and heterogeneous pore networks with varying salinities (120g/l and 160g/l) reveal diverse CO2 displacement patterns and precipitation extents, offering valuable insights into brine chemistry impacts. The study concludes that micromodels effectively capture pore-scale dynamics, suggesting their potential for optimizing CO2 storage. Supported by the Lithuanian Research Council and Kaunas University of Technology, this research highlights a promising avenue for addressing injectivity challenges in deep saline aquifers.
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