Uncertainties in practical simulation of CO2 storage

Jan M. Nordbotten, Bernd Flemisch, Sarah Gasda, Halvor Nilsen, Yaqing Fan, Gillian Elizabeth Pickup, Bernd Wiese, Michael Celia, Helge Dhale, Geir Eigestad, Karsten Pruess

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    93 Citations (Scopus)
    45 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    Practical simulation of CO2 storage in geological formations inherently involves decisions concerning relevant physics, upscaling, and numerical modeling. These decisions are unavoidable, since the full problem cannot be resolved by existing numerical approaches. Here, we report on the impact of three distinct approaches to make the problem computationally tractable: reduced physics, upscaling, and non-converged discretizations. Compounding these different strategies, we have used a benchmark study to try to assess the impact of an expert group on the results of the numerical simulations. In order to restrict the scope of the investigation, the geometric and geological description of the storage aquifer was simplified to the greatest extent possible.

    The different strategies applied to simplify the problem, lead to significantly deviating answers when addressing relevant storage questions. Furthermore, there is room for interpretation when complex simulation results are simplified to the type of higher-level information sought in decision making processes. Our experience leads us to conclude that, important questions relating to CO2 storage cannot be predicted convincingly to satisfactory accuracy with numerical simulation tools, even for highly idealized problems. This emphasizes the need for real-time monitoring and history matching during injection operations.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)234-242
    Number of pages9
    JournalInternational Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control
    Volume9
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Jul 2012

    Keywords

    • CO2 storage
    • Simulation
    • Numerical methods
    • Upscaling
    • Uncertainty

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