Coupled Hydro-Mechanical Simulations of CO2 Storage Supported by Pressure Management Demonstrate Synergy Benefits from Simultaneous Formation Fluid Extraction

Abstract

We assessed the synergetic benefits of simultaneous formation fluid extraction during CO2 injection for reservoir pressure management by coupled hydro-mechanical simulations at the prospective Vedsted storage site located in northern Denmark. Effectiveness of reservoir pressure management was investigated by simulation of CO2 storage without any fluid extraction as well as with 66% and 100% equivalent volume formation fluid extraction from four wells positioned for geothermal heat recovery. Simulation results demonstrate that a total pressure reduction of up to about 1.1 MPa can be achieved at the injection well. Furthermore, the areal pressure perturbation in the storage reservoir can be significantly decreased compared to the simulation scenario without any formation fluid extraction. Following a stress regime analysis, two stress regimes were considered in the coupled hydro-mechanical simulations indicating that the maximum ground surface uplift is about 0.24 m in the absence of any reservoir pressure management. However, a ground uplift mitigation of up to 37.3% (from 0.24 m to 0.15 m) can be achieved at the injection well by 100% equivalent volume formation fluid extraction. Well-based adaptation of fluid extraction rates can support achieving zero displacements at the proposed formation fluid extraction wells located close to urban infrastructure. Since shear and tensile failure do not occur under both stress regimes for all investigated scenarios, it is concluded that a safe operation of CO2 injection with simultaneous formation fluid extraction for geothermal heat recovery can be implemented at the Vedsted site.