Study of the possibilities of CO2 storage in the underground caverns of dissolution salt mines

Abstract

Evaluating the possibility to store CO2 in salt mines is made complex because of the lack of necessary data and different mechanisms that act on different time scales. This analysis can be made using traditional methods of geographical survey, lab experiments and digital simulations. Storing of CO2 needs to be done in a stable geological area. The cavity must be thoroughly analysed for dimensions, depth, permeability and porosity. Based on studies made by the University of Petroşani some areas subject to collapse have been monitored using topography and sonic measurements with the aim to understand their possible evolution. Monitoring caverns and underground cavities is done using sonar. The sonar is a good instrument to manage a cavern, it increases its safety while it is being exploited and offers important data for the geomechanics model. CavInfo software package has been specially created to analyse and show individual caverns or systems of caverns. CavView II software allows for results of cavern sonar surveys to be displayed in a variety of ways, with the added possibility to compare surveys, analysis of caverns and export of data.