Evaluating Petrophysical Properties Using Digital Rock Physics Analysis: A CO₂ Storage Feasibility Study of Lithuanian Reservoirs

Abstract

As the global concern over greenhouse gas emissions grows, CO2 storage in deep saline aquifers and depleted reservoirs has become crucial for climate change mitigation. This study evaluates the feasibility of Lithuanian deep saline aquifers, specifically, Syderiai and Vaskai, for effective CO2 storage. Unlike previous theoretical analyses, it provides experimental data on static and dynamic reservoir parameters that impact CO2 injection and retention. Using micro X-ray computed tomography (MXCT) and multi-resolution scanning at 8 µm and 22 µm, digital rock volumes (DRVs) from core samples were created to determine porosity and permeability. The method, validated against analogous samples, identified a representative element volume (REV) within sub-volumes, showing a homogeneous distribution of petrophysical properties in the Lithuanian samples. The results show that DRVs can accurately reflect pore-scale properties, achieving 90–95% agreement with lab measurements, and offer a rapid, efficient means for analyzing storage potentials. These insights confirm that Lithuanian aquifers are promising for CO2 sequestration, with recommendations for further long-term monitoring and applications of this technique across the region.

Keywords

• CO₂ storage
• Lithuanian saline aquifers
• digital rock volume (DRV)
• machine learning
• lattice Boltzmann method (LBM)