Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “FLUID INJECTION”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 433 records · Page 24
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2018

The role of fault-zone architectural elements and basal altered zones on pore pressure propagation and induced seismicity

Here, we used hydrogeologic models to assess how fault-zone properties promote or inhibit the downward propagation of fluid overpressures from a basal reservoir injection well (150 m from fault zone, Q = 5000 m 3 /day) into the underlying crystalline basement rocks. We varied the permeability of the fault-zone architectural components and a crystalline basement weathered layer as part of a numerical sensitivity study. Realistic conduit-barrier style fault zones effectively transmit elevated pore pressures associated with four years of continuous injection to depths of ~2.5 km within the crystalline basement while compartmentalizing fluid flow within the injection reservoir. The presence of a laterally continuous, relatively low-permeability altered/weathered basement horizon (k altered layer = 0.1 × k basement ) can limit the penetration depth of the pressure front to ~500 m. On the other hand, the presence of a discontinuous altered/weathered horizon that partially confines the injection reservoir without blocking the fault fluid conduit promotes downward propagation of pressures. Permeability enhancement via hydromechanical failure was found to increase the depth of early-time pressure front migration by a factor of 1.3 to 1.85. Dynamic permeability models may help explain seismicity at depths of >10 km such as is observed within the Permian Basin, NM.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2019

Designs and Results from Three New Borehole Optical Fiber Tensor Strainmeters

The time evolving strain field contains a wealth of information that can be used to interpret subsurface behavior. For example, injecting or removing fluids from reservoirs or aquifers causes deformation that can be used as a diagnostic signal in some cases, while it can interfere with geodetic interpretations in other cases. We've recently completed a field study that demonstrated the feasibility of measuring the strain tensor at a depth of 30 m caused by injection into a reservoir at 530 m depth. The observed strain signals were interpreted using four independent analytic and numerical methods that resulted in estimates of the poroelastic properties and geometry of the reservoir that was consistent with data from well logs. However, studies like these are only possible if these deformations can be reliably measured

DeWolf, Scott↗
DOE OSTI2018

Final Report for Grant DE-FG02-93ER54215

The research supported by this grant led to many important publications in Physical Review Letters, Physics of Plasmas and Nuclear Fusion. Two invited talks at the American Physical Society Division of Plasma Physics, oral presentations at the Sherwood Fusion Theory Conference and MHD workshops. The most important achievements include: MHD equilibrium code FLOW for tokamak equilibria with arbitrary poloidal and toroidal flow; Two fluid tokamak equilibria with arbitrary flows; 2D Compressible MHD code to simulate tokamak plasma evolution with poloidal flow and the MHD edge pedestal; Resistive Wall Mode fluid theory in the presence of flow and differentially rotating (liquid) walls; Kinetic theory of the Resistive Wall Mode; Generalized kinetic energy principle for Resistive Wall Mode stability and the RWM kinetic stability code MISK; Kinetic theory of the m=1 mode for ITER including trapped thermal ions and electrons and fishbone oscillations driven by tangential beam injection; Two-fluid Lawson ignition criterion for tokamaks.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS2017

Gradient Compression Garments as a Countermeasure to Post-Space Flight Orthostatic Intolerance: Potential Interactions with the Maximum Absorbency Garment

Astronauts and cosmonauts may experience symptoms of orthostatic intolerance during re-entry, landing, and for several days post-landing following short- and long-duration spaceflight. Presyncopal symptoms have been documented in approximately 20% of short-duration and greater than 60% of long-duration flyers on landing day specifically during 5-10 min of controlled (no countermeasures employed at the time of testing) stand tests or 80 deg head-up tilt tests. Current operational countermeasures to orthostatic intolerance include fluid loading prior to and whole body cooling during re-entry as well as compression garments that are worn during and for up to several days after landing. While both NASA and the Russian space program have utilized compression garments to protect astronauts and cosmonauts traveling on their respective vehicles, a "next-generation" gradient compression garment (GCG) has been developed and tested in collaboration with a commercial partner to support future space flight missions. Unlike previous compression garments used operationally by NASA that provide a single level of compression across only the calves, thighs, and lower abdomen, the GCG provides continuous coverage from the feet to below the pectoral muscles in a gradient fashion (from approximately 55 mm Hg at the feet to approximately 16 mmHg across the abdomen). The efficacy of the GCG has been demonstrated previously after a 14-d bed rest study without other countermeasures and after short-duration Space Shuttle missions. Currently the GCG is being tested during a stand test following long-duration missions (~6 months) to the International Space Station. While results to date have been promising, interactions of the GCG with other space suit components have not been examined. Specifically, it is unknown whether wearing the GCG over NASA's Maximum Absorbency Garment (MAG; absorbent briefs worn for the collection of urine and feces while suited during re-entry and landing) will interfere with the effectiveness of the GCG or conversely whether the GCG will reduce the fluid absorption capabilities of the MAG. Methods: This operational, directed study, will (1) determine whether the effectiveness of the GCG is affected by the MAG with regard to cardiovascular responses to head-up tilt, the standard orthostatic intolerance test employed for astronauts and bed rest subjects; (2) determine whether the effectiveness of the MAG is compromised by the GCG tested by injecting a standard fluid volume (950 ml in 3 separate simulated "urine voids") at a standardized rate (30 ml/sec); and (3) determine whether comfort is affected by wearing the MAG under the GCG using a standardized questionnaire. Results from this study will guide future development and operational use of the GCG and MAG to maximize crew health, safety, and comfort.

Lee, S. M. C.↗
DOE OSTI2015

Integrated Experimental and Modeling Studies of Mineral Carbonation as a Mechanism for Permanent Carbon Sequestration in Mafic/Ultramafic Rocks

A program of laboratory experiments, modeling and fieldwork was carried out at Yale University, University of Maryland, and University of Hawai‘i, under a DOE Award (DE-FE0004375) to study mineral carbonation as a practical method of geologic carbon sequestration. Mineral carbonation, also called carbon mineralization, is the conversion of (fluid) carbon dioxide into (solid) carbonate minerals in rocks, by way of naturally occurring chemical reactions. Mafic and ultramafic rocks, such as volcanic basalt, are natural candidates for carbonation, because the magnesium and iron silicate minerals in these rocks react with brines of dissolved carbon dioxide to form carbonate minerals. By trapping carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) underground as a constituent of solid rock, carbonation of natural basalt formations would be a secure method of sequestering CO 2 captured at power plants in efforts to mitigate climate change. Geochemical laboratory experiments at Yale, carried out in a batch reactor at 200°C and 150 bar (15 MPa), studied carbonation of the olivine mineral forsterite (Mg 2 SiO 4 ) reacting with CO 2 brines in the form of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ) solutions. The main carbonation product in these reactions is the carbonate mineral magnesite (MgCO 3 ). A series of 32 runs varied the reaction time, the reactive surface area of olivine grains and powders, the concentration of the reacting fluid, and the starting ratio of fluid to olivine mass. These experiments were the first to study the rate of olivine carbonation under passive conditions approaching equilibrium. The results show that, in a simple batch reaction, olivine carbonation is fastest during the first 24 hours and then slows significantly and even reverses. A natural measure of the extent of carbonation is a quantity called the carbonation fraction, which compares the amount of carbon removed from solution, during a run, to the maximum amount that could have been removed if the olivine initially present had fully dissolved and the cations released had subsequently precipitated in carbonate minerals. The carbonation fractions observed in batch experiments with olivine grains and powders varied significantly, from less than 0.01 (1%) to more than 0.5 (50%). Over time, the carbonation fractions reached an upper limit after about 24 to 72 hours of reaction, then stayed constant or decreased. The peak Final Scientific/Technical Report DE-FE0004275 | Mineral Carbonation | 4 coincided with the appearance of secondary magnesium-bearing silicate minerals, whose formation competes for magnesium ions in solution and can even promote conditions that dissolve magnesite. The highest carbonation fractions resulted from experiments with low ratios of concentrated solution to olivine, during which amorphous silica spheres or meshes formed, instead of secondary silicate minerals. The highest carbonation fractions appear to result from competing effects. Precipitation of silica layers on olivine reduces the reactive surface area and, thus, the rate of olivine dissolution (which ultimately limits the carbonation rate), but these same silica layers can also inhibit the formation of secondary silicate minerals that consume magnesite formed in earlier stages of carbonation. Simulation of these experiments with simple geochemical models using the software program EQ3/6 reproduces the general trends observed—especially the results for the carbonation fraction in short-run experiments. Although further experimentation and better models are needed, this study nevertheless provides a framework for understanding the optimal conditions for sequestering carbon dioxide by reacting CO 2 -bearing fluids with rocks containing olivine minerals. A series of experiments at the Rock Physics Laboratory at the University of Maryland studied the carbonation process during deformation of thermally cracked olivine-rich rock samples (dunite) saturated with CO 2 brines of varying compositions. A goal of these geomechanical experiments was to see if flow and deformation processes, which accompany natural carbonation reactions in underground settings, work to enhance or inhibit the reactions. The experiments involved hydrostatic compaction, followed by deformation at a constant rate of strain. Sample permeability was monitored during the reactions. Comparison of the samples’ volume changes to their axial strains (shortening) during deformation indicates that samples reacted with CO 2 -saturated brines accommodate more axial compaction, before the onset of dilation (a swelling that precedes rock failure), than samples reacted with distilled water. Analyses of the reacted samples with scanning electron microscope (SEM) images indicate, first, that dissolution of olivine occurring in the initial stages of carbonation can provide pathways to fluid flow that sustain the reaction, and, second, that carbonate minerals precipitated along existing fractures in the rocks may serve as asperities, or roughness on a crack’s surface that restricts its closure. Final Scientific/Technical Report DE-FE0004275 | Mineral Carbonation | 5 In a related study undertaken by one of the principal investigators as a spin-off of the main project, a simple model of (magnesite) crystal growth in the pore space of basalts undergoing carbonation was developed. The model suggests that, under a carefully controlled program of CO 2 injection, carbonate mineral growth can harden the rock formation against earthquakes that might otherwise be induced by the injection of large fluid volumes (Yarushina and Bercovici, 2013). The overall conclusion of the research project is that mineral carbonation of underground mafic and ultramafic rock formations is a viable candidate for long-term sequestration of man-made carbon dioxide. No results obtained during the project indicate that the method is inherently intractable in its implementation; moreover, enormous volumes of basalt near Earth’s surface are candidate locations for large-scale injection programs. The geochemical experiments do indicate, however, that there will be significant engineering challenges in maintaining high rates of carbonation, by delaying the onset of chemical conditions that promote formation of secondary silicate minerals and, therefore, slow down, or even reverse, the carbonation process. It remains an open question as to whether carbonation processes can be sustained for many years in an engineered system operating on a large scale—a scale capable of accommodating millions of tons of CO 2 annually. The development of realistic theoretical models that can systematically describe the combined effects of reactive flow, precipitation and geomechanical deformation is a major barrier to further understanding of the practical viability of mineral carbonation as large-scale method of carbon sequestration.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Inorganic Alterations in Unconventional Shale Reservoirs: Importance of Additive and Base Fluid Chemistry

The effective development of unconventional petroleum systems requires the use of significant water resources. In an effort to reduce the consumption of freshwater resources for hydraulic fracturing, highly saline produced waters are increasingly recycled for use as a base fluid. However, there are significant knowledge gaps regarding potential water–rock interactions resulting from the introduction of produced waters and associated additives into shale reservoirs such as formation and deposition of mineral scale, which can negatively affect hydrocarbon production through wellbore restriction and damage to hydraulically generated fractures. To assess the impacts of field stimulation practices in the subsurface, a series of laboratory experiments were completed using (a) three distinct sedimentary rock formations of the Midland Basin (Texas, USA) and (b) additives with two different base fluids: municipal fresh water and clean brine. The experimental approach used relevant injection sequences and mixing ratios in specialized reactors for 3 weeks. Static pressurized experiments and nonpressurized time-resolved experiments were undertaken. The resulting solids and liquids were analyzed by using a variety of laboratory- and synchrotron-based techniques. The use of an acid spearhead (15% HCl) resulted in texturing of both clay-rich and calcareous shales, which can temporarily enhance porosity but subsequently result in mineral scale deposition. The primary matrix scale was Fe(III)-bearing phases, which occurred in all experiments regardless of base fluid chemistry. Additionally, strontium sulfate (SrSO 4 ) precipitated on shale surfaces when clean brines were used. It was concluded that clean brine was the main source of Sr 2+ species, while persulfate breaker degradation and oxidation of pyrite were the sources of SO 4 2– . Sulfate scaling was more pronounced in clay-rich shales, suggesting that Sr sorption is important for promoting celestite formation. This work demonstrates that mineral scale deposition is a complex phenomenon, whereby the type and proportions of various mineral phases are determined from reservoir alteration processes and coprecipitation of constituents from injection fluids. In conclusion, the experimental results shown here should be considered when evaluating different base fluids and additives in order to mitigate mineral precipitation in unconventional shale reservoirs, which could result in reservoir degradation.

Jew, Adam D. [SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory↗
NASA NTRS1993

Physiological water model development

The water of the human body can be categorized as existing in two main compartments: intracellular water and extracellular water. The intracellular water consists of all the water within the cells and constitutes over half of the total body water. Since red blood cells are surrounded by plasma, and all other cells are surrounded by interstitial fluid, the intracellular compartment has been subdivided to represent these two cell types. The extracellular water, which includes all of the fluid outside of the cells, can be further subdivided into compartments which represent the interstitial fluid, circulating blood plasma, lymph, and transcellular water. The interstitial fluid surrounds cells outside of the vascular system whereas plasma is contained within the blood vessels. Avascular tissues such as dense connective tissue and cartilage contain interstitial water which slowly equilibrates with tracers used to determine extracellular fluid volume. For this reason, additional compartments are sometimes used to represent these avascular tissues. The average size of each compartment, in terms of percent body weight, has been determined for adult males and females. These compartments and the forces which cause flow between them are presented. The kidneys, a main compartment, receive about 25 percent of the cardiac output and filters out a fluid similar to plasma. The composition of this filtered fluid changes as it flows through the kidney tubules since compounds are continually being secreted and reabsorbed. Through this mechanism, the kidneys eliminate wastes while conserving body water, electrolytes, and metabolites. Since sodium accounts for over 90 percent of the cations in the extracellular fluid, and the number of cations is balanced by the number of anions, considering the renal handling sodium and water only should sufficiently describe the relationship between the plasma compartment and kidneys. A kidney function model is presented which has been adapted from a previous model of normal renal function in man. To test the validity of the proposed kidney model, results predicted by the model will be compared to actual data involving injected or ingested fluids and subsequent urine flow rates. Comparison of the model simulation to actual data following the ingestion of 1 liter of water is shown. The model simulation is also shown with actual data following the intravenous infusion of hypertonic saline.

Doty, Susan↗
DOE OSTI2017

Numerical comparison of bubbling in a waste glass melter

Radioactive tank waste is scheduled for vitrification at the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, being constructed at the Hanford Site. Testing of the pilot-scale, joule-heated DuraMelter 1200 at the Vitreous State Laboratory has shown that bubbling increases the melt rate, and as a result, melter throughput. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models of this pilot-scale waste glass melter were developed to improve our understanding of the processes that occur within the melter to aid in process optimization and troubleshooting of the Vit Plant melters. Unfortunately, model validation is complicated by the difficulty of obtaining suitable experimental data for operational melters attributed to the large-scale, radioactivity and high temperatures at which these melters are operated. This study focuses on confirming the fidelity of the CFD models to accurately reproduce the bubbling behavior. Because of the paucity of experimental data at the resolution required for CFD validation, a code-to-code comparison was used to evaluate two common approaches for simulating flows of immiscible fluids on numerical grids and resolving multiphase interfaces. Here, the volume of fluid and level set methods are used to track the dynamically evolving interfaces between the molten glass and the air bubbles. To aid in the verification of the results of these codes, a comparison of the bubble behavior, growth, and frequency of bubble generation are presented and a grid convergence study is performed for the two approaches. In addition to comparing the numerical results to available experimental data and observations from pilot-scale testing, the results are evaluated in relation to laboratory experiments with bubbles injected into viscous fluids, empirical correlations obtained from the published literature, and the basic laws of fluid dynamics. Furthermore, the results of this work can assist in validating waste glass melter models and provide a better understanding of the flow patterns within the WTP melters.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2013

Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics pore-scale simulations of unstable immiscible flow in porous media

We have conducted a series of high-resolution numerical experiments using the Pair-Wise Force Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (PF-SPH) multiphase flow model. First, we derived analytical expressions relating parameters in the PF-SPH model to the surface tension and static contact angle. Next, we used the model to study viscous fingering, capillary fingering, and stable displacement of immiscible fluids in porous media for a wide range of capillary numbers and viscosity ratios. We demonstrated that the steady state saturation profiles and the boundaries of viscous fingering, capillary fingering, and stable displacement regions compare favorably with micromodel laboratory experimental results. For displacing fluid with low viscosity, we observed that the displacement pattern changes from viscous fingering to stable displacement with increasing injection rate. When a high viscosity fluid is injected, transition behavior from capillary fingering to stable displacement occurred as the flow rate was increased. These observation also agree with the results of the micromodel laboratory experiments.

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗
DOE OSTI2017

Improved characterization of heterogeneous permeability in saline aquifers from transient pressure data during freshwater injection

Managing recharge of freshwater into saline aquifers requires accurate estimation of the heterogeneous permeability field for maximizing injection and recovery efficiency. Here we present a methodology for subsurface characterization in saline aquifers that takes advantage of the density difference between the injected freshwater and the ambient saline groundwater. We combine high-resolution forward modeling of density-driven flow with an efficient Bayesian geostatistical inversion algorithm. In the presence of a density difference between the injected and ambient fluids due to differences in salinity, the pressure field is coupled to the spatial distribution of salinity. This coupling renders the pressure field transient: the time evolution of the salinity distribution controls the density distribution which then leads to a time-evolving pressure distribution. We exploit this coupling between pressure and salinity to obtain an improved characterization of the permeability field without multiple pumping tests or additional salinity measurements. We show that the inversion performance improves with an increase in the mixed convection ratio—the relative importance between viscous forces from injection and buoyancy forces from density difference. Thus, our work shows that measuring transient pressure data at multiple sampling points during freshwater injection into saline aquifers can be an effective strategy for aquifer characterization, key to the successful management of aquifer recharge.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2013

Kelvin-Helmholtz instability for flow in porous media under the influence of oblique magnetic fields: A viscous potential flow analysis

In this paper, the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability of viscous incompressible magnetic fluid fully saturated porous media is achieved through the viscous potential theory. The flow is considered to be through semi-permeable boundaries above and below the fluids through which the fluid may either be blown in or sucked out, in a direction normal to the main streaming direction of the fluid flow. An oblique magnetic field, mass, heat transfer, and surface tension are present across the interface. Through the linear stability analysis, a general dispersion relation is derived and the natural curves are plotted. Therefore, the linear stability condition is discussed in some depth. In view of the multiple time scale technique, the Ginzburg–Landau equation, which describes the behavior of the system in the nonlinear approach, is obtained. The effects of the orientation of the magnetic fields on the stability configuration in linear, as well as nonlinear approaches, are discussed. It is found that the Darcy's coefficient for the porous layers plays a stabilizing role. The injection of the fluids at both boundaries has a stabilizing effect, in contrast with the suction at both boundaries.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2021

Numerical Modeling of CO2 Sequestration within a Five-Spot Well Pattern in the Morrow B Sandstone of the Farnsworth Hydrocarbon Field: Comparison of the TOUGHREACT, STOMP-EOR, and GEM Simulators

The objectives of this study were (1) to assess the fate and impact of CO2 injected into the Morrow B Sandstone in the Farnsworth Unit (FWU) through numerical non-isothermal reactive transport modeling, and (2) to compare the performance of three major reactive solute transport simulators, TOUGHREACT, STOMP-EOR, and GEM, under the same input conditions. The models were based on a quarter of a five-spot well pattern where CO2 was injected on a water-alternating-gas schedule for the first 25 years of the 1000 year simulation. The reservoir pore fluid consisted of water with or without petroleum. The results of the models have numerous broad similarities, such as the pattern of reservoir cooling caused by the injected fluids, a large initial pH drop followed by gradual pH neutralization, the long-term persistence of an immiscible CO2 gas phase, the continuous dissolution of calcite, very small decreases in porosity, and the increasing importance over time of carbonate mineral CO2 sequestration. The models differed in their predicted fluid pressure evolutions; amounts of mineral precipitation and dissolution; and distribution of CO2 among immiscible gas, petroleum, formation water, and carbonate minerals. The results of the study show the usefulness of numerical simulations in identifying broad patterns of behavior associated with CO2 injection, but also point to significant uncertainties in the numerical values of many model output parameters.

STOMP↗
DOE OSTI2025

Induced seismicity and geothermal energy production in the Salton Sea Geothermal Field, California

We analyze the relationship between geothermal energy production and seismic hazards in the Salton Sea Geothermal Field (SSGF) between 1972 and 2022. A clear increase in seismic activity accompanies geothermal energy production and is greatest to the east of the Brawley fault, where the amount of injection exceeds the amount of production. We estimate that, whereas there was a 2% chance of a M6.07 earthquake nucleating inside the SSGF within a fifty-year period prior to energy production (pre-production), there is an equal probability that a M6.70 earthquake nucleates there in a fifty-year period during which historically average energy production conditions persist (syn-production). Similarly, we estimate a 2% chance of a M7.15 and M6.92 occurring in the broader Brawley Seismic Zone (excluding the SSGF) within a fifty-year period during the pre- and syn-production eras, respectively. We find that linear regression models fail to reliably forecast the background seismicity rate as a function of fluid production and injection.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Biofilm Feedbacks Alter Hydrological Characteristics of Fractured Rock Impacting Sulfidogenesis and Treatment

Flow-through fractures dominate the movement of fluids in a variety of natural as well as engineered subsurface systems. Microbial activities in fractured rock impact subsurface energy recovery, storage, and waste disposal. It has been recognized that understanding how the contrasting permeability between fracture and matrix interacts with microbial metabolism under thermal and hydrological gradients is key to effective utilization of the subsurface, yet such studies are sparse. Microorganisms mediate the production of hydrogen sulfide (also known as souring) in oil-bearing geological formations. We conducted a comprehensive experimental study of a novel 2D fractured rock system to understand these complex interactions and demonstrated how biofilm development can impact fracture flow, which subsequently feedbacks to moderate sulfidogenesis. Elevated temperature relevant to reservoir conditions interacted with the injection of cold fluid and formed a thermal gradient away from fractures, creating thermal niches for microbial activities in the fractured rock. Finally, results showed that while fracture flows were dominant in the beginning, with time, growth of the biofilm in the fractures reduced permeability, effectively moderating the initial fracture-matrix contrast, and limited microbial accessibility to nutrients and subsequent reactions rates.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2012

Gigawatt-year nuclear-geothermal energy storage for light-water and high-temperature reactors

Capital-intensive, low-operating cost nuclear plants are most economical when operated under base-load conditions. However, electricity demand varies on a daily, weekly, and seasonal basis. In deregulated utility markets this implies high prices for electricity at times of high electricity demand and low prices for electricity at times of low electricity demand. We examined coupling nuclear heat sources to geothermal heat storage systems to enable these power sources to meet hourly to seasonal variable electricity demand. At times of low electricity demand the reactor heats a fluid that is then injected a kilometer or more underground to heat rock to high temperatures. The fluid travels through the permeable-rock heat-storage zone, transfers heat to the rock, is returned to the surface to be reheated, and re-injected underground. At times of high electricity demand the cycle is reversed, heat is extracted, and the heat is used to power a geothermal power plant to produce intermediate or peak power. When coupling geothermal heat storage with light-water reactors (LWRs), pressurized water (<300 deg. C) is the preferred heat transfer fluid. When coupling geothermal heat storage with high temperature reactors at higher temperatures, supercritical carbon dioxide is the preferred heat transfer fluid. The non-ideal characteristics of supercritical carbon dioxide create the potential for efficient coupling with supercritical carbon dioxide power cycles. Underground rock cannot be insulated, thus small heat storage systems with high surface to volume ratios are not feasible because of excessive heat losses. The minimum heat storage capacity to enable seasonal storage is {approx}0.1 Gigawatt-year. Three technologies can create the required permeable rock: (1) hydro-fracture, (2) cave-block mining, and (3) selective rock dissolution. The economic assessments indicated a potentially competitive system for production of intermediate load electricity. The basis for a nuclear geothermal system with LWRs exists today; but, there is need for added research and development before deployment. There are significantly greater challenges for geothermal heat storage at higher temperatures. Such systems are strongly dependent upon the local geology. (authors)

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Simulation of Coupled Processes of Flow, Transport, and Storage of CO 2 in Saline Aquifers

This report is the final scientific one for the award DE- FE0000988 entitled “Simulation of Coupled Processes of Flow, Transport, and Storage of CO 2 in Saline Aquifers.” The work has been divided into six tasks. In task, “Development of a Three-Phase Non-Isothermal CO 2 Flow Module,” we developed a fluid property module for brine-CO 2 mixtures designed to handle all possible phase combinations of aqueous phase, sub-critical liquid and gaseous CO 2 , supercritical CO 2 , and solid salt. The thermodynamic and thermophysical properties of brine-CO 2 mixtures (density, viscosity, and specific enthalpy of fluid phases; partitioning of mass components among the different phases) use the same correlations as an earlier fluid property module that does not distinguish between gaseous and liquid CO 2 -rich phases. We verified the fluid property module using two leakage scenarios, one that involves CO 2 migration up a blind fault and subsequent accumulation in a secondary “parasitic” reservoir at shallower depth, and another investigating leakage of CO 2 from a deep storage reservoir along a vertical fault zone. In task, “Development of a Rock Mechanical Module,” we developed a massively parallel reservoir simulator for modeling THM processes in porous media brine aquifers. We derived, from the fundamental equations describing deformation of porous elastic media, a momentum conservation equation relating mean stress, pressure, and temperature, and incorporated it alongside the mass and energy conservation equations from the TOUGH2 formulation, the starting point for the simulator. In addition, rock properties, namely permeability and porosity, are functions of effective stress and other variables that are obtained from the literature. We verified the simulator formulation and numerical implementation using analytical solutions and example problems from the literature. For the former, we matched a one-dimensional consolidation problem and a two-dimensional simulation of the Mandel-Cryer effect. For the latter, we obtained a good match of temperature and gas saturation profiles, and surface uplift, after injection of hot fluid into a model of a caldera structure. In task, “Incorporation of Geochemical Reactions of Selected Important Species,” we developed a novel mathematical model of THMC processes in porous and fractured saline aquifers, simulating geo-chemical reactions associated with CO 2 sequestration in saline aquifers. Two computational frameworks, sequentially coupled and fully coupled, were used to simulate the reactions and transport. We verified capabilities of the THMC model to treat complex THMC processes during CO 2 sequestration by analytical solutions and we constructed reactive transport models to analyze the THMC process quantitatively. Three of these are 1D reactive transport under chemical equilibrium, a batch reaction model with equilibrium chemical reactions, and a THMC model with CO 2 dissolution. In task “Study of Instability in CO 2 Dissolution-Diffusion-Convection Processes,” We reviewed literature related to the study of density driven convective flows and on the instability of CO 2 dissolution-diffusion-convection processes. We ran simulations that model the density-driven flow instability that would occur during CO 2 sequestration. CO 2 diffused through the top of the system and dissolved in the aqueous phase there, increasing its density. Density fingers formed along the top boundary, and coalesced into a few prominent ones, causing convective flow that forced the fluid to the system bottom. These simulations were in two and three dimensions. We ran additional simulations of convective mixing with density contrast caused by variable dissolved CO 2 concentration in saline water, modeled after laboratory experiments in which supercritical CO2 was circulated in the headspace above a brine saturated packed sand in a pressure vessel. As CO 2 dissolved into the upper part of the saturated sand, liquid phase density increases causing instability and setting off convective mixing. We obtained good agreement with the laboratory experiments, which were characterized by finger development and associated mixing of dissolved CO 2 into the system. We then varied a wide range of parameters and conceptual models in order to analyze the possibility of convective mixing under different conditions, such as various boundary conditions, and chemical reaction conditions. The CO 2 fingers from different simulations showed great differences as time progressed, caused by permeability heterogeneity. The early time diffusive phenomenon was captured by fine grid resolution, and the permeability heterogeneity affected the pattern of the CO 2 fingers. In addition, the fingers from three-dimensional simulations tended to be larger and flatter than the two-dimensional ones. In task “Implementation of Efficient Parallel Computing Technologies,” we made enhancements and modifications to our code in order to substantially increase the grid size that could be run. We installed and ran it on various platforms, including a multi-core PC and a cluster, and verified the numerical implementation and parallel code using an example problem from the literature. This problem, with a grid size of sixty million, utilized the cluster’s entire memory and all of its processors. In task “Implementation of General Fracture Conceptual Models,” we used the MINC approach, a generalization of the double-porosity concept, to model flow through porous and fractured media. In this approach, flow within the matrix is described by subdividing the matrix into nested volumes, with flow occurring between adjacent nested matrix volumes as well as between the fractures and the outer matrix volume. We generalized Hooke’s law to a thermo-multi- poroelastic medium, and derived from the fundamental equations describing deformation of porous and fractured elastic media a momentum conservation equation for thermo-multi- poroelastic media. This equation is a generalization to multi-poroelastic media of the one derived in Task 3.0 for single porosity media. We describe two simulations to provide model verification and application examples. The first, one-dimensional consolidation of a double-porosity medium, is compared to an analytical solution. The second is a match of published results from the literature, a simulation of CO 2 injection into hypothetical aquifer-caprock systems.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Proxy-based Bayesian inversion of strain tensor data measured during well tests

Recent instrument developments have made it possible to measure the strain tensor caused by injecting or pumping fluid from aquifers or reservoirs, but the full value of these data is limited because the long runtimes of poroelastic forward models makes it impractical to use many inversion schemes. This limits the interpretation of strain data for managing the recovery of resources or storage of wastes in the subsurface. This paper describes a method of inverting deformation data using a poroelastic numerical simulator so the results can be used to manage reservoirs or aquifers. We developed a workflow designed to reduce the number of simulations sufficiently to make it feasible to use DREAMzs, an advanced Bayesian inversion method that translates the uncertainties from different sources into unbiased posterior parameter distributions and uncertainty envelopes around the field data. Using a KNN proxy model for the poroelastic simulator is key to reducing the overall computations, and the workflow includes a strategy for ensuring the proxy model results converge on the results from the simulator. The workflow is tested using an idealized example that verifies the ability to correctly identify parameters and characterize noise used to perturb the data. Field data from an injection test at an oil reservoir near Tulsa, Oklahoma, are also used to evaluate the efficacy of the workflow with a real dataset. The workflow identified 265 history matching solutions out of 1240 total simulation runs (21% acceptance ratio), where the results were used to characterize posterior parameter distribution and evaluate the prediction uncertainty. Furthermore, this workflow is significant because it enables strain tensor, or other geomechanical measurements to be interpreted to guide decision-making during energy and environmental processes in the subsurface.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2014

Uncertainty quantification for the impact of injection rate fluctuation on the geomechanical response of geological carbon sequestration

We present an analysis of the geomechanical effects of injection rate fluctuations for geological sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2). Initially, we present analytical solutions for the effects of injection rate fluctuations on CO2 fluid pressure spatial distribution and temporal evolution for a typical injection scenario. Numerical calculations are performed using a finite element method to investigate the effects of injection rate fluctuations on geomechanical deformation, stresses, and potential failure of the aquifer and caprock layers. The numerical method was first validated by the fluid pressure distribution’s good agreement with the analytical solution. It was shown that for any Gaussian fluctuations of injection rate Q with given mean Q and variance ε_Q, the coefficients of variance for fluid pressure (ϵ_p=ε_p ), deformation (ϵ_u=ε_u ), and stresses (ϵ_σ=ε_σ ) increase linearly with the coefficient of variance for injection rate (ϵ_Q=ε_Q ). The proportional constants are identified, and the fluctuations have the most pronounced effect on the geomechanical stresses, and, therefore, on the potential failure of the aquifer and caprock layers. Instead of expensive computational simulation, this study provides an efficient tool to estimate the geomechanical response variance to injection rate fluctuation. A failure analysis was presented based on the numerical results, where probability of failure was estimated for fluctuating injection rates with different mean and variance during the entire injection period. It was found that with increasing injection rate fluctuation, the failure probability increases significantly. Therefore, the risk associated with injection rate fluctuations should be carefully evaluated.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗