Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “subsurface flow”

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 685 records · Page 38

An investigation of the effect of pore scale flow on average geochemical reaction rates using direct numerical simulation

The scale-dependence of geochemical reaction rates hinders their use in continuum scale models intended for the interpretation and prediction of chemical fate and transport in subsurface environments such as those considered for geologic sequestration of CO 2 . Processes that take place at the pore scale, especially those involving mass transport limitations to reactive surfaces, may contribute to the discrepancy commonly observed between laboratory-determined and continuum-scale or field rates. In this study we investigate the dependence of mineral dissolution rates on the pore structure of the porous media by means of pore scale modeling of flow and multicomponent reactive transport. The pore scale model is composed of high-performance simulation tools and algorithms for incompressible flow and conservative transport combined with a general-purpose multicomponent geochemical reaction code. The model performs direct numerical simulation of reactive transport based on an operator-splitting approach to coupling transport and reactions. The approach is validated with a Poiseuille flow single-pore experiment and verified with an equivalent 1-D continuum-scale model of a capillary tube packed with calcite spheres. Using the case of calcite dissolution as an example, the high-resolution model is used to demonstrate that nonuniformity in the flow field at the pore scale has the effect of decreasing the overall reactivity of the system, even when systems with identical reactive surface area are considered. In conclusion, the effect becomes more pronounced as the heterogeneity of the reactive grain packing increases, particularly where the flow slows sufficiently such that the solution approaches equilibrium locally and the average rate becomes transport-limited.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Transportability of exogenous microbial community correlates with interwell connectivity in deep aquifers

Subsurface resource engineering operations often utilize continuous injection of externally-sourced water into geological reservoirs for formation pressure maintenance, resource recovery or energy/waste storage. Such injected water generally contains naturally occurring microbes. Little is known, however, about how the injectate microbes transport through geological media as a community, how such transportability is affected by injector-producer connectivity, and whether such knowledge can be utilized for flowpath characterization. In this study, we analyzed daily-to-weekly timeseries microbial community data from the injected- and produced-fluids of a ten-month flow test at a deep, well-characterized engineered aquifer. We found that the injectate microbial community was distinct from the indigenous community at the amplicon sequence variant (ASV) level, and that the transportability of injectate community towards a given producer, quantified by an “nASV-Overlap” metric we propose, had strong and significant positive correlation with known injector-producer connectivities at our site. This suggests that the better the connectivity, the higher the probability for more injectate species to flow through the interwell region and arrive at a producer. Because interwell connectivity is an important yet usually unknown parameter in subsurface resource engineering, such correlation in turn points to nASV-Overlap as a useful indicator of interwell connectivity for aquifer characterization and long-term monitoring. Based on our findings, an nASV-Overlap-based microbial tracing approach was developed for characterizing and monitoring the relative connectivities across multiple producers with a given injector. A side-by-side comparison between the new nASV-Overlap approach and traditional artificial tracer methods is presented, and their respective strengths and limitations are discussed.

Deep biosphere↗

Experimental Investigation of Hydraulic Fracturing and Stress Sensitivity of Fracture Permeability Under Changing Polyaxial Stress Conditions

Understanding and predicting fracture propagation and subsequent fluid flow characteristics is critical to geoenergy technologies that engineer and/or utilize favorable geological conditions to store or extract fluids from the subsurface. Fracture permeability decreases nonlinearly with increasing normal stress, but the relationship between shear displacement and fracture permeability is less well understood. We utilize the new Geo–Reservoir Experimental Analogue Technology (GREAT cell), which can apply polyaxial stress states and realistic reservoir temperatures and pressures to cylindrical samples and has the unique capability to alter both the magnitude and orientation of the radial stress field by increments of 11.25° during an experiment. We load synthetic analogue materials and real rock samples to stress conditions representative of 500–1,000 m depth, investigate the hydraulic stimulation process, and then conduct flow experiments while changing the fluid pressure and the orientation of the intermediate and minimum principal stresses. High–resolution circumferential strain measurements combined with fluid pressure data indicate fracture propagation can be both stable (no fluid pressure drop) and unstable (fluid pressure drop). The induced fractures exhibit both opening and shear displacements during their creation and/or during fluid flow with changing radial stress states. Flow tests during radial stress field rotation reveal that fracture normal effective stress has first–order control on fracture permeability but increasing fracture offset can lead to elevated permeabilities at maximum shear stress. Here, the results have implications for our conceptual understanding of fracture propagation as well as fluid flow and deformation around fractures.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Geological activity shapes the microbiome in deep-subsurface aquifers by advection

Subsurface environments host diverse microorganisms in fluid-filled fractures; however, little is known about how geological and hydrological processes shape the subterranean biosphere. Here, we sampled three flowing boreholes weekly for 10 mo in a 1478-m-deep fractured rock aquifer to study the role of fracture activity (defined as seismically or aseismically induced fracture aperture change) and advection on fluid-associated microbial community composition. We found that despite a largely stable deep-subsurface fluid microbiome, drastic community-level shifts occurred after events signifying physical changes in the permeable fracture network. The community-level shifts include the emergence of microbial families from undetected to over 50% relative abundance, as well as the replacement of the community in one borehole by the earlier community from a different borehole. Null-model analysis indicates that the observed spatial and temporal community turnover was primarily driven by stochastic processes (as opposed to deterministic processes). We, therefore, conclude that the observed community-level shifts resulted from the physical transport of distinct microbial communities from other fracture(s) that outpaced environmental selection. Given that geological activity is a major cause of fracture activity and that geological activity is ubiquitous across space and time on Earth, our findings suggest that advection induced by geological activity is a general mechanism shaping the microbial biogeography and diversity in deep-subsurface habitats across the globe.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Benefits and Costs of Brine Extraction for Increasing Injection Efficiency In geologic CO2 Sequestration

Pressure increases attendant with CO2 injection into the subsurface drive many of the risk factors associated with commercial-scale CCS projects, impacting project costs and liabilities in a number of ways. The area of elevated pressure defines the area that must be characterized and monitored; pressure drives fluid flow out of the storage reservoir along higher-permeability pathways that might exist through the caprock into overlying aquifers or hydrocarbon reservoirs; and pressure drives geomechanical changes that could potentially impact subsurface infrastructure or the integrity of the storage system itself. Pressure also limits injectivity, which can increase capital costs associated with installing additional wells to meet a given target injection rate. The ability to mitigate pressure increases in storage reservoirs could have significant value to a CCS project, but these benefits are offset by the costs of the pressure mitigation technique itself. Of particular interest for CO2 storage operators is the lifetime cost of implementing brine extraction at a CCS project site, and the relative value of benefits derived from the extraction process. This is expected to vary from site to site and from one implementation scenario to the next. Indeed, quantifying benefits against costs could allow operators to optimize their return on project investment by calculating the most effective scenario for pressure mitigation. This work builds on research recently submitted for publication by the authors examining the costs and benefits of brine extraction across operational scenarios to evaluate the effects of fluid extraction on injection rate to assess the cost effectiveness of several options for reducing the number of injection wells required. Modeling suggests that extracting at 90% of the volumetric equivalent of injection rate resulted in a 1.8% improvement in rate over a non-extraction base case; a four-fold increase in extraction rate results in a 7.6% increase in injection rate over the no-extraction base case. However, the practical impacts on capital costs suggest that this strategy is fiscally ineffective when evaluated solely on this metric, with extraction reducing injection well needs by only one per 56 (1x case) or one per 13 (4x case).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

"Hidden" hydrothermal technical potential & technoeconomics: Revealing permeability & fluids with more data

Historical hydrothermal estimates have largely relied on temperature or heat flow estimates ignoring the need for natural flowing fluids. More accurate hydrothermal estimates require some indication of permeability and fluids that naturally exist in the subsurface. This paper describes a novel approach that includes proxies of permeability and fluids in hydrothermal estimates by leveraging the relatively data-rich Great Basin. Specifically, nameplate capacities (megawatts) of operating geothermal plants, negative (0 megawatt) locations and 48 geophysical and geologic features are used to used in eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) regression to make hydrothermal capacity predictions. Additionally, this work inputs the XGBoost-based hydrothermal predictions into the Renewable Energy Potential (reV) model to quantify technical capacity, its uncertainty and techno-economics. Compared to historical hydrothermal estimates, these predictions adhere to the 37 operating geothermal plants and negative locations. We present a method for subsampling the negative sites to bring the labels into balance that uses the geologic domain knowledge to proportionally represent negatives. Overall, the distributions of the hydrothermal technical capacity and the site levelized cost of energy are respectively much tighter, lower and more accurate than the previous estimates for the Great Basin, as they include geological and geophysical surrogates for permeability and fluids. Percentile (50th and 90th, median and high estimate, respectively) models provide bookends for these metrics.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗

Multiphase Modeling of Geologic Carbon Sequestration in Saline Aquifers

Abstract Geologic carbon sequestration ( GCS ) is being considered as a climate change mitigation option in many future energy scenarios. Mathematical modeling is routinely used to predict subsurface CO 2 and resident brine migration for the design of injection operations, to demonstrate the permanence of CO 2 storage, and to show that other subsurface resources will not be degraded. Many processes impact the migration of CO 2 and brine, including multiphase flow dynamics, geochemistry, and geomechanics, along with the spatial distribution of parameters such as porosity and permeability. In this article, we review a set of multiphase modeling approaches with different levels of conceptual complexity that have been used to model GCS . Model complexity ranges from coupled multiprocess models to simplified vertical equilibrium (VE) models and macroscopic invasion percolation models. The goal of this article is to give a framework of conceptual model complexity, and to show the types of modeling approaches that have been used to address specific GCS questions. Application of the modeling approaches is shown using five ongoing or proposed CO 2 injection sites. For the selected sites, the majority of GCS models follow a simplified multiphase approach, especially for questions related to injection and local‐scale heterogeneity. Coupled multiprocess models are only applied in one case where geomechanics have a strong impact on the flow. Owing to their computational efficiency, VE models tend to be applied at large scales. A macroscopic invasion percolation approach was used to predict the CO 2 migration at one site to examine details of CO 2 migration under the caprock.

Bandilla, Karl W.↗

Representative Elementary Volume (REV) in spatio-temporal domain: A method to find REV for dynamic pores

One of the potential risks associated with subsurface storage of CO 2 is the seepage of CO 2 through existing faults and fractures. There have been a number of studies devoted to this topic. Some of these studies show that geochemistry, especially mineralization, plays an important role in rendering the faults as conduits for CO 2 movement while others show that mineralization due to CO 2 injection can result in seep migration and flow diversion. Therefore, understanding the changes in reservoir properties due to pore alterations is important to ensure safe long term CO 2 storage in the subsurface. We study the changes in the Representative Elementary Volume (REV) of a rock due to reactive kinetics over a time, using a statistical approach and pore-scale CO 2 -rock interactiondata. The goal of this study is to obtain the REV of a rock property that accounts for pore-scale changes over time due to reactive kinetics, and we call this as spatiotemporal REV. Scale-up results suggest that the REV changes with time when CO 2 -rock interaction is considered. It is hypothesized that the alteration in pore structure introduces more heterogeneity in the rock, and because of this the magnitude of REV increases. Furthermore, it is possible that these noticeable changes in REV at pore-scale may have an impact when analyzed at the reservoir scale.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

FInd Gas Source

FIGS is a neural network software that ingests real time synchronized field data on environmental flow fields and turbulence and gas concentration variations at high frequency and uses an error minimization algorithm to locate the gas source and quantify its strength. The software can be interfaced with atmospheric, oceanic and subsurface instruments in a variety of platforms stationary or mobile (e.g. cars, UAVs, submersible vehicles or boreholes) and used to find gas sources by smart use of data and phenomenology. FIGS can be trained by phenomenological model of the flow fields in the environment of interest and/or be calibrated by controlled release. After initial deployment the FIGS learning will grow with time as it accumulates data on source quantification. FIGS can be installed on any computer from small beagle-bones for field deployment/end-use to PC/MACs/main-frame for training/analysis. FIGS has been trained (using LANL's high resolution atmospheric simulations) and calibrated, tested and evaluated in the field and shown to perform well in finding and quantifying methane leaks at 10-100m scales at well pads by ingesting atmospheric measurements. The code is applicable to gas and particle source location at large scales.

Travis, Bryan↗

Radiokrypton unveils dual moisture sources of a deep desert aquifer

We report that in arid regions, groundwater is a vital resource that can also provide a long-term record of the regional water cycle. However, the use of groundwater as a paleoclimate proxy has been limited by the complex hydrology and the lack of appropriate chronometers to determine the recharge time without complication. Applying 81 Kr, a long-lived radioisotope tracer, we investigate the paleohydroclimate and subsurface water storage properties of the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer in the Negev Desert, Israel. Based on the spatial distributions of stable isotopes and the abundance of 81 Kr, we resolve subsurface mixing and identify two distinct moisture sources of the recharge: one recent (<38 ky ago) from the Mediterranean and the other 361 ± 30 ky ago from the tropical Atlantic, both of which occurred under conditions of low orbital eccentricity comparable to that of the present. The recent recharge provided by the moisture from Mediterranean cyclones can be attributed to the southward shift of the storm track during the Last Glacial Maximum, and the earlier recharge can be attributed to moisture from the Atlantic delivered as tropical plumes under a climate colder than the present. Furthermore, the residence time of the latter reveals that tectonically active terrain can store groundwater for an unexpectedly long period, likely due to strongly attenuated groundwater flow across the fault zones. Lastly with this tracer, groundwater can now serve as a direct record of paleoprecipitation over land and of subsurface water storage from the mid-Pleistocene and onward.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Operation of Natural Gas Pipeline Networks With Storage Under Transient Flow Conditions

Here, we formulate a nonlinear optimal control problem for intraday operation of a natural gas pipeline network that includes storage reservoirs. The dynamics of compressible gas flow through pipes, compressors, reservoirs, and wells are considered. In particular, a reservoir is modeled as a rigid, hollow container that stores gas under isothermal conditions and uniform density, and a well is modeled as a vertical pipe. For each pipe, flow dynamics are described by a coupled partial differential equation (PDE) system in density and mass flux variables, with momentum dissipation modeled using the Darcy–Wiesbach friction approximation. Compressors are modeled as scaling up the pressure of gas between the inlet and outlet. The governing equations for all network components are spatially discretized and assembled into a nonlinear differential-algebraic equation (DAE) system, which synthesizes above-ground pipeline and subsurface reservoir dynamics into a single reduced-order model. We seek to maximize an objective function that quantifies economic profit and network efficiency subject to the flow equations and inequalities that represent operating limitations. The problem is solved using a primal–dual interior point solver, and the solutions are validated in computational experiments and simulations on several pipeline test networks to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

Corrective Action Decision Document/Corrective Action Plan for Corrective Action Unit 97: Yucca Flat/Climax Mine Nevada National Security Site, Nevada, Revision 1

This corrective action decision document (CADD)/corrective action plan (CAP) has been prepared for Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 97, Yucca Flat/Climax Mine, Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), Nevada. The Yucca Flat/Climax Mine CAU is located in the northeastern portion of the NNSS and comprises 720 corrective action sites. A total of 747 underground nuclear detonations took place within this CAU between 1957 and 1992 and resulted in the release of radionuclides (RNs) in the subsurface in the vicinity of the test cavities. The CADD portion describes the Yucca Flat/Climax Mine CAU data-collection and modeling activities completed during the corrective action investigation (CAI) stage, presents the corrective action objectives, and describes the actions recommended to meet the objectives. The CAP portion describes the corrective action implementation plan. The CAP presents CAU regulatory boundary objectives and initial use-restriction boundaries identified and negotiated by DOE and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP). The CAP also presents the model evaluation process designed to build confidence that the groundwater flow and contaminant transport modeling results can be used for the regulatory decisions required for CAU closure. The UGTA strategy assumes that active remediation of subsurface RN contamination is not feasible with current technology. As a result, the corrective action is based on a combination of characterization and modeling studies, monitoring, and institutional controls. The strategy is implemented through a four-stage approach that comprises the following: (1) corrective action investigation plan (CAIP), (2) CAI, (3) CADD/CAP, and (4) closure report (CR) stages.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Training and Research on Probabilistic Hydro-Thermo-Mechanical Modeling of Carbon Dioxide Geological Sequestration in Fractured Porous Rocks

Colorado School of Mines conducted research and training in the development and validation of an advanced CO 2 GS (Geological Sequestration) probabilistic simulation and risk assessment model. CO 2 GS simulation and risk assessment is used to develop advanced numerical simulation models of the subsurface to forecast CO 2 behavior and transport; optimize site operational practices; ensure site safety; and refine site monitoring, verification, and accounting efforts. As simulation models are refined with new data, the uncertainty surrounding the identified risks decrease, thereby providing more accurate risk assessment. The models considered the full coupling of multiple physical processes (geomechanical and fluid flow) and describe the effects of stochastic hydro-mechanical (H-M) parameters on the modeling of CO 2 flow and transport in fractured porous rocks. Graduate students were involved in the development and validation of the model that can be used to predict the fate, movement, and storage of CO 2 in subsurface formations, and to evaluate the risk of potential leakage to the atmosphere and underground aquifers. The main major contributions from the project include the development of: 1) an improved procedure to rigorously couple the simulations of hydro-thermo-mechanical (H-M) processes involved in CO 2 GS; 2) models for the hydro-mechanical behavior of fractured porous rocks with random fracture patterns; and 3) probabilistic methods to account for the effects of stochastic fluid flow and geomechanical properties on flow, transport, storage and leakage associated with CO 2 GS. The research project provided the means to educate and train graduate students in the science and technology of CO 2 GS, with a focus on geologic storage. Specifically, the training included the investigation of an advanced CO 2 GS simulation and risk assessment model that can be used to predict the fate, movement, and storage of CO 2 in underground formations, and the evaluation of the risk of potential CO 2 leakage to the atmosphere and underground aquifers.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Toward a new parameterization of hydraulic conductivity in climate models: Simulation of rapid groundwater fluctuations in N orthern C alifornia

Abstract Preferential flow through weathered bedrock leads to rapid rise of the water table after the first rainstorms and significant water storage (also known as “rock moisture”) in the fractures. We present a new parameterization of hydraulic conductivity that captures the preferential flow and is easy to implement in global climate models. To mimic the naturally varying heterogeneity with depth in the subsurface, the model represents the hydraulic conductivity as a product of the effective saturation and a background hydraulic conductivity K bkg , drawn from a lognormal distribution. The mean of the background K bkg decreases monotonically with depth, while its variance reduces with the effective saturation. Model parameters are derived by assimilating into Richards’ equation 6 years of 30 min observations of precipitation (mm) and water table depths (m), from seven wells along a steep hillslope in the Eel River watershed in Northern California. The results show that the observed rapid penetration of precipitation and the fast rise of the water table from the well locations, after the first winter rains, are well captured with the new stochastic approach in contrast to the standard van Genuchten model of hydraulic conductivity, which requires significantly higher levels of saturated soils to produce the same results. “Rock moisture,” the moisture between the soil mantle and the water table, comprises 30% of the moisture because of the great depth of the weathered bedrock layer and could be a potential source of moisture to sustain trees through extended dry periods. Furthermore, storage of moisture in the soil mantle is smaller, implying less surface runoff and less evaporation, with the proposed new model.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Experimental study of fracture slip due to stress perturbation in fractured geo-resources

Anthropogenic activities such as underground fluid injection/extraction, well stimulation, and dam impoundment will perturb the state-of-stress in the subsurface, which could activate critically stressed pre-existing fractures and faults. Fault and fracture activation can induce seismicity, change flow behavior, and damage asperities on the fracture surface to alter reservoir permeability. Here, in this study, triaxial shear tests were conducted on saw cut and rough fracture Barre granite specimens to better characterize how a decrease in normal stress and increase in shear stress will influence crystalline rock fracture hydromechanical properties. In a triaxial set up, confining pressure (CP) and differential stress (DS) were used to induce normal and shear stress on a 45° oriented fracture. Fracture slip and the corresponding stress relaxation was observed when the confining stress decreased. Fracture permeability increased when the fracture slipped. Moreover, new micro-cracks observed by x-ray images indicated the creation of new flow paths for fluid movement. The experimental outcomes of this study indicate that decrease in normal stress due to stress perturbations along the faults/fractures in the extensional stress regime can induce the slip along the fracture. This could have a significant influence on slope stability in quarries, stimulation and injection strategy in deep geo-resources, and potentially minimize the risk of induced seismicity. The observed stress dependency of hydraulic aperture in rough fracture during pre- and post-slip stages could provide key inputs for field-scale simulation of geo-resources.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Predicting Cement-Sheath Integrity with Consideration of Initial State of Stress and Thermoporoelastic Effects

In conventional wellbore-integrity analysis, the cement sheath’s initial state of stress and transient thermoporoelastic effects are often neglected. However, the initial state of stress is prerequisite information for accurately predicting the safe operating conditions that prevent a cemented well from being damaged. In addition, transient thermoporoelastic effects can have a profound effect on when damage will occur. Here in this paper, we propose a model that includes these effects to predict the safe operating pressures and temperatures that will prevent cement-sheath failure. For the initial state of stress, we proposed an empirical model using measurements. Subsequent stress changes are evaluated by a fully coupled transient thermoporoelastic model to analyze the mechanical behavior of the cement sheath. We predict the safe operating envelope (SOE) for shear, tensile, and debonding cement-sheath failures caused by pressure and temperature perturbations after the cement sets. Our model predicts that pore pressure is a key factor for cement failure, especially for rapid temperature changes. If the formation is low permeability, the transient pore pressures are amplified, causing the risk of damage to increase. Compared with conventional thermoelastic models, the thermoporoelastic model predicts a smaller SOE when heating the internal casing fluid and a larger envelope when cooling the internal casing fluid. Finally, the heating rate was considered with respect to field applications. The heating rate was also considered, and slower heating/cooling rates can prevent damage to the cement sheath. Finally, the thermoporoelastic model was applied to explain several laboratory and field experiments and achieved good matches.

02 PETROLEUM↗

Colloid-Facilitated Actinide Transport in a Cementitious-Impacted SRS Groundwater

The objective of this report is to provide a literature review relevant to the question of whether colloid facilitated transport of plutonium is enhanced in a cementitious groundwater system on the Savannah River Site (SRS). Contaminant transport is commonly described as taking place in a system with a mobile aqueous phase and an immobile solid phase. There has been an increasing awareness of a third phase, a mobile solid phase, also referred to as a mobile colloidal phase. Mobile colloids consist of organic and/or inorganic submicron-particles that move with groundwater flow. When radionuclides are associated with the mobile colloids, the net effect is that radionuclides can move faster through the subsurface system than would be predicted by transport models that do not include mobile colloids. It is important to distinguish between subsurface colloids and subsurface mobile colloids. The subsurface environment includes an enormous reservoir of colloids, but only a tiny fraction, if any, are mobile. Mobile colloid formation is commonly described as involving a three-step process: genesis, stabilization, and transport. It was concluded that there is a strong likelihood that submicron colloids of plutonium exist near the source term, (i.e., the genesis step is likely completed). While such particles have not been directly detected, it is highly likely that plutonium could either attach to submicron particles in the sediment or that submicron plutonium fragments exist at the source. However, the tendency for these plutonium colloids to move in the SRS subsurface is extremely low, especially in engineered cementitious environments where the ionic strength of the solution and the elevated concentrations of divalent cations greatly curtails colloid suspension stability (i.e., the stabilization step is likely not completed). Together these data strongly indicate that plutonium-bearing colloids would likely exist in the near field of a tank closure facility, but the colloids would be unlikely to be mobile, thereby providing a vector for enhanced transport. Under cementitious leachate impacted groundwater conditions, it is reasonable to assume plutonium transport occurs primarily as a two-phase system, a mobile aqueous phase and an immobile solid phase.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗