CO2 storage in carbonates: Wettability of calcite

Limestone reservoirs are considered as potential candidates for CO2 geo-sequestration. In order to predict structural and residual trapping capacities of CO2 and containment security in carbonates, the wettability of the CO2/brine/rock systems plays a vital role. Calcite is the main component in lim...

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Main Authors: Arif, M., Lebedev, Maxim, Barifcani, Ahmed, Iglauer, Stefan
Format: Journal Article
Published: Elsevier 2017
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/53896
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author Arif, M.
Lebedev, Maxim
Barifcani, Ahmed
Iglauer, Stefan
author_facet Arif, M.
Lebedev, Maxim
Barifcani, Ahmed
Iglauer, Stefan
author_sort Arif, M.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Limestone reservoirs are considered as potential candidates for CO2 geo-sequestration. In order to predict structural and residual trapping capacities of CO2 and containment security in carbonates, the wettability of the CO2/brine/rock systems plays a vital role. Calcite is the main component in limestone and thus commonly used to characterize carbonate wettability using direct contact angle measurements. Previously, several studies determined wettability of calcite/CO2/brine systems, but the data clearly lacks in terms of (a) wettability characterization for a wide range of operating conditions, and (b) published data reports contradicting results with measured wettability ranging from strongly water-wet to weakly CO2-wet. Thus, to reduce the uncertainty in the reported measurements, we conducted an experimental study to measure advancing and receding water contact angles for calcite/CO2/brine systems as a function of pressure (0.1–20 MPa), temperature (308–343 K) and salinity (0 wt% NaCl – 20 wt% NaCl). The results indicate that calcite is strongly water-wet at ambient conditions and with the increase in pressure the surface gradually loses its water-wetness. At high pressure storage conditions (20 MPa and 308 K), calcite surface turned weakly CO2-wet implying that an upwards directed suction force will be created and consequently leakage may occur. Moreover, with the increase in temperature contact angle decreased implying that carbonates turn more water-wet at higher temperatures. Furthermore, contact angle increased with salinity. By comparing our results with published data, we point out that apart from pressure, temperature and salinity, the surface cleaning methods and surface roughness and nature of the sample itself can be possible sources of ambiguity in literature data. We conclude that high temperature and low salinity carbonate formations with lower injection pressures are more suitable for safe CO2 storage.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-538962017-10-10T00:50:56Z CO2 storage in carbonates: Wettability of calcite Arif, M. Lebedev, Maxim Barifcani, Ahmed Iglauer, Stefan Limestone reservoirs are considered as potential candidates for CO2 geo-sequestration. In order to predict structural and residual trapping capacities of CO2 and containment security in carbonates, the wettability of the CO2/brine/rock systems plays a vital role. Calcite is the main component in limestone and thus commonly used to characterize carbonate wettability using direct contact angle measurements. Previously, several studies determined wettability of calcite/CO2/brine systems, but the data clearly lacks in terms of (a) wettability characterization for a wide range of operating conditions, and (b) published data reports contradicting results with measured wettability ranging from strongly water-wet to weakly CO2-wet. Thus, to reduce the uncertainty in the reported measurements, we conducted an experimental study to measure advancing and receding water contact angles for calcite/CO2/brine systems as a function of pressure (0.1–20 MPa), temperature (308–343 K) and salinity (0 wt% NaCl – 20 wt% NaCl). The results indicate that calcite is strongly water-wet at ambient conditions and with the increase in pressure the surface gradually loses its water-wetness. At high pressure storage conditions (20 MPa and 308 K), calcite surface turned weakly CO2-wet implying that an upwards directed suction force will be created and consequently leakage may occur. Moreover, with the increase in temperature contact angle decreased implying that carbonates turn more water-wet at higher temperatures. Furthermore, contact angle increased with salinity. By comparing our results with published data, we point out that apart from pressure, temperature and salinity, the surface cleaning methods and surface roughness and nature of the sample itself can be possible sources of ambiguity in literature data. We conclude that high temperature and low salinity carbonate formations with lower injection pressures are more suitable for safe CO2 storage. 2017 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/53896 10.1016/j.ijggc.2017.04.014 Elsevier restricted
spellingShingle Arif, M.
Lebedev, Maxim
Barifcani, Ahmed
Iglauer, Stefan
CO2 storage in carbonates: Wettability of calcite
title CO2 storage in carbonates: Wettability of calcite
title_full CO2 storage in carbonates: Wettability of calcite
title_fullStr CO2 storage in carbonates: Wettability of calcite
title_full_unstemmed CO2 storage in carbonates: Wettability of calcite
title_short CO2 storage in carbonates: Wettability of calcite
title_sort co2 storage in carbonates: wettability of calcite
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/53896