MODELING AND SIMULATION OF FLUID FLOWDYNAMICS FOR CO₂ MIGRATION IN TWO-DIMENSIONAL SALINE AQUIFERS

Henglai  Zhai; Zaibin Lin; Francisco Bruno Souza Oliveira; Jeff Gomes

doi:10.14295/vetor.v34i2.18549

Authors

Henglai Zhai School of Engineering, University of Aberdeen, UK
Zaibin Lin School of Engineering, University of Aberdeen, UK
Francisco Bruno Souza Oliveira Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9847-7290
Jeff Gomes University of Aberdeen https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0845-2274

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14295/vetor.v34i2.18549

Keywords:

finger growth, Saffman-Taylor instability, CO₂ sequestration, CO₂ plume migration

Abstract

Geological carbon sequestration is increasingly recognized as a promising solution for mitigating CO₂emissions by storing CO₂in geological formations such as saline aquifers. Although recent research has primarily focused on optimizing CO₂trapping mechanisms to enhance storage efficiency, the flow dynamics of CO₂plume migration—particularly the propagation and growth of fingers—remain insufficiently understood. In response to these challenges, we develop a model to simulate CO₂plume migration in both homogeneous and heterogeneous porous media within two-dimensional (2D) saline aquifers. This study utilizes high-order reservoir simulations within the ICFERST framework, employing the control volume finite element method (CVFEM) to specifically capture the viscous instabilities associated with CO₂plume migration. The simulation process integrates various mesh resolutions and incorporates adaptive mesh optimization (AMO). Our results indicate that increasing mesh resolution significantly enhances the ability to accurately capture the formation and growth of CO₂fingers. In homogeneous porous media, AMO effectively balances accuracy and computational efficiency by dynamically refining or coarsening the mesh in critical regions. In heterogeneous porous media, simulations reveal the emergence of wider and larger fingers compared to those observed in homogeneous settings, with bifurcations occurring at locations where relative permeability undergoes significant changes.

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