Project Summary

Seven cores from potential Australian storage reservoirs (plus one Berea sample for calibration purposes) were tested, using four different laboratory techniques; providing four sets of data – core flooding, CT scanning, geomechanics and geophysics.

The cores analysed are as follows:

  • The Berea sandstone
  • The Otway (CRC-1 well, Waarre-C formation) sandstone plug
  • The Pinjarra-1 well (Lesueur- Wonnerup member) sandstone
  • The Harvey-1 well (Lesueur plug 55H) sandstone
  • The Wandoan Precipice sandstone
  • The Golden Beach sandstone
  • The Hutton-1 sandstone
  • The Yalgorup sandstone

The initial four cores were analysed by a CSIRO CT scanner and, from then on, the second four cores were analysed by a Curtin University Micro-CT scanner. The result was a new approach to CO2 flood CT interpretation, with rather more complexities due to the higher resolution of the microCT machine.

 

Available Reports

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Predicting CO2 injectivity properties for application at CCS sites

Key conclusions from this project:

  • Demonstrated understanding of how permeability may change as a function of CO2
  • The results also highlighted the need to analyse the water produced from the core flooding experiments, as well as core mineralogy. This is needed when there are unexpected results.

The recommendations:

  • A number of example reservoir cores must be taken from the same reservoir member, but from different wells.
  • They must initially be core flooded with scCO2 and their permeability data then established.
  • If there are permeability changes both the core mineralogy and produced water must be analysed.
  • In addition, it is clear that geomechanical core tests should be done before and after flooding to observe if there is any CO2– induced weakness in the cores.
Project Name:
Predicting CO2 injectivity properties for application at CCS sites

Research Organisation:
Curtin University

Status:
Completed, 2014

Authors:
B Evans, R Rezaee, V Rasouli, M Lebedev, A Saeedi, K Liu, S Iglauer

Reference:
7-1110-0122

Research Program: Carbon Transport + Storage
Demonstration: General (Carbon Transport + Storage)
Research Focus: Injectivity, Rock properties Relative perm

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