Project Summary
This research project aims to improve knowledge of the nature of the Yalgorup Member and test their reactivity and transmissivity to CO2-rich fluids, via a comprehensive multi-scale and multi-physics analysis, evaluating the petrographic, petrophysical and mechanical properties of the palaeosols and interbedded sand sequence, before and after sample ageing. The results will constrain a conceptual model to study the hydrodynamic and geochemical feedback between the palaeosols and sand bodies. To directly assess the intrinsic sealing capacity of the Yalgorup Member, the research team will investigate the past and current existence of independent fluid compartments by estimating current and palaeo-formation water salinities in the sand beds. Finally, both facies-derived seismic attributes inversion and stochastic modelling calibrated using the multiscale petrophysical characterisation are designed to provide a facies and properties 3D geomodel of the Yalgorup Member to carry out initial connectivity assessment and investigate baffle distribution for ranking the Yalgorup Member to act as an effective multi-barrier system.