Tight sedimentary covers for CO$$_{2}$$ sequestration.

Leguillon, D.; Karnaeva, E.; Baroni, A.; Putot, C.

CO $$_{2}$$ storage at depth is a promising way to reduce the spread of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Obviously the sedimentary cover should ensure the sealing of reservoirs. The latter are periodically fractured to allow injection and we propose a model to predict the maximum bearable gas pressure before reinitiating these fractures in the caprock or incidentally along the interface between the reservoir and the caprock. The method is based on a twofold criterion merging energy and stress conditions. Specific conditions related to the gas pressure acting on the crack faces and the swelling of the reservoir due to the pressure rise require taking into account several terms in addition to the classical singular term that describes the state of stress at the tip of the main crack.

SEQUESTRATION (Chemistry); GREENHOUSE gases; ROCK mechanics; FRACTURE mechanics; INJECTIVE functions; ATMOSPHERE

International Journal of Fracture, 2013, Vol 184, Issue 1/2, p113

0376-9429

Academic Journal

10.1007/s10704-013-9840-5