Numerical simulation of multi-phase flow in CO2 geological sequestration

Abstract

Global warming is an important environmental issue today, and the increasing concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is considered to be the main causative factor. CO2 sequestration in geological formations is regarded as one of the most promising approaches for reducing the emission of anthropogenic CO2. Predicting the migration and evaluating the long-term stability of CO2 injected into geological formations is a major concern in CO2 sequestration projects. A numerical method is an effective and economical approach to achieve this goal. In this paper, a numerical method based on the three-phase (rock-water-CO2) theory and energy conservation law was established. To verify this numerical method, the Norwegian Sleipner CO2 geological sequestration project in Utsira formation was simulated to obtain the distribution of CO2 after a certain time of continuous injection.