The economics of pressure-relief with CO2 injection

Abstract

In this paper we examine the trade-offs of using or not using pressure-relief for a number of representative model aquifers. We show that pressure relief increases injectivity and the degree to which it increases injection rates depends on formation characteristics. The net economic benefit of pressure relief depends on the costs of the scheme and the degree of improvement in the CO2 injection rates. Where there is only a slight increase in injectivity, pressure relief results in higher costs. However, when there are greater increases in injectivity, pressure relief is of significant net economic benefit. For the cases we examine, the costs of CO2 injection are 1.7 to 0.1 times those without pressure relief. © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.