A Review of the Utilization of CO2 as a Cushion Gas in Underground Natural Gas Storage

Abstract

A cushion gas is an indispensable and the most expensive part of underground natural gas storage. Using CO2 injection to provide a cushion gas, not only can the investment in natural gas storage construction be reduced but the greenhouse effect can also be reduced. Currently, the related research about the mechanism and laws of CO2 as a cushion gas in gas storage is not sufficient. Consequently, the difference in the physical properties of CO2 and CH4, and the mixing factors between CO2 and natural gas, including the geological conditions and injection–production parameters, are comprehensively discussed. Additionally, the impact of CO2 as a cushion gas on the reservoir stability and gas storage capacity is also analyzed by comparing the current research findings. The difference in the viscosity, density, and compressibility factor between CO2 and CH4 ensures a low degree of mixing between CO2 and natural gas underground, thereby improving the recovery of CH4 in the operation process of gas storage. In the pressure range of 5 MPa–13 MPa and temperature range of 303.15 K–323.15 K, the density of CO2 increases five to eight times, while the density of natural gas only increases two to three times, and the viscosity of CO2 is more than 10 times that of CH4. The operation temperature and pressure in gas storage should be higher than the temperature and pressure in the supercritical conditions of CO2 because the diffusion ability between the gas molecules is increased in these conditions. However, the temperature and pressure have little effect on the mixing degree of CO2 and CH4 when the pressure is over the limited pressure of supercritical CO2. The CO2, with higher compressibility, can quickly replenish the energy of the gas storage facility and provide sufficient elastic energy during the natural gas production process. In addition, the physical properties of the reservoir also have a significant impact on the mixing and production of gases in gas storage facilities. The higher porosity reduces the migration speed of CO2 and CH4. However, the higher permeability promotes diffusion between gases, resulting in a higher degree of gas mixing. For a large inclination angle or thick reservoir structure, the mixed zone width of CO2 and CH4 is small under the action of gravity. An increase in the injection–production rate intensifies the mixing of CO2 and CH4. The injection of CO2 into reservoirs also induces the CO2–water–rock reactions, which improves the porosity and is beneficial in increasing the storage capacity of natural gas.