Dissolution and reprecipitation of amorphous silica in silica Rich shales induces Non-Monotonic evolution of porosity in acidic reactive environments

Abstract

Advances in sustainable subsurface energy technologies are crucial for meeting our energy and resource needs for a climate-resilient future. Novel strategies to harness subsurface shale reservoirs for recovering valuable metals and for enabling CO2 storage are influenced by the morphological and mineralogical heterogeneities of these materials. In this context, delineating the interactions of highly acidic solutions such as wet supercritical CO2 on shales with varying mineralogy is crucial to inform the stability of caprock seal for CO2 storage and enhancements in permeability for fluid transport, reactivity, and storage. The feedback chemical effects associated with the interactions of acidic solutions on the morphologies and mineralogies of shales have not been extensively investigated. These insights are crucial for assessing temporal changes in the reactivity and the fate of the fluids in subsurface environments. In this study, we investigate the effect of 1 M HCl solution on the chemistry and morphology of three different shale samples with varying carbonate, clay and silica contents. An increase in the amorphous content, from 37 % to 41.3 %, of silica-rich and carbonate/clay lean shale is noted due to reactions with an acidic solution which is attributed to the dissolution of Si-bearing phases such as clays, accompanied by SiO2 precipitation. In shales bearing high content of clays and carbonates, significant increase in the pore volumes and surface areas are noted. Non-monotonic changes in the micron-scale porosity of silica rich – carbonate/clay lean (e.g., Mowry shale) are noted using in-situ X-ray microtomography experiments. Due to the initial mobilization of silica and dissolution of carbonate/clay phases, the total porosity slightly increases from 6.7 % to 10.7 % followed by a decrease to ∼4 % caused by SiO2 reprecipitation. These findings suggest that even though silica is less reactive in acidic environments, the changes in the amorphous and crystalline content due to dissolution and reprecipitation alter the porosity and fluid flow paths.