High-resolution geologic modeling and CO2 flow simulation of a realistic clastic deltaic 3D model derived from a laboratory flume tank experiment

Abstract

Carbon sequestration in geologic reservoirs is a proven method for reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from industrial point sources. Subsurface deltaic deposits are attractive candidates for CO2 storage projects due to their common occurrence as host to significant hydrocarbon and hydrologic resources, and are highly prospective for subsurface storage of large volumes of CO2. This research informs subsurface passive margin deltaic reservoir characterization and fluid flow performance for geologic carbon storage. The objective of this research is to create a high-resolution geocellular digital model that honors both the large-scale stratigraphic architecture and local vertical and lateral facies heterogeneity represented in deltaic environments of deposition. We present a novel approach to reservoir model generation by utilizing a previously generated meter-scale physical flume sand tank analog experiment to represent realistic deltaic stratigraphic architectures and facies distributions. The result is an extremely high-resolution geologic model that can be used for a variety of applications, including single and multiphase fluid flow simulation. An application is presented using the example model to simulate buoyant fluid (CO2) migration and resulting saturation distribution. Results emphasize the importance of recognizing sequence stratigraphic architectures in deltaic depositional settings for predicting CO2 migration and retention (storage capacity).