Modeling of Multi-Component and Thermal Flow for Geologic Carbon Sequestration Using Operator-Based Linearization Approach

Abstract

AbstractMulti-component and thermal flow modeling has been applied in oil and gas industry for last few decades. But its application is challenging due to growing size of simulation models and need to handle multi-physics. In this study, operator based linearization (OBL) approach is used to model multi-component and thermal flow with application to geologic carbon sequestration.Geologic carbon sequestration studies require different approach as compared to conventional oilfield as the size of aquifer and time-scale of simulation are relatively large. Also, sparse data availability necessitates systematic simulation study with hundreds, if not thousands, of simulation runs to capture underlying uncertainty. With this in mind, operator based linearization is used to model nonlinear flow in carbon-dioxide storage in subsurface. Compute expensive fluid model is handled using operator table, and state values are interpolated using multi-linear interpolation.Approach is applied to carbon-dioxide injection modeling in first multi-component, iso-thermal setting and then in multi-component, thermal setting. Implementation of OBL formulation in the open-source GEOSX simulation tool is used in this study. A static operator table is included at the start of simulation in which state-dependent operators are parameterized using mesh in parameter space. OBL approach accelerates time required for simulation by replacing compute-expensive calculations with multi-linear interpolation, while also introducing some approximation errors. This approach would be applicable in simulation workflow where hundreds of simulation runs are required to make decision.