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  4. Geochemical Modeling of Carbon Dioxide Injection into Carbonate Formation in the Northwest Mcgregor Oil Field for CO2 Storage and Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR)
April 01, 2010 Abstract

Geochemical Modeling of Carbon Dioxide Injection into Carbonate Formation in the Northwest Mcgregor Oil Field for CO2 Storage and Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR)

Injection of carbon dioxide (CO2) for the purpose of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) is widely regarded as one of the key commercial applications of geological storage that will provide valuable insight into large-scale projects aimed at reducing CO2 emissions to the atmosphere. The Plains CO2 Reduction Partnership, one of the seven U.S. Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory Regional Partnerships, is conducting a project in the Northwest McGregor oil field in North Dakota to determine the effects CO2 will have on the productivity of the reservoir, wellbore integrity, and the carbonate formation into which CO2 was injected. The method used in this project is "huff 'n' puff" whereby 400 tons of supercritical CO2 was injected into a well over a 2-day period and allowed to "soak" for a 2-week period. Then the well was subsequently put back into production to recover incremental oil.The purpose of this paper is to outline the approach and current observations for the numerical modeling of potential geochemical reactions in order to evaluate the short-term risks for operations (e.g., porosity and permeability decrease) and long-term implications for CO2 storage via mineralization. Mineralogy of the reservoir was determined using well logs, traditional core sample analysis, x-ray diffraction, and QEMSCAN techniques. Using the results of these analyses, the mineral phases selected for model inputs were anhydrite, calcite, dolomite, illite, K-feldspar, and traces of pyrite. A pressurized bottom-hole fluid sample was also collected, and its composition was determined. The results of this fluid sample were also used as input parameters for the model.Modeling was performed using PHREEQC and Geochemist Workbench software in order to determine the most favorable geochemical interactions, evaluate in situ fluid properties, etc. The Computer Modelling Group Ltd. GEM simulator was utilized

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Event/Meeting Information

American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Convention and Exhibition
4/11/2010
New Orleans, LA