Rock-Fluid Interactions and Carbon Storage Risk

For carbon storage to succeed in making a noticeable impact on greenhouse gas emissions, billions of tons of CO2 will need to be stored over the next century, and it will have to remain in the ground for centuries. Key elements of CO2 storage risk include the competency of caprock layers and wells when in the presence of CO2 and brine mixtures. Another key element of storage risk is how leaking fluids (e.g., CO2 or brine) affect sensitive resources (e.g., drinking water). This session is meant to focus on models, experiments, and field results that address the chemical interactions between fluids and rocks that are important for geologic storage, and their importance for predicting long-term carbon storage security. Focus will be on interactions in seals, wells, and groundwater aquifers, rather than in the storage formations themselves.