CO2 Sequestration Using Dense Aqueous Solution Pooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current CO2 sequestration methods are limited by the need for specific trapping mechanisms for positively buoyant fluids, restricting injection sites and raising uncertainties about long-term efficacy, especially since only a small proportion of geological basins have suitable structural highs for trapping positively buoyant fluids.
Innovation Solution
Injecting an aqueous CO2 solution that is denser than in situ water, allowing it to sink and pool in structural lows, eliminating the need for specific trapping mechanisms and expanding the area suitable for CO2 sequestration by utilizing structural 'lows' as long-term storage locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pure CO2 gas is injected into the sequestration site, then CO2 can be stored in the subsurface reservoir, but the method is restricted to locations with specific trap types and impervious cap rock, limiting the available sequestration sites
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the density parameter of the CO2 by dissolving it in water to form a dense aqueous solution. This parameter change transforms the buoyancy characteristic from positive (gas phase) to negative (dense liquid phase), enabling the CO2 to sink and pool in structural lows rather than requiring trap structures for containment. This resolves the contradiction by making the sequestration method adaptable to various geological locations while maintaining reliable long-term storage through density-driven pooling.
2Ease of manufacture
If pure CO2 is injected as gas or supercritical fluid, then CO2 sequestration can proceed, but the positively buoyant fluid requires trapping mechanisms that are not universally available in all geological basins
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state and density parameter of CO2 by dissolving it in water under subsurface conditions. This transforms the injection medium from positively buoyant gas/supercritical fluid to negatively buoyant dense aqueous solution, eliminating the requirement for trap structures and expanding injection versatility to any geological location with appropriate injection infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
Water acts as an intermediary medium that facilitates CO2 transport and delivery to sequestration locations. By dissolving CO2 in water, the system uses water as a carrier that can be injected through existing well infrastructure, simplifying the injection process while enabling delivery to locations that would not accommodate pure CO2 gas injection.
3Reliability
If trap structures are required for CO2 containment, then positively buoyant CO2 can be stored, but only a small proportion of geological basins have suitable structural highs for trapping
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by instead of trapping positively buoyant CO2 in structural highs, it injects negatively buoyant dense aqueous CO2 solution that sinks and pools in structural lows. This inversion of buoyancy direction and structural target expands the available sequestration area from limited structural highs to extensive structural lows throughout the geological basin.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the density parameter of the CO2 medium through water dissolution, the invention enables utilization of structural lows as sequestration targets. This parameter change fundamentally expands the geographic area suitable for sequestration from rare structural highs to common structural lows across diverse geological settings.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables CO2 sequestration in a broader range of geological basins, ensuring long-term storage without interfering with existing oil or gas production activities and providing a synergy with hydrocarbon production by using structural lows, where CO2 can be retained for thousands of years.
Implementation Method 1
The aqueous CO2 solution comprises a density that is greater than the density of the water naturally present in the geological basin
Implementation Method 2
the injected aqueous CO2 solution pools in the one or more subsurface sequestration locations
Data Source
AI summary
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a method of subsurface sequestration of CO2 in a geological basin includes identifying one or more subsurface sequestration locations in the geological basin and injecting an aqueous CO2 solution to be sequestered into the geological basin. The one or more subsurface sequestration locations are regions of deeper geological structure, relative to an adjacent shallower geological structure, into which a negatively buoyant fluid injected into the basin will sink. The aqueous CO2 solution comprises a density that is greater than the density of the water naturally present in the geological basin, such that the injected aqueous CO2 solution pools in the one or more subsurface sequestration locations.