Geological sequestration of carbon dioxide in depleted gas reservoirs

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of phase behavior on the sequestration CO₂ of in depleted gas reservoirs (dry gas, wet gas and retrograde gas). Carbon dioxide sequestration in depleted and abandoned gas reservoirs can accomplish two important objectives. Firstly, it could be important part of present climate control initiative to reduce the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Secondly, it could be instrumental to enhance gas and condensate recovery. Using the pressure-temperature diagrams and two phase flash calculations, the phase behavior of natural gas-carbon dioxide mixtures were analyzed to provide enlightenment on the sequestration process. From analysis of simulated results, it was found that carbon dioxide exhibited a drying effect on wet and retrograde gas mixtures and a wetting effect on dry gas. The results for retrograde gas condensate depended on the composition of reservoir fluids at abandonment conditions. The main difference being the liquid volume present with increasing pressure and carbon dioxide concentration. This influenced the volume of condensate vaporized with addition of carbon dioxide. It was also determined that carbon dioxide lowers the compressibility factor of all gas types. These results are favorable for carbon dioxide sequestration because decreasing compressibility factors represents increasing storage capacity.