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Abstract

We study opportunities for CO2 sequestration in geological formations of the state North Rhine Westphalia in Germany. Simulations are performed for evaluating a potential site within the Bunter sandstone formation near the town of Minden in a depth of around 3,000 m using the numerical simulator TOUGHREACT. Our focus is on three CO2 storage mechanisms: (1) hydrodynamic trapping, (2) dissolution trapping, and (3) mineral trapping. The results show that due to buoyancy the injected CO2 phase initially migrates towards the top of the reservoir and is hydrodynamically trapped beneath the confining layer of the cap rock. Then, the CO2 spreads laterally and dissolves partially in the formation water. The dissolution of CO2 results in an increase of the density of the brine causing a downward migration until it settles after 10,000 years at the bottom of the reservoir. The simulations indicate that after 10,000 years, 15% (17 Mt) from a total of 114 Mt injected CO2 are trapped hydrodynamically, 20% (23 Mt) are trapped by dissolution, and 65% (74 Mt) are fixed in newly formed carbonates such as dawsonite, ankerite, and siderite. Within our study pressure increases near the injection well by a factor of 1.1 which is lower than the upper limit usually accepted in gas storage operations. The mineral reactions cause a net decrease of porosity and in turn a decrease of permeability down to 9% of the initial value in parts of the reservoir.