GHGT 12 conference, Austin (TX), USA, 5-9 Oct., 2014

Four papers were presented at the 12^th Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies (GHGT) conference held in Austin (TX), USA, 5-9 Oct., 2014. Two of them were accepted for an oral presentation (#1, #2), the two others were presented at the posters session (#3, #4).

The abstracts of each of these papers are given hereafter. The full papers can be dowloaded in the "Attached files" paragraph down page.

Abstract #1 (C. Kervévan, M.-H. Beddelem, K. O’Neil)

CO2-DISSOLVED: a Novel Concept Coupling Geological Storage of Dissolved CO2 and Geothermal Heat Recovery – Part 1: Assessment of the Integration of an Innovative Low-cost, Waterbased CO2 Capture Technology.

The CO₂-DISSOLVED project evaluates the feasibility of coupling capture and storage in saline aquifer of dissolved CO₂, and geothermal heat recovery. The proposed system basically relies on the integration of a patented water-based in-well CO₂ capture facility (Pi-CO₂) in a classical low-enthalpy geothermal doublet. The results of this preliminary engineering design study demonstrated that (1) the use of composite materials for the wells casings would be compatible with the injection of the corrosive CO₂-rich brine; (2) the housing of the Pi-CO₂ system in a separate large diameter well associated with a dedicated CO₂ injection line integrated in the doublet injection well is the best option for efficient CO₂ capture and dissolution in brine.

Abstract #2 (C. Castillo, S. Knopf, C. Kervévan,  F. May)

CO₂-DISSOLVED: a Novel Concept Coupling Geological Storage of Dissolved CO₂ and Geothermal Heat Recovery – Part 2: Assessment of the Potential Industrial Applicability in France, Germany, and the U.S.A

The CO₂-DISSOLVED project aims at assessing the technical-economic feasibility of coupling dissolved CO₂ storage in a saline aquifer and geothermal heat recovery. It targets specifically low-medium tonnage CO₂ emitters (ca. 10-150 kt/yr) because the amount of dissolved CO₂ that can be injected into a geothermal saline aquifer is physically limited by the solubility of CO₂ in brine. This work makes an inventory of the potential candidates to the CO₂-DISSOLVED concept in France, Germany, and the U.S.A. The results evidenced that relatively large geothermal areas match the presence of many industrial sources emitting low rates of CO₂, allowing us to conclude on the potential applicability of the concept in these three countries.

Abstract #3 (A. Randi, J. Sterpenich, C. Morlot, J. Pironon, C. Kervévan, M.-H. Beddelem, C. Fléhoc)

CO₂-DISSOLVED: a Novel Concept Coupling Geological Storage of Dissolved CO₂ and Geothermal Heat Recovery – Part 3: Design of the MIRAGES-2 Experimental Device Dedicated to the Study of the Geochemical Water-Rock Interactions Triggered by CO₂ Laden Brine Injection

he CO₂-DISSOLVED project aims at assessing the feasibility of the coupling between dissolved CO₂ storage in aquifer and geothermal heat recovery. The MIRAGES-2 experimental setup has been designed to study, at the centimeter scale and under relevant conditions of pressure and temperature, the chemical interactions in the near-injection well area between the reservoir rock, the cement phases, and the corrosive CO₂-rich solution. This original experimental setup allows performing flow-through experiments with continuous in-situ data acquisition of pressure, temperature, flow rate, pH, and dissolved CO₂ concentration. The datasets acquired will be further interpreted with the help of geochemical models, in order to better understand the effects of the key physical-chemical processes involved.

Abstract #4 (V. Hamm, C. Kervévan, D. Thiéry)

CO₂-DISSOLVED: a Novel Concept Coupling Geological Storage of Dissolved CO₂ and Geothermal Heat Recovery – Part 4: Preliminary Thermo-Hydrodynamic Simulations to Assess the CO₂ Storage Efficiency

The CO₂-DISSOLVED project aims at assessing the technical-economic feasibility of coupling CO₂ storage in a saline aquifer and geothermal heat recovery. The proposed infrastructure basically relies on a standard geothermal doublet where CO₂ would be injected after having been entirely dissolved in the cooled brine. The objective of this preliminary thermo-hydrodynamic modeling study was to quantify the expected CO₂ storage lifetime and efficiency. The results first confirmed that CO₂ will inevitably be produced in the extracted brine after 2-15 years of continuous injection, depending on the operating parameters. However, mass balance calculations evidenced that after a 30 year injection period, 37-85% of the total CO₂ injected should remain stored in the aquifer.