CCS coupled with CO2 plume geothermal operations: Enhancing CO2 sequestration and reducing risks
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Date
2025-12
Publication Type
Journal Article
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yes
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Abstract
The transition to a low-carbon economy is essential for mitigating climate change, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors. Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) is expected to play a pivotal role in this transition. This numerical study integrates CO₂ Plume Geothermal (CPG) systems with conventional CCS using field data from the Aquistore CCS project. By employing an integrated subsurface-surface modelling workflow, we simulate and compare two 30-year scenarios with nearly identical masses of sequestered CO₂: a) Business-as-usual CCS and b) coupled CPG-CCUS The results suggest that coupled CPG-CCUS operations provide a stable source of geothermal energy, which could potentially reduce or offset energy costs, such as those associated with the CO₂ capturing process. Additionally, coupling CPG with CCS enhances CO₂ sequestration efficiency by increasing CO₂ mass density in reservoir regions that become thermally depleted due to the sustained injection of CO₂ at temperatures lower than the native reservoir temperature. Although thermally depleted regions develop during both CCS and CPG-CCUS operations, they are significantly more pronounced during the latter due to the combined effect of both cold CO₂ injection and heat extraction. Moreover, CPGCCUS operations result in a more concentrated CO₂ plume around the wells. While the production well induces a pressure gradient, this gradient primarily directs fluid flow along the injection-to-production well axis, effectively focusing the CO₂ plume and limiting widespread lateral diffusion of the fluids (brine and CO₂) to the far-field reservoir. This localised CO₂ accumulation improves CO₂ plume control and reduces risks associated with uncontrolled CO₂ migration, thereby enhancing the predictability of CO₂ accumulation. This synergistic combination of CCS and CPG operations offers a pathway for the energy transition, enhancing both the CCS technology and the geothermal resource potential, while improving CO₂ sequestration safety.
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published
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Journal / series
Volume
133
Pages / Article No.
103447
Publisher
Elsevier
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Subject
Integrated Modelling; Subsurface-Surface Coupling; Energy Transition; Aquistore CCS project; Carbon Capture and Storage; Geothermal Energy
Organisational unit
09494 - Saar, Martin O. / Saar, Martin O.