Numerical Modeling of the Geomechanical Behavior of Biyadh Reservoir Undergoing CO₂ Injection

Abstract

Sequestration of CO2 in deep sedimentary reservoirs is one of the potential methods that can be used for reducing the level of CO2 in the atmosphere. In this investigation, a geomechanical modeling study was performed for the deep Biyadh sandstone reservoir in Saudi Arabia. The results clearly demonstrate that the impermeable cap rock restricts the transport of CO2 from the reservoir to the overburden layers. For a 10-year period of CO2 injection, the simulation results show a ground surface upward displacement that spread over several kilometers around the injection site. It was also observed that the storage capacity of CO2 increased exponentially as the injection pressure of CO2 increased. The increase of the pore pressure with the passage of time, during CO2 injection, altered the stress and displacement fields inside the reservoir. Moreover, the safe values of injection pressure for the reservoir were evaluated for the selected period of injection using Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion.