Constant Rate or Stepwise Injection of Cold Fluid into a Geologic Formation: A Hydro-Thermo-Mechanical Analysis

Abstract:

Operations such as CO₂ geologic storage, enhanced geothermal systems, and wastewater injection are rendering fluid injection as important as fluid extraction. In particular, injecting fluid colder than the original fluid causes thermal contraction and ensuing decreases in stresses, which yield an effect opposite of what volume expansion driven by the fluid injection imposes. In this study, we conduct numerical simulations to investigate pore-pressure buildup, thermal diffusion, and stress changes for two conditions: (1) constant rate, and (2) stepwise injection of cold fluid. The numerical-simulation method—which combines fluid flow, poroelasticity, thermal diffusion, and thermal stress—is based on the single-phase flow condition to simplify a computation model and thus facilitate a focus on mechanical responses. We also examine temporal evolutions of stress states and mobilized friction angles across base, injection-zone, and caprock layers for two different stress regimes: normal-faulting and reverse-faulting. Under the normal-faulting stress regime, the maximum mobilized friction angle occurs inside of the injection zone, which may act to improve the stability of the caprock. Special attention is required, however, because the location of the maximum mobilized friction angle is close to interfaces with the caprock and base layers. The hypothetical stepwise injection of cold fluid is shown to improve the stability of the injection zone to some extent. Under the reverse-faulting stress regime, the maximum mobilized friction angle occurs near the middle of the injection zone; stability in the injection zone is enhanced while that in the caprock/base is aggravated with time. The hypothetical stepwise injection not only helps improve the stability of the injection zone but also delays the moment when the maximum friction angle is mobilized. Finally, we suggest using dimensionless parameters to determine a prevalence of the thermal-stress effect in the injection zone.