A novel anisotropy template for an improved interpretation of elastic anisotropy data.

Tight unconventional rocks are characterized by the presence of laminations, preferentially oriented cracks, and an interconnected network of compliant minerals. Such anisotropic features can mechanically deform due to pressure depletion during production, leading to a human-induced change of elastic and fluid transport properties. Rock physics models allow us to better predict and assess stress- and direction-dependent elastic moduli of the rock, useful for horizontal stress estimates. However, elastic anisotropy can be challenging to measure and interpret. We have developed an anisotropy template that can be used to assess stress-dependent changes in elastic moduli and investigate rock textures. We present here the template construction using an effective medium model consisting of stiff and compliant layers and crack inclusions and evaluate the origin of stress-dependent stiffness changes in acoustic data from Berea, Bakken, Three Forks, and Mancos formations.

Porous Colloidal Nanoparticles as Injectable Multimodal Contrast Agents for Enhanced Geophysical Sensing.

Injecting fluids into underground geologic structures is crucial for the development of long-term strategies for managing captured carbon and facilitating sustainable energy extraction operations. We have previously reported that the injection of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) into the subsurface can enhance seismic monitoring tools to track fluids and map complex structures, reduce risk, and verify containment in carbon storage reservoirs because of their absorption capacity of low-frequency seismic waves. Here, we demonstrate that water-based Cr/Zn/Zr MOF colloidal suspensions (nanofluids) are multimodal geophysical contrast agents that enhance near-wellbore logging tools. Based on experimental fluid-only measurements, MIL-101(Cr), ZIF-8, and UiO-66 nanofluids have distinct complex conductivity and/or low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signatures that are relevant to field-deployed technologies, implying the potential to enhance near-wellbore monitoring of CO2 injection and associated processes with downhole logging tools. Small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering characterization of ∼0.5 wt % MIL-101(Cr) suspensions confirmed phase stability and provided insight into the fractal nature of colloidal nanoparticles. Finally, low-field (2 MHz) NMR measurements of MIL-101(Cr) nanofluid injection into a prototypical Berea sandstone demonstrate how paramagnetic high-surface area MOFs may dominate the relaxation times of hydrogen-bearing fluids in porous geologic matrices, enhancing the mapping of near-surface and near-wellbore transport pathways and advancing sustainable subsurface energy technologies.

Quantification of dissolved O2 in bulk aqueous solutions and porous media using NMR relaxometry.

Effects of dissolved paramagnetic oxygen (O2) in water on 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) experiments is evaluated at a 1H Larmor frequency of 2 MHz. Dissolution of O2 into water significantly reduces the 1H transverse relaxation coefficient (T2). For deoxygenated water, T2 is 3388 ms, water at ambient atmospheric conditions (7.4 mg/L O2) exhibits a T2 of 2465 ms, and dissolution of 2710 mg/L O2 further reduces T2 to 36 ms. The results were fit with an empirical model to facilitate prediction of T2 times for bulk water as a function of paramagnetic oxygen concentrations in solution. Dissolved O2 also greatly influences 1H NMR CPMG experiments of confined water in a model system composed of Berea sandstone. For this system, 90 mg/L O2 in H2O enhances T2 relaxation of bulk water such that the relaxation time is comparable to physically confined water in the sandstone pores. Given the sensitivity of NMR T2 coefficients to paramagnetic oxygen, low-field NMR-based characterization of fluid and porous media structure requires control of dissolved oxygen, as geospatial variation in the partial pressure of O2 alone is expected to perturb fluid and pore relaxation times by up to 60 and 36%, respectively.

Geophysical early warning of salt precipitation during geological carbon sequestration.

Sequestration of industrial carbon dioxide (CO2) in deep geological saline aquifers is needed to mitigate global greenhouse gas emissions; monitoring the mechanical integrity of reservoir formations is essential for effective and safe operations. Clogging of fluid transport pathways in rocks from CO2-induced salt precipitation reduces injectivity and potentially compromises the reservoir storage integrity through pore fluid pressure build-up. Here, we show that early warning of salt precipitation can be achieved through geophysical remote sensing. From elastic P- and S-wave velocity and electrical resistivity monitoring during controlled laboratory CO2 injection experiments into brine-saturated quartz-sandstone of high porosity (29%) and permeability (1660 mD), and X-ray CT imaging of pore-scale salt precipitation, we were able to observe, for the first time, how CO2-induced salt precipitation leads to detectable geophysical signatures. We inferred salt-induced rock changes from (i) strain changes, (ii) a permanent ~ 1.5% decrease in wave velocities, linking the geophysical signatures to salt volume fraction through geophysical models, and (iii) increases of porosity (by ~ 6%) and permeability (~ 7%). Despite over 10% salt saturation, no clogging effects were observed, which suggests salt precipitation could extend to large sub-surface regions without loss of CO2 injectivity into high porosity and permeability saline sandstone aquifers.

Simultaneous measurements of transport and poroelastic properties of rocks.

A novel laboratory apparatus has been developed for simultaneous measurements of transport and poroelastic rock properties. These transport and poroelastic properties at reservoir pressure and temperature conditions are required inputs for various geoscience applications, such as reservoir simulation, basin modeling, or modeling of pore pressure generation. Traditionally, the transport and poroelastic properties are measured separately using, for example, the oscillating pore pressure method to measure hydraulic transport properties, static strain measurements for elastic properties, and pore volumometry for storage capacity. In addition to time, the separate set of measurements require either aliquot cores or subjecting the same core to multiple pressure tests. We modified the oscillating pore pressure method to build an experimental setup, capable of measuring permeability, storage capacity, and pseudo-bulk modulus of rocks simultaneously. We present here the test method, calibration measurements (capillary tube), and sample measurements (sandstone) of permeability and storage capacity at reservoir conditions. We establish that hydraulically measured storage capacities were overestimated by an order of magnitude when compared to elastically derived ones. Our concurrent measurement of elastic properties during the hydraulic experiment provides an independent constraint on storage capacity.