Hydraulic crack propagation and rock permeability under osmotic pressure gradients with implications for deep CO2 sequestration and fraccing

Zdeněk P. Bažant*, Anh Tay Nguyen, Houlin Xu, Pouyan Asem, Joseph F. Labuz

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Long-term deep sequestration of CO2-rich brine in deep formations of ultramafic rock (e.g.Oman serpentinized harzburgite) will be feasible only if a network of hydraulic cracks could be produced and made to grow for years and decades.Fraccing of gas- or oil-bearing shales has a similar objective.The following points are planned to be made in the presentation in Golden.1) A branching of fracture can be analyzed only if the fracture is modeled by a band with triaxial tensorial damage, for which the new smooth Lagrangian crack band model is effective.2) To achieve a progressive growth of the fracture network one will need to manipulate the osmotic pressure gradients by changing alkali metal ion concentration in pore fluid.3) A standardized experimental framework to measure rock permeability at various ion concentrations and various osmotic pressure gradients is needed, and will be presented.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication58th US Rock Mechanics / Geomechanics Symposium 2024, ARMA 2024
PublisherAmerican Rock Mechanics Association (ARMA)
ISBN (Electronic)9798331305086
DOIs
StatePublished - 2024
Event58th US Rock Mechanics / Geomechanics Symposium 2024, ARMA 2024 - Golden, United States
Duration: Jun 23 2024Jun 26 2024

Publication series

Name58th US Rock Mechanics / Geomechanics Symposium 2024, ARMA 2024

Conference

Conference58th US Rock Mechanics / Geomechanics Symposium 2024, ARMA 2024
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityGolden
Period6/23/246/26/24

Funding

This work was supported as part of the Center on Geo-Process in Mineral Carbon Storage, an Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) funded by the U.S.Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences at the University of Minnesota under award DE-SC0023429.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geochemistry and Petrology
  • Geophysics

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