Characterization of Fractured Rocks for the Design of a Pilot-Scale CO2 Injection Site in the Sulcis Basin, Italy

6 Pages Posted: 4 Apr 2019 Last revised: 27 Oct 2020

See all articles by Maria Chiara Tartarello

Maria Chiara Tartarello

Sapienza University of Rome

Sabina Bigi

Sapienza University of Rome - Department of Earth Sciences

Francesca Colucci

Ricerca sul Sistema Energetico (RSE) S.p.A.

Dario Civile

National Institute Oceanography and Speimentale Geophysicist

Michela Giustiniani

National Institute Oceanography and Speimentale Geophysicist

Flavio Accaino

National Institute Oceanography and Speimentale Geophysicist

Fabio Moia

Ricerca sul Sistema Energetico (RSE) S.p.A.

Alberto Plaisant

Sotacarbo S.p.A.

Silvana Fais

Universita di Cagliari

Enrico Maggio

Sotacarbo S.p.A.

Alberto Pettinau

Sotacarbo S.p.A.

Alessia Conti

Sapienza University of Rome

Livio Ruggiero

Sapienza University of Rome

Abstract

The naturally fractured carbonates have a great potential for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) purpose because they could offer the possibility for CO2 storage in areas where no suitable sandy reservoirs are available, as for example in the Mediterranean area, where most of the stratigraphic succession is composed by carbonate rocks. The Sulcis basin, located in the south-western part of Sardinia island (Italy), is an ideal site for technology development. Although the site is not feasible for commercial-scale geological storage (mainly due to the lack of stationary CO2 sources), it represents an optimal location for pilot-scale experiments. Thanks to data available from several national and international projects, as well as from the mining activities, it has been possible to recognize a potential reservoir-caprock system, suitable for pilot-scale CCS development. A sequence of well bedded, about 50 m thick, mudstones and grainstones (“Miliolitico Fm.”) has been identified as a potential reservoir; the caprock is represented by a thick succession of siltstones, sandstones and conglomerates (“Cixerri Fm.”) and up to 900 m of OligoMiocene volcanic rock, ranging from basaltic to rhyolitic composition. In this work we present the results of several geophysical and geological surveys, including reflection seismic profiles, and geo-structural analysis. All the data were combined in a 3D model, defining the volumes of each formation. The evaluation of the storage capacity and the existence of a thick and impermeable caprock are essential to consider the site suitable for the experimental tests. With this aim, we measured primary porosity and permeability, whereas the fracture network was studied using scan lines and scan areas techniques on outcropping analogue of reservoir and seals. The measured linear parameters were used to build several Discrete Fracture Model (DFN) both of reservoir and caprock formations. In particular, DFN were constructed varying length and aperture values to evaluate their influence on the total secondary porosity.

Keywords: Field-scale reservoir modellling, GHGT-14, CO2 Geological Sequestration; Site characterization; Fractured carbonate reservoir; Fracture analysis; Petro-physical modelling

Suggested Citation

Tartarello, Maria Chiara and Bigi, Sabina and Colucci, Francesca and Civile, Dario and Giustiniani, Michela and Accaino, Flavio and Moia, Fabio and Plaisant, Alberto and Fais, Silvana and Maggio, Enrico and Pettinau, Alberto and Conti, Alessia and Ruggiero, Livio, Characterization of Fractured Rocks for the Design of a Pilot-Scale CO2 Injection Site in the Sulcis Basin, Italy. 14th Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies Conference Melbourne 21-26 October 2018 (GHGT-14) , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3366323 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3366323

Maria Chiara Tartarello (Contact Author)

Sapienza University of Rome ( email )

Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5
Rome, 00185
Italy

Sabina Bigi

Sapienza University of Rome - Department of Earth Sciences

P.le A. Moro 5
Rome, 00185
Italy

Francesca Colucci

Ricerca sul Sistema Energetico (RSE) S.p.A.

via R. Rubattino 54
Milano, 20134
Italy

Dario Civile

National Institute Oceanography and Speimentale Geophysicist

Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/C
Sgonico (TS)
Italy

Michela Giustiniani

National Institute Oceanography and Speimentale Geophysicist

Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/C
Sgonico (TS)
Italy

Flavio Accaino

National Institute Oceanography and Speimentale Geophysicist

Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/C
Sgonico (TS)
Italy

Fabio Moia

Ricerca sul Sistema Energetico (RSE) S.p.A.

via R. Rubattino 54
Milano, 20134
Italy

Alberto Plaisant

Sotacarbo S.p.A. ( email )

Grande Miniera di Serbariu
Carbonia, 09013
Italy

Silvana Fais

Universita di Cagliari

Cagliari, 09124
Italy

Enrico Maggio

Sotacarbo S.p.A.

Grande Miniera di Serbariu
Carbonia, 09013
Italy

Alberto Pettinau

Sotacarbo S.p.A.

Grande Miniera di Serbariu
Carbonia, 09013
Italy

Alessia Conti

Sapienza University of Rome

Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5
Rome, 00185
Italy

Livio Ruggiero

Sapienza University of Rome

Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5
Rome, 00185
Italy

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