Laboratory Scale Works

Site characterization for CO2 geological storage needs works at field scale and laboratory to prove the seal-reservoir pair capability to trapping the captured gas in a safely and efficient manner. Laboratory works are used to design field tests and for checking their results in a more controllable monitored environment. Petrophysical characterization through laboratory works intends to quantify operating parameters such as the reservoir injectivity and also the short and long-term trapping ability. For this, both usual routine tests of oil and gas industry, as well as, specific and innovative tests for CO2 geological storage are carried out. This chapter address laboratory tests and results achieved during the characterization of Hontomin Technology Development Plant (TDP). The main singularity is the poor primary permeability of the naturally fractured carbonates that compose the reservoir, which impacts on gas migration that is dominated by fractures. This challenging fact conditions the petrophysical characterization, since hydrodynamic, geomechanical and chemical effects take place induced by the injection and they must be analyzed by innovative works. Innovative tests and results are described, analyzed and discussed, paying special attention to those carried out by the ATAP equipment, a patent of Technical University of Madrid (UPM).