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Caprock corrosion

Nature Geoscience volume 6, pages 79–80 (2013)Cite this article

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The storage of naturally and industrially produced carbon dioxide in depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs and aquifers is viewed as an essential component of the strategy to combat the build-up of greenhouses gases in the atmosphere1. The success of these projects relies on the long-term integrity of low-permeability caprocks that must seal the CO2 within the reservoir2,3. However, we find that the integrity of caprock can be altered by flowing CO2-saturated aqueous fluid. Specifically, fluid flow under laboratory conditions through siltstone caprock sampled at one of the world's largest carbon storage projects, In Salah in Algeria4, increases the permeability of the caprock by one order of magnitude under simulated reservoir conditions. The increase in permeability is caused by chemical reactions between the CO2-rich fluid and minerals commonly found in caprocks. We therefore argue that such geochemical interactions must be considered in geological carbon sequestration projects.

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Figure 1: Changes in permeability and microstructure of a sample of caprock from In Salah, Algeria, caused by various pore fluids.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology and Geophysics, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3GP, UK

    P. J. Armitage, D. R. Faulkner & R. H. Worden

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  1. P. J. Armitage
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  2. D. R. Faulkner
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  3. R. H. Worden
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Correspondence to D. R. Faulkner.

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Armitage, P., Faulkner, D. & Worden, R. Caprock corrosion. Nature Geosci 6, 79–80 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1716

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