CO2Bio: A new TOUGHREACT module to simulate geological carbon and hydrogen storage under biotic conditions

BACKGROUND

High carbon emissions have quickly become a critical issue in the United States. Oklahoma ranks third in natural gas production and fourth in crude oil production in the U.S. Because of this, an innovation in Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) could become crucial in reducing emissions near depleted oil reservoirs in Oklahoma. Strategies such as Geological Carbon Storage by structural, dissolution, residual, and mineral trapping mechanisms in deep saline aquifers have been extensively studied. Several simulation programs exist but are constrained to analyze the physical or chemical fate of pure hydrogen gas under abiotic conditions and model important gases as impurities. After recent findings in the reactive transport of these certain gases, a new TOUGHREACT module that can simulate geological carbon and hydrogen storage under biotic conditions could be paramount in carbon storage innovations.  

SUMMARY OF TECHNOLOGY

Oklahoma State researchers have developed a new TOUGHREACT module capable of simulating the physical and chemical fate of hydrogen and carbon dioxide under biotic conditions. Recent findings have indicated that stimulating the biogenic conversion of carbon dioxide and oil hydrocarbons into methane or hydrogen is possible. TOUGHREACT-CO2Bio, an extension of TOUGHREACT-ECO2N, can simulate the chemical, physical, and microbiological fate of CO2-CH4-H2-H2S gases and brine in deep saline aquifers and depleted oil reservoirs. CO2Bio accounts for microbiological processes such as the biogenic conversion of oil hydrocarbons/organic matter and carbon dioxide conversion to methane, hydrogen, and hydrogen sulfide. Additionally, CO2Bio captures the effect of carbon dioxide dissolution into the formation of water on the activity of indigenous microbial species through a kinetic model that accounts for the different optimum pH of microbial species. CO2Bio offers a more robust simulation that factors in biotic conditions affecting geological carbon and hydrogen storage.

POTENTIAL AREAS OF APPLICATION

• Geological Carbon Storage (GCS) in depleted oil reservoirs and deep saline aquifers.
• Biogenic Conversion of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) to Methane (CH4) in GCS sites.
• Biogenic Hydrogen Gas (H2) production from residual oil in depleted oil reservoirs.

MAIN ADVANTAGES

• More accurate geological carbon and hydrogen storage simulations under biotic conditions.
• Capability to assess the feasibility of hydrogen production from residual oil in depleted oil reservoirs.
• Pre-existing features of TOUGHREACT still apply to the CO2Bio module.

STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT

• Beta Testing