Could we rule out the possibility of 'residual CO2 trapping' in structural and stratigraphic traps, where, only, water drainage occurs upon CO2 injection?
Ruling out the possibility of "residual CO2 trapping" in structural or stratigraphic traps, where only water drainage occurs upon CO2 injection, depends on the specific geological and hydrogeological conditions of the site, as well as the details of the CO2 injection process. However, I can provide some general insights into this topic.
Residual CO2 trapping refers to the physical entrapment of CO2 in porous rock formations due to capillary forces or other mechanisms, even after the buoyant CO2 has started to migrate upwards. This trapping mechanism can contribute to the long-term storage of CO2 in geological formations. In the context of CO2 storage, the main trapping mechanisms are often classified as structural trapping, residual trapping, dissolution trapping, and mineral trapping.
In your scenario, where you mention that water drainage occurs upon CO2 injection, it seems like you're describing a situation where the injected CO2 is not being effectively trapped and instead is being displaced by water. This could happen if the injected CO2 is not immobilized due to factors such as poor reservoir integrity, lack of suitable caprock, or unfavorable pressure conditions.
Here are a few considerations:
In summary, while it's challenging to definitively rule out the possibility of residual CO2 trapping without detailed information about the specific site and conditions, the factors mentioned above should be considered to assess the potential for effective CO2 storage. Comprehensive site characterization, coupled with numerical modeling and laboratory experiments, can help in understanding the dominant trapping mechanisms and the long-term fate of injected CO2. It's important to note that successful CO2 storage requires a combination of various trapping mechanisms working together.
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